Speakers

Professor Lindsay Grace, PhD, MFA, is an award-winning game designer and author of 3 books including, Doing Things with Games, Social Impact Through Play. He is a leading voice in social impact games, publishing more than 100 peer-reviewed research articles, He’s lead multiple game design programs, published independent games, at more than 150 events internationally. As a leader in the field, he has held key roles shaping the future of games for change through research, design, and advocacy.

Lisa Pak is Head of Operations at Playing for the Planet, a UNEP-facilitated initiative uniting the video games industry to activate players globally to protect and restore our planet and accelerate decarbonization across the industry. With over 3.4 billion players around the world, Lisa sees video games not just as entertainment, but as one of the most powerful platforms for engaging people in the fight for our planet. Her mission is to accelerate environmental action by meeting people where they are, at work, at school, and in play. Prior to her role at Playing for the Planet, Lisa spent over a decade in the gaming and advertising industry, building expertise in project management, strategic partnerships, and monetization. Today, she draws on that experience to include sustainability into the business of play supporting an entire industry to level up for the planet.

Livia Zhao is a rising senior at Townsend Harris High School in Flushing, NY. She developed her skills in game design through a free course offered by CCNY. Although she isn't the greatest programmer, she specializes in character creation and design. Through this, she earned the title of 2026 Game of the Year in the Senior Division with her game The Last Drop Cafe, inspired by marine life and their dependency on coral reefs. She hopes to continue creating in her future career, using art, storytelling, and more!

Lonny J Avi Brooks is Professor and Chair of Communication at California State University, East Bay, and Visiting Professor at Stanford’s Hasso Plattner Institute of Design. He co-founded the AfroRithm Futures Group with Ahmed Best and the Community Futures School with Nina Woodruff. He co-created the game AfroRithms From The Future and researches Afrofuturism, Indigenous futurism, futures literacy, imagination, and liberatory futures through storytelling and design.

Lucy is known as one of the "OG" investors in the UAE. She is focused on the innovation space, both in terms of supporting founders and as an investor. Her recently published book, "Changing The Game", highlights the importance of digital technologies, in sectors such as gaming and its relevance to the future of work. Lucy is an advocate and capacity builder focused on digital transformation. She is an Ambassador for Women In Games (WIGJ), Advisory Board member for HER Sports Summit and is an Honoree of The Listed, which spotlights the technologies and leaders reshaping sport’s future.

Dr. Lynn Fiellin is a Professor of Biomedical Data Science at Dartmouth College. Sixteen years ago and inspired by her then 3 teenaged children, she founded the play2PREVENT Lab where she and her team of behavioral and medical scientists, adolescent and community partners, and serious game developers have developed and evaluated digital health games to address adolescent mental health and substance misuse. She also founded Playbl, a sister organization to her Lab, that holds the promise of getting these effective and engaging digital health games into the hands of adolescents broadly.

Lyra performs and produces immersive experiences that dissolve empathic barriers. Recent credits include the international tour of hyper-intimate “Undersigned” (Underbelly, Edinburgh Fringe), and interactive ghost story “Molly Went Missing” (La Jolla Playhouse). Lyra executes ambitious visions with a diverse background in circus, theatre, and mechanical engineering. She joins fantasy to reality, revealing guest agency in worlds with consequences - ones in which our actions matter. www.lyralev.in

Maria Tamellini is an award-winning social impact entrepreneur working at the intersection of trust & safety, technology, and community health in games. She is the Co-Founder of GamerSafer, a company innovating in cross-platform identity and verification technology to strengthen player accountability, and she also leads Minehut, the largest independent Minecraft server network in the world. Maria is a Minecraft Safety Council Advisor and a driving force behind community-led initiatives like the Minecraft Official Server List and the DefenderNet Initiative. She collaborates with organizations including the Thriving in Games Group, Common Sense Media, ECPAT International, Take This, WeProtect Global Alliance, and Stanford’s Reach Lab.

Martina is Executive Producer of New Media at Annapurna, following five years at Epic Games (as an Unreal Engine Evangelist and lead of the Epic Indies initiative) and two years at Rovio's HATCH as content manager. She founded OKAM Studio and served as the first female President of the Argentinean Game Developers Association. A co-founder of the Latam Video Games Federation, she also authored the IADB's book on Latin American and Caribbean game studios and previously led the Animation and Interactivity Career at Universidad del Cine.

