IDEA School of Design Grad Michelle Viet Designs a Fairer Future for Women in Tech
Michelle Viet, product and graphic designer, at Toast Summit 2025 in Calgary
“Where purpose and profit meet”
For IDEA School of Design grad Michelle Viet, good design isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s a tool for building a more equitable world. Now a key designer at Toast, a tech-enabled recruitment firm dedicated to flipping the hiring dynamic for women, Michelle has woven her passion for social impact directly into her career. She shares her story below:
Michelle Viet is a product and graphic designer at Toast, a tech-enabled recruitment firm built to flip the hiring dynamic in favour of women. Toast helps women land the work they want, earn the pay they deserve, and thrive in a community built for and with women in tech.
“Toast confronts the systems plaguing women+ in the tech industry - from the persistent gender pay gap to the isolating ‘lonely only’ experience, and the glaring absence of opportunities to lead and receive mentorship and sponsorship.”
Michelle Viet, product and graphic designer, at Toast Summit 2025 in Calgary
My Career Journey
I joined Capilano University’s IDEA School of Design Bachelor of Visual Communication program in 2019, already knowing I wanted to pursue the interactive concentration because of my passion for UX design. While I enjoyed exploring other design disciplines, UX has always been where my focus and enthusiasm lie.
In my third year, I interned at Railyard Lab at Dossier, where I worked on brand strategy and visual design. Later that year, I became a UX design intern at SAP and then completed my practicum placement in my fourth year at Cova Software, a cannabis retail software company.
Throughout my time at school, I was also freelancing and interning through Riipen, collaborating with both established companies and startups on projects spanning visual identity, packaging, product, UX, and motion design. My experience has covered a range of industries, from tech to electronics manufacturing to consumer goods, fitness, music production and more.
Earlier this year, I joined Toast after interning with the team on several projects last year, which led to a full-time offer. I couldn’t be happier to be part of such a purpose-driven company.
Why I’m at Toast
Our merch lol “get that bread” is our slogan
I was drawn to Toast because of its mission to create gender equity in tech. Throughout my time at IDEA, I worked on many projects centered around social issues, including women’s health, supporting refugees, and ultimately gender equity for my capstone project. It felt right to continue working toward a cause that deeply aligns with my values.
Working at a startup means being hands-on and close to every part of the process, which I love. This year, Toast surpassed $1 million in annual revenue, a milestone that fewer than 2% of female-founded companies reach, with a CAGR of 413%, and we’ve only just passed the three-year mark.
Toast has helped funnel more than $10 million in salaries into the hands of women, which constantly reminds me that our work has real impact. Our efforts have even caught the attention of Harvard researchers and we have been featured in Forbes, the Financial Post, The Globe and Mail, and Digital Journal.
Beyond the mission, Toast also emphasizes work-life balance and wellness, encouraging us to give 100% to our personal life so we can bring 100% to work. Our entire team is made up of incredible women who consistently recognize and uplift one another and are genuinely the most wonderful and fun people to work with.
My team and I at the Top 25 Women in Tech gala hosted by Tech Thursday
I work remotely from Vancouver, while the rest of the team is based in Calgary and Toronto. I find the work both fascinating and fulfilling. I work closely with the amazing Jessica Lortie, Toast’s Head of Marketing and Design, whose mentorship and creative insight I greatly value. She’s not only incredibly smart and has a great sense of humour, but she’s also a genuine advocate who has supported and encouraged me throughout my time at Toast. I spearhead web and brand design, helping shape how Toast shows up visually across all touchpoints.
We’ve found a way to balance purpose and profit, which isn’t easy to achieve, and it’s a niche I’m proud and passionate to be part of.
What’s Next
Recently, we hosted our third annual Toast Summit in Calgary, a conference for women in tech. The Summit has sold out three years in a row and continues to gain thousands of online impressions.
Toast Summit 2025 in Calgary
Right now, we’re opening applications for our next big event, the Toast Dash, a hackathon with $5,000 in cash prizes for participants who join the Toast membership (you can join too..!)
“The Toast Dash
November 14-21, 2025 | Online + In-Person Across Canada
A hackathon for women in tech to build, learn, and compete for $5,000 in prizes.”
I feel lucky to do work that challenges and inspires me every day, and to be surrounded by a team that leads with creativity, kindness, humour, and purpose.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned since graduating, it’s that your career doesn’t have to follow a straight line. Every experience, even the ones outside your comfort zone, not only teaches you something that becomes part of your design toolkit but also helps you form valuable connections which are very very very important in this industry! Stay curious and keep saying yes to opportunities that excite you and they’ll lead you exactly where you’re meant to be.
Takeaway
Michelle’s journey is a powerful reminder that a fulfilling career in design is built by aligning your skills with your values. Her work at Toast continues to shape a brand that is both visually compelling and deeply purposeful, proving that design can indeed be a force for meaningful change.
For more:
To see more of her work, visit her portfolio at michelleviet.com or learn more about Toast’s mission.
Find Your Path in Design
Every designer’s journey is unique, but the passion that drives them is universal. The story you’ve just read is one of many paths forged by our graduates.
Explore more alumni spotlights, discover diverse career trajectories, and see the real-world impact of our community right here on our blog.
