Speakers

Eric Zimmerman is insatiably playful. He designs games that play with culture - like Dear Reader, a smartphone game published by Apple that uses public domain literature as the basis for word puzzle games (with Local No.12). He invents new spaces for play - like large-scale installations for MoMA and the Smithsonian American Art Museum (with Nathalie Pozzi). He writes about game design - like the field-defining textbook Rules of Play (with Katie Salen) and The Rules We Break, a compendium of exercises for teaching design through games and play. And he is always experimenting with new games - like RATS: High Tea At Sea, a tabletop game of nasty social politics (with Josh DeBonis). Teaching is a core part of his design practice and Eric is a founding faculty at the NYU Game Center, where he can be found getting design students to play playground games as they learn about creativity, collaboration, and problem solving. If you ask him nicely, he will definitely play with you.

Erika N. Ewing is the Senior Director of Interactive Ventures and Games as part of the Global Products & Experience group at Lionsgate. In her role, she works closely with top game developers, publishers and filmmakers to create and launch games centered around the studio’s film and television properties.    Ewing has led major AAA video game collaborations for Lionsgate, including Billy The Puppet’s appearance in Fortnite for the 2024 Fortnitemares event with Epic Games, as well as SAW x Call of Duty: Warzone as part of Activision’s Haunting of Verdansk and Saw x Rocket League. She oversaw the creative development and launch of STARZ’s Ash vs Evil Dead within Evil Dead: The Game in 2022, and served as project lead on Power Rangers: Legacy Wars and Battle for the Grid, Blair Witch (Bloober). She has also worked on various collaborations, including SAW characters such as ‘The Pig’ within Dead by Daylight, as well as Rambo crossovers. Additional highlights include launching Academy Adventures presented by The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes in Roblox, and the first 17+ IP-based experience with Saw X: Survive The Obby, in collaboration with Six Flags and Xbox, both in 2023.  Ewing holds a Master of Fine Arts degree in Producing from The American Film Institute Conservatory (AFI) where she produced over eight films, including a VR short, and an award-winning short titled Rougarou led by an all-women filmmaker team that became an official selection of San Diego Comic-Con 2017. She also holds double Bachelor’s degrees in Communications – Broadcast Journalism and Theatre: Performance from Central Washington University. Prior to joining Lionsgate, Ewing worked at G4TV’s hit gaming news show X-Play, Sam Raimi’s Ghost House Pictures, and was a Frag Doll Cadette with Ubisoft Entertainment serving as an advocate for women in the pro-gaming space.

Ethan Santos is a fourth-year Computer Science student at the University of California, Irvine, specializing in full-stack web development and game development. His passion for Computer Science started from developing Roblox games at the age of 13 and eventually led to AIMSTARS, which has reached over 9 million plays. He enjoys hackathons, where he and his team created Bloom AI - an in-game moderation system that scores player messages, delivers instant feedback, and rewards positive interactions.

Franco is a Webby and Anthem award-winning Digital Producer at Sesame Workshop. He creates educational content for children, focusing on games, programs, and resources that make learning fun and engaging. His projects are designed to positively impact children's lives through the power of play.

Garance Sarlat is an Associate Programme Specialist in UNESCO's Social and Human Sciences Sector for the Inclusion, Rights and Intercultural Dialogue Section. She works on the implementation of UNESCO's Global Priority Gender Equality through gender-mainstreaming and gender-specific programming. She leads the coordination of the Transforming MEN’talities programme which aims to combat gender stereotypes, promote positive expressions of masculinities, engage men and boys for gender equality, and foster the empowerment and leadership of women and girls, including in and through video games. She edited several UNESCO reports and recently co-authored: Empowering women for the good of society (2023), Fostering women's empowerment (2024) and The gender equality quest in video games (2024). She is the co-host of the Leadership for Equality podcast by UNESCO and ACWW.

Georg Broxtermann is the Founder of the GamesForest.Club, a non-profit connecting gaming companies with impactful climate action. Based in Berlin and Munich, he drives innovation at the intersection of gaming and sustainability. A serial entrepreneur and Business Angel, Georg also leads GameInfluencer, a global influencer marketing company for games and tech.

President, Games for Change Latin America

As CEO and Co-Founder of Sea Monster Entertainment, a leading impact games studio based in Cape Town, Glenn leads a world-class team dedicated to creating games that drive social and business change at scale. Since 2011, Sea Monster has delivered over 80 games and gamified experiences to leading corporations & public benefit organisations globally. Glenn is the chairperson of Games for Change Africa, where he leads a board of industry professionals across the continent to advance strategic initiatives & programmes that promote social impact & economic growth through gaming in Africa.