Mathias Gredal Nørvig, CEO of SYBO Mathias is CEO of SYBO, the studio behind Subway Surfers, and a leading voice on gaming’s role in global change. A co-founder of the Playing for the Planet Alliance and the Sustainable Games Alliance, he combines creative industry leadership with a passion for climate, energy, and nutrition. Mathias co-authored “Gaming for Good” and advises on the intersection of gaming, culture, and sustainability.

Matthew Cohen is an Agent in the Games department at leading entertainment and sports agency Creative Artists Agency (CAA). Based in the Los Angeles office, Cohen works with leaders in interactive entertainment and has brokered deals on behalf of such clients as Obsidian, Brass Lion, Stoic Studio, Summerfall Studios, Critical Role, and AdHoc Studios, among others. Prior to joining CAA in 2017, Cohen served as CEO of Core Mobile, a mobile game discovery and content platform. He was previously Vice President of Content Strategy at Machinima. Additionally, he held positions at Digital Development Management (DDM), Temple Hill Entertainment, and was COO of a Los Angeles-based startup game developer. Cohen graduated as an undergraduate College Scholar at Cornell University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and received his Master’s from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts.

Matthew Soeth is the Executive Director of the Thriving in Games Group, a nonprofit helping studios build healthy communities and safer online play. He previously led Trust & Safety at Spectrum Labs, was an early member of TikTok’s Global Trust & Safety team focused on brand safety and compliance, and advised technology companies at Tremau on regulation and safety operations. A former educator, Matt combines regulatory know-how with practical community-building to advance safety-by-design, content moderation, and youth well-being in games.

Meghan is the founder of CulturaConnector.com, a 501(c)3 non-profit NGO dedicated to Cultural Identity, Storytelling, and Healing. She has been creating transformative games and experiences that address trauma, educate, and build bridges between people since 1999. In 2025, Meghan is an annual visiting lecturer and expert panelist at Harvard Graduate School of Education and was a guest speaker at the 80th United Nations General Assembly addressing games as a mental health intervention.

Dr. Mia Consalvo is Professor of Communication Studies at Concordia University in Montreal. She is the co-author of Streaming by the rest of us: Streaming videogames on Twitch (2025) and Real Games: What's Legitimate and What's Not in Contemporary Videogames (2019). She is the Director of the Centre for Technoculture, Art & Games (TAG), and is Graduate Program Director for the PhD in the Department of Communication Studies..

Mica Le John is a builder, educator, and technologist with over a decade of experience at the intersection of technology, creativity, and social impact work. She is the Executive Director at national nonprofit Beyond Code Collective, which prepares individuals across generations to unlock the opportunities of a tech-powered world for long-lasting career mobility. Prior to Beyond Code Collective, Mica was VP of Strategic Partnerships and Innovation at Black Girls Code, where she built and led high-impact initiatives with partners. Mica also advises mission-driven organizations across a range of industries on business strategy and technology integration, and has co-founded several venture-backed tech startups. She previously served as Director of Education at a NYC arts organization. Across her work, she is passionate about intergenerational community building and advancing regenerative practices in the business world.

Michael Robb, Ph.D., is the Head of Research at Common Sense, where he leads efforts to understand how media and technology shape the lives of children and families. He has guided research projects on everything from screen time and digital well-being to how technology can support learning and connection. Michael's work has been published in leading academic journals and highlighted by The New York Times, The Washington Post, NPR, and other major outlets. For more than 20 years, he has been deeply engaged in issues at the intersection of media, technology, and childhood—serving as Policy Lead for Child & Youth, Trust and Safety at YouTube, and as Director of Research and Education at the Fred Rogers Center. Michael holds a B.A. from Tufts University and an M.A. and Ph.D. in psychology from the University of California, Riverside.

Co-founder & President of NARRATIFY, a Franco-African cultural consultancy bridging African cultures and the global games industry. Former Senior Social Impact Manager at Ubisoft (2013–2025). Winner of the 2024 Pégase Award for Person of the Year (France's leading games industry awards). Advocate for authentic African representation in games, through consulting, events and cultural workshops.

Miriam Blanc Gonnet is the Senior Manager of User Strategy at Harmony Academy at National University. With over a decade of experience in education, she is dedicated to advancing evidence-based practices that foster relationship-driven learning environments. A former Teach For America corps member and elementary educator, Miriam now leads content development and review for Harmony Academy’s curriculum and professional learning programs.

