014: Bernardo Marguils of AIGA Philadelphia

Meet Bernardo Marguils — a design-tech polymath whose journey spans graphic design, computer science, and marketing leadership. Fresh out of school, he dove headfirst into AIGA Philadelphia, learning on the fly, leading transformational board experiments, and turning volunteer roles into career-defining skills. This episode uncovers how messy learning, human pyramids, and hot‑tub jam sessions shape creative leadership. Key TakeawaysThe best learning happens when you’re thrown in—Bernardo hit the ground running as Sponsorship Chair the week before graduation.Failing forward is real: his first sponsorship and fundraising experiments taught him through trial, error, and unexpected wins.Rituals matter—a retreat’s pool, hot tub, and Sharpie-fueled room parties are as formative as any workshop.AIGA isn’t just volunteering—it’s a network powerful enough to land jobs, schools, and show up at pivotal career moments.Real leadership is about creating space—not owning every answer, but asking the right questions and empowering others.Coming full circle: from mentee to mentor, Bernardo embodies the continuing ripple of design community giving back.Episode Chapters02:04 – The first AIGA chapter – Bernardo reveals that AIGA Philadelphia was established in 1981, making it the first official chapter—sorry, New York.  03:18 – Calling in fresh – Just before graduation, Bernardo is tapped as Sponsorship Chair—totally unprepared and totally ready.  07:25 – First fundraiser experiments – Paper show was fading. After apologizing to vendors, he schemes tiered sponsorships: Gold, Silver, Bronze.  12:58 – Trials and pivots – Experimented with a resource fair instead of a paper show. Though it lost money the first year, success arrived in venue partnerships.  15:02 – Birthplace of pyramids – Forget Miami—human pyramid legends began in Omaha, not glamorous but wildly memorable.  19:27 – Retreat learning 101 – At his national board retreat in Miami, he absorbs hundreds of ideas and finds belonging across generations.  22:13 – Post-conference ritual – Pool > hot tub > late-night sea submerge. No formal room parties, but magic still happened.  23:48 – Sharpie tactics for room parties – Security kicked them out, so they Sharpied room numbers on wrists and kept the party alive.  28:21 – AIGA connection networks – A conversation in a Miami cab led to job leads, grad school recommendations, and mentors lining the way.  29:44 – Leadership with data – Partnering with his VP, he analyzed decade-long board data to reshape recruitment and board participation.  31:53 – Leadership as facilitation – Bernardo reframed his role as enabling board conversations and experimentation—not doing everything himself.  37:14 – Mentor turn – Once a mentee, now a mentor in Philly’s mentorship program—full-circle moment.  About Our GuestBernardo Marguils is a creative-leadership chameleon—equally at home in code or composition. Currently the Director of Marketing at Penn Medicine Doylestown Health, he previously engineered at Amazon and served multiple terms on AIGA Philadelphia’s board. From innovating fundraising systems to reshaping how the chapter recruits and leads through data, his background in design, computer science, and strategic facilitation makes him a standout leader. FeaturingGuest Bernardo Margulis, connect on LinkedInHost Erik Cargill, connect on LinkedInHost Rachel Elnar, connect on LinkedInSupport the ShowTheme music: Loose Ends by Silver Ships Plastic OceansProduced by Chapter 2 MediaSubscribe to the Together by Design newsletter for more community-building and podcast episode updatesSponsored by: Able Made, The Original Off Pitch Soccer Style: shop nowSponsored by: Draplin Design Company, check us out!Sponsored by: The People's Graphic Design Archive: browse, contribute, and research