Dr. Mitu Khandaker is Associate Director of the NYC Game Design Future Lab (GDFL) at NYU, where she supports game startups through mentorship, partnerships, and fundraising. She is an Associate Arts Professor at the NYU Game Center and CEO and Co-Founder of Glow Up Games, a studio dedicated to centering Black and Brown stories in games. Named a BAFTA Breakthrough Brit in 2013, Mitu is a game designer, engineer, and AI expert with two decades of experience building games, emerging technologies, and creative ventures.

Mumtaz “Taji” Cooper is a youth advocate, civic innovator, and founder of Democraverse, a civic engagement game designed to make democracy accessible and engaging for young people. She develops interactive tools that promote legal literacy, policy awareness, and youth participation in governance. Through her work, Taji bridges technology and advocacy to empower the next generation of changemakers.

Nathan Holbert is an Associate Professor of Technology, Media, and Learning at Teachers College, Columbia University and the founder and director of the Snow Day Learning Lab. Nathan is the co-editor of the volume Designing Constructionist Futures: The Art, Theory, and Practice of Learning Designs from MIT Press, co-author of Playful Testing: Designing a Formative Assessment Game for Data Science from ETC Press, and the co-creator and cohost of Pop & Play, an award winning podcast on education, play, and pop culture.

Nick Fortugno is the Director of the Digital Game Development Program at City College of New York, a game and interactive narrative designer, and co-founder of the Come Out & Play festival. Fortugno has lead design on dozens of commercial and impact games and interactive experiences. Nick holds an MFA in Design and Technology from Parsons School of Design.

Paige Dansinger is an XR artist and worldbuilder exploring how collective creativity can imagine better futures. She leads Remix Reef: Together to the Moon, an award-winning project from Reality Hack at MIT + XRCC's Community Hack, exhibited at UnitedXR in Brussels. She is Director of XR Women Museum and Better World Museum. At Games for Change, she invites participants to remix a reef and co-create new worlds together.

Patricia Noel is a licensed social worker and Global Head, Mental Health & Wellbeing at Discord. With a background in crisis support, LGBTQ youth, Black perinatal health, and adolescent mental health, she's passionate about culturally competent care. At Discord, Patricia leads user-facing mental health initiatives, advises on product features, builds strategic partnerships, and leverages research to foster a safe, supportive online environment.

Patricia E. Vance is the president of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB). In her position, she leads the teams responsible for assigning age and content ratings to video games and apps, enforcing marketing guidelines adopted by the video game industry, and operating ESRB Privacy Certified. Prior to the ESRB, Patricia spent 18 years at Disney/ABC, managing ABC branded websites and other interactive media markets, including two video game and educational software ventures.

Peter Larson Schmidt is a professional 2D animator, storyboard artist, and game developer. Their animation clients include Pokemon, Adult Swim, and Nike among many others. They teach Effects Animation at the School of Visual Arts and are a Co-owner and Director at CYBRLICH Studios.

Phoebe Elefante currently serves as the Program Director for Game Design at Full Sail University, where she hosts game jams for hundreds of student creators. She has worked for over two decades as an educator and game designer, writer and producer for a diverse array of projects and platforms, including: the Games 4 Change sponsored "Wonder City" game, Melissa Auf Der Maur’s rock album/multi-media epic “Out Of Our Minds”, and the Jericho-inspired “Tom Tooman” Alternate Reality Game with CBS Interactive.

Rachel Katz is a Program Officer at Equimundo, bringing a passion for health equity. Rachel supports program design for youth and adults using evidence-based solutions for transforming harmful gender norms. Previously, Rachel worked as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Peru working on sexual and reproductive health and girls’ empowerment. Rachel received a Master of Public Health from Johns Hopkins University. Rachel spends her free time biking around DC and trying new foods.

Rachel Kowert, Ph.D is a research psychologist, award winning author, and globally recognized leader in game and game adjacent spaces on issues relating to mental health and trust and safety. Dr. Kowert is the founder of Psychgeist, a multimedia content production studio for the intersection of science and games. She currently serves as the Researcher Director for Games for Change and is a Visiting Researcher at the University of Cambridge (UK). To learn more about Rachel and her work, visit www.rkowert.com.

Ramzy Lakos is the Digital Interpretation Designer at the Seattle Art Museum, where he uses technology to create experiences that empower visitors through playful learning and creative expression. Ramzy was born and raised in Dubai and now lives in Seattle where you can find him building musical instruments and riding his bike around the city. He is currently enrolled at NYU where he is completing a masters degree in Interactive Media Arts.

Risa Ward is Senior Vice President of Operations at Crisis Text Line, an organization that has enabled over 10 million conversations between trained volunteers and people in their greatest moments of need. She leads the team that trains, coaches, and connects thousands of volunteers each month, using evolving technology and data-driven insights to support meaningful human connections and clinical best practices at scale. She holds a degree in Anthropology from Harvard University.

Robert Steen (64) is a man with a broad and very varied background – from international business, media, internet startups, politics, keynote speaker and board work. He was the health minister of the Norwegian capital Oslo during the Covid epidemic, and he has headed the governmental expert committee on children’s screen usage in Norway. But when you ask Robert, he will present himself as the older of 4 brothers coming from divorced parents where their mother died at the age of 49. And first and foremost, he would present himself as the father of – Mia (35) and Mats who passed away at the age of 25 – known to the world under his avatar-name IBELIN.

Ruofan Zhao is an aspiring developer and designer who recently completed a university preparatory program in Germany and is currently applying to universities. Having lived and studied across China, the United States, and Germany, she is fascinated by the intersection of technology, creativity, and human behavior. Her interests include programming, game design, artificial intelligence, and procedural generation, with a focus on creating interactive experiences that encourage exploration and reflection.

Russell Shilling is an experimental psychologist, retired U.S. Navy Captain, and innovator in AI, immersive media, and games. He pioneered VR therapy for PTSD, led AI education research at DARPA, and advanced STEM initiatives at the Department of Education. Former APA Chief Scientific Officer, he created programs with Sesame Workshop and advises Autism Speaks, start-ups and major philanthropies on AI-driven education. https://russ-shilling.com

Sam Liberty’s design practice combines behavioral science, game design, playful UX, and human-centered principles. His work changes behavior and attitudes, generates data, educates and persuades, sometimes all at once. He is the Game Design Director at the Brain Game Lab at Northeastern University, designed cognitive remediation games for Click Therapeutics, and is the former Lead Game Designer at Sidekick Health, a leading DTx. Other clients include tech startups and scale-ups, the International Red Cross, World Bank Institute, United Nations, MIT Lincoln Labs, MIT Media Lab, UNICEF, World Wildlife Fund, and various government institutions and planning commissions. He is a frequent speaker at conferences such as Games For Change, Serious Play, and Gamification Europe.

As Senior Vice President and General Manager, PBS KIDS and Education, Sara DeWitt is responsible for the strategic direction of the dynamic educational media service that supports children, their parents, teachers and caregivers, and local communities.

Sarah Oberholtzer is a producer invested in telling stories that imagine just futures for BIPOC communities. They are the Impact Producer for “Fined Out,” a multi-media project using documentary, narrative game play, & animated video to expose how unjust fines & fees punish poverty to raise revenue—and how everyday communities are fighting back. Their work has been screened with PBS affiliate Black Public Media, Imagine This Women’s International Film Fest & the national Black Girl Freedom Fund.

Sarah Pressley is Sr. Manager of Community Engagement at Starlight, where communities on Twitch, Discord, and beyond rally to deliver happiness to hospitalized kids and their families through play-based programs in over 800 hospitals. She helps creators, developers, studios, and communities build generosity into their experiences, not as an afterthought. She's pulling up a chair and can't wait to think out loud about what's possible when play shows up for something bigger than the game itself.

Sarah Spiers is an award-winning game producer based in Boston, MA, currently serving as Senior Game Producer for Threadbare, an open-source narrative adventure game. Previously, she held the position of Development Director at Electronic Arts, where she led the simulation team for Project Rene. Sarah's contributions to the gaming industry have earned her significant recognition, including a spot on Forbes' 30 Under 30 in Games list in 2022 and induction into Women In Games' Hall of Fame in 2021. Beyond her professional achievements, she serves on the Board for the Boston Public Library Fund and channels her creativity into writing surrealist fantasy-horror novels in her spare time.

Dr. Sará Yafah King is a neuroscientist, artist, political and learning scientist, education philosopher, social impact entrepreneur, and certified yoga and meditation teacher and practitioner. She is also the CEO and Co-Founder of MindHeart AI, a liberatory technology company dedicated to advancing collective well-being, intergenerational and planetary healing by bridging the neuroscience of well-being and collective-healing with AI. Dr. King is also the inventor of the “Systems Based Awareness Map” (SBAM) the scientific framework behind the world’s first interactive map of human awareness - which she developed to explore our capacity to heal intergenerational trauma and promote the well-being of "collective nervous systems”. Her latest passion is exploring how the SBAM can be incorporated into the world of agentic AI, gaming, and immersive art.

Scot Osterweil is an MIT research scientist. Game designs inclue the Zoombinis series (math and logic), Vanished: The MIT/Smithsonian Game (environmental science), and Labyrinth (math). He President and Creative Director of Learning Games Network where he led the Gates Foundation’s Language Learning Initiative (ESL), and where he designed Quandary, 2013 Games for Change Game of the Year. He co-authored the book Resonant Games and served as the play consultant on the Amazon TV series Tumbleleaf.

Shelly London, Quandary founder, is a retired senior corporate executive and foundation president emeritus, as well as an adjunct professor at NYU’s Stern School of Business since 2008, teaching ethics-related courses. She conceived the idea for Quandary while a fellow in the inaugural cohort of Harvard University’s Advanced Leadership Initiative, an academic program designed to unleash the power of experienced leaders to solve pressing societal issues.

Shuli Gilutz, PhD, is a Programme Specialist at UNICEF’s Office of Innovation leading the RITEC project, and a global expert in child-centered design, with over 20 years of cross-sector experience in UX research, design, and strategy for children and families. She led the development of the RITEC Design Toolbox to aid designers in putting children’s well-being at the center of digital play. She holds an MA from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in Psychology from Columbia University.

SJ Xue is an experienced investment and operations executive specializing in the convergence of finance, gaming, and entertainment. He currently serves as the Head of Corporate Development and Growth at thatgamecompany, the award-winning studio behind the critically acclaimed titles FlOw, Flower, Journey and Sky: Children of the Light. In this role, he oversees corporate strategy and development, global publishing, and business development. Prior to joining thatgamecompany, SJ was a Senior Director at NetEase Games, where he led late-stage investments and global M&A strategy. He began his career in investment banking, advising on cross-border M&A and strategic partnerships across the media and consumer internet sectors. SJ holds a B.S. in Financial Mathematics, Economics, and Statistics from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Sonia Park is the Vice President of Innovation Industries at New York City's Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC). She works to grow and support creative sectors like digital games, fashion, and design. Part of her work is also to collaborate with City agencies like the Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment and the Department of Cultural Affairs to ensure that New York City residents have access and opportunities in creative jobs. Prior to working at NYCEDC, Sonia worked for just over a decade in the fashion industry where she led R&D, product development, production and supply chain.

Stanley Pierre-Louis is the President & Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA), the voice and advocate for the U.S. video game industry. With more than two decades of entertainment and media experience, Stan leads ESA’s efforts to showcase the dynamic impact the video game industry has on business, entertainment, and culture. Stan’s also experience spans the film, television and music industries as well as service on corporate and nonprofit boards. He currently serves on the board of Games for Change and the National Symphony Orchestra.

Stephen is a pioneer in game-based and technology-enhanced learning with 20+ years of experience creating immersive, inclusive digital experiences that demonstrate that play matters. He has driven global programs using games to develop skills, inspire curiosity, and tackle complex social challenges. He currently serves as VP of Learning Experience at Endless Access and Creative Director for Threadbare, merging creativity, technology, and experiential learning to empower underrepresented learners worldwide.

Steve Isaacs, Director of Secondary Education at Epic Games, supports educators in adopting Epic tools to prepare students for emerging technology careers. He was a public school teacher for 28 years, teaching game design and development. Hobbies include video games, biking, SCUBA, hiking, and live music.

I'm Tarek Mohamed Darwish, an 18-year-old student game developer from Egypt. Passionate about programming, designing characters, creating animations, storytelling, composing music, and creating social impact. I've participated in a few game jams before, and I strive to create a positive influence on every player. My game "Harvest" won Game of the Year for the Student Challenge 2025. I enjoy combining original art, music, and programming to bring my ideas to life.

As Chief Impact Officer for Ryzo Studios, Tehya Kopp brings marketing, strategy, and operations leadership from global entertainment companies including 20+ years at Warner Bros., where she led large-scale transformations and managed global operations across 18 countries. An ICF-certified executive coach, Tehya specializes in partnering with changemakers to turn vision into meaningful results.

Temitope Olujobi is an Architect turned Game Designer making games in the creases of completely cracked combinations. They use their design to feed their curiosity about the connection between two seemingly disparate parts. What happens when you combine human shit with a windmill? Restorative Justice with a holodeck? An anthropomorphic hand and mouth with the dreamy triptychs of Hieronymus Bosch? These are all questions Temi has attempted to answer with their video games in some uncanny ways.

Teresa Giovannoli is the founder and Chief Engineer of Little Squiggle, a toy company reimagining sustainability in plastic electronics. An engineer by trade with an MSE in Product Development from USC, she previously designed hardware for startups like Happiest Baby and Kernel, as well as industry giants like Northrop Grumman. Today, she combines her background in mechanical design and business to eliminate waste in the toy industry. Teresa is dedicated to creating high-quality, eco-conscious play for the next generation.

Tess Elliot is a studio artist and creative technologist investigating natural phenomena and human artifice. Her work has been exhibited at The 8 Fest, QiPo Art Fair, the Ann Arbor Film Festival, Vinegar Contemporary, Oklahoma Contemporary, Aggregate Space Gallery, and MOTOR Gallery, among others. She was a 2024 Rhizome microgrant recipient for her climate game Ultimate Sim. Tess holds a BFA from the Cooper Union School of Art and an MFA in Art & Technology from The Ohio State University. She lives between Norman, OK and Queens, NY with her daughter Violet, as an Associate Professor of Art, Technology, & Culture at the University of Oklahoma.

Theresa Loong is an award-winning filmmaker, experience designer, game designer, and founder of FORM360 who teaches Media Studies at Vassar College. Her documentary "Game On" follows BAFTA-winning designer Brenda Romero and explores games as tools for memory, systems thinking, and civic imagination. She has created 15+ games and interactive experiences, holds an MFA from Hunter and a BA from Harvard, and has been recognized by the NEA, Meta, IGDA Foundation, and U.S. Presidential Scholars.

Tim Rattray is a writer and documentarian with 17 years of experience in games and tech media. His work has included research and musings on the intersection of games and mental health, as well as an ongoing documentary project centered around the diversity of people, thought, and experience in New York City’s game development community. A new teaser for this project and exclusive interview material will be shown at his talk.

Todd Shaiman is a film and technology leader exploring the frontiers of AI and animation. He is President and co-founder of Ryzo Studios, an independent animation company creating bold stories and games to drive social change. A former Design Lead at Google, he holds multiple patents on the future of creative collaboration. Shaiman founded and led Google's Immersive Arts team, pioneering original Virtual and Augmented Reality experiences. His animation career includes leadership roles at Pixar Animation Studios on the Oscar-winning features Inside Out, Up, and Brave.

Tom Smith has designed all the games. Decades ago when exciting new board games were first coming to the US from Germany, Tom wrote the first US rulebook for Settlers of Catan. When videogames first started exploring 3d graphics, Tom made games for Paperboy and Disney to make kids happy. When games started to move to phones, Tom made hundreds of puzzling levels for Where’s My Water? and Zynga. Now, Tom makes games for employees and candidates at Roblox to build and assess skills.

Dr. Costigan is a clinical psychologist, methodologist, and nonprofit leader, with extensive experience leading organizations in strategy, research, evaluation, and learning. At Crisis Text Line, she leads the team in delivering on the quality/impact framework and data storytelling products, sharing insights to influence global mental health systems change. Previously, Tracy spent a decade at the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, the largest US philanthropy devoted to achieving health equity.

Rising fourth year at Georgia Institute of Technology majoring in Computational Media - Interactions Design. Experience in video game animation, business development, and UI/UX.

Currently a Literature student at the University of São Paulo, Latin America’s top-ranked university, and formerly a Music student at the Federal University of São Carlos. Passionate about catchy music, compelling stories, and digital games, I entered tech by composing soundtracks for indie games through a university project. On Island of Communion, I led the creative vision, writing the narrative, composing the soundtrack, and designing the game’s sound effects.

I am a New York-based designer and recent MFA graduate in Design for Social Innovation from the School of Visual Arts. With a background in Visual Communication Design, my work explores how design can address social challenges such as aging, community wellbeing, and accessibility. I use visual storytelling, systems thinking, and participatory design to create projects that foster social connection, community engagement, and positive social impact.

Yesim Kunter is a Play Expert, Futurist, and founder of Playtoinnovate. She has worked in the toy and games industry for nearly 25 years, including roles at Hasbro and The LEGO Group, exploring how play shapes imagination, learning, and creativity. Today, she continues this work through interactive play and game experiences with Qubs, alongside international talks and workshops.