Gordon is a Professor of the Practice of Cinematic Arts at USC and the Director of Cinematic Ethics, helping to cultivate the next generation of leaders in our craft. He has played key business and product leadership roles at Tencent, Electronic Arts, as a designer on Madden NFL Football, and MTV Networks. In 2020, Bellamy was honored by Games for Change as their Vanguard Award winner for his contributions to the craft. In 2019, he was awarded the first ever Jerry Lawson Lifetime Achievement Award, and in 2018 he was featured in Nickelodeon's Black History Month. Currently, he is featured in Netflix's Game Documentary, High Score, Amazon’s It’s In The Game Docuseries, and on The World According to Jeff Goldblum on Disney + . Gordon serves as the Executive Director / CEO of the Gay Gaming Professionals and on the Board of Directors of Wave and has served as Executive Director of both the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences and the International Game Developers Association. He is a graduate of Harvard College with a BA in Engineering, and resides with his husband Joe Heally, and their dog, Colby Janet, in Los Angeles, California.

Assoc. Dr. Güven Çatak started to write in video game magazines and make short films while studying architecture at İstanbul Technical University. His shorts won several awards and were screened at various festivals. He continued his games career as an academic at Bahçeşehir University (BAU). His media network and academic studies empowered him to found "BUG Lab" which kickstarted the indie game scene in İstanbul and eventually transformed into an education and incubation platform. In 2024 he started Games for Change Türkiye Chapter.

Hans ten Cate is the co-founder of Breakthrough T1D Play, uniting the video game industry to fund type 1 diabetes research. Inspired by his daughter’s diagnosis, he’s helped raise over $7M since 2019 to accelerate progress toward a cure. An entrepreneur and games industry veteran, he has supported startups and held roles at PlayStation, Electronic Arts, and Deluxe. He holds an MA in Public Policy and an MBA.

freshman at USC Games, Game Designer & Developer

Award-winning author/journalist Harold Goldberg is president of NYVGCC and the New York Game Awards. He is The New York Times' video game critic, is the author of the upcoming novel The Skinny and All Your Base Are Belong to Us (How 50 Years of Videogames Conquered Pop Culture) (Crown).

Hugo Obi is the driving force behind GameUp Africa, a talent development initiative designed to identify and train the next generation of African game developers. Through this programme, Hugo has empowered thousands of aspiring creators across the continent with skills in game design, programming, and production. His work sits at the intersection of education, innovation, and cultural storytelling, championing a more inclusive and representative global games industry. He is also the founder of Maliyo Games, a Lagos-based studio creating culturally inspired mobile games for local and global audiences.

Noriaga is a gaming content creator that focuses on the medieval melee-action game For Honor and hardcore survival game DayZ. His focus is to provide an immersive experience for the viewer in an inclusive environment. Noriaga enjoys building a community of likeminded players.

James Delaney is the Chairman of the Block by Block Foundation, a non-profit partnership with UNHabitat which uses Minecraft as a public participation tool in urban design, helping communities reimagine their own city spaces. James is also the Director of BlockWorks, a content creation team working on metaverse experiences inside Minecraft. Over the last decade, BlockWorks has pioneered the use of Minecraft as a versatile digital platform to create, inspire and educate.

Jared Kilmer, PhD is a clinical psychologist dedicated to the research and application of the cognitive and emotional benefits of games. He has developed methodologies utilizing therapeutically applied role-playing games (TA-RPGs) to promote flexibility, resilience, and well being in veterans, and confidence, teamwork, and interpersonal skills in neurodivergent children. He co-authored the book Therapeutically Applied Role-Playing Games and supports the use of games in his clinical practice.

Jasmin leads grantmaking at Agog, supporting creators and nonprofits using XR to tell stories that spark connection and social change. With a background spanning tech, storytelling, and community development, she’s all about building a more equitable future through art, imagination, and innovation. Whether dreaming up new pipelines or introducing communities to AR, she’s passionate about architecting ecosystems that expand access and creative opportunity.

Jen Chiou is the founder of CodeSpeak Labs, which has taught 25,000 students to code, and co-creator of Quest Craft, a K-12 classroom tabletop role-playing game (TTRPG) platform that fosters creativity and empathy and provides students with immersive experiences in diverse cultures. A mom of two preteens, Jen loves to create learning experiences that spark imagination and help kids build a better world. She is a 2025 Fellow of the Joan Ganz Cooney Center’s Well-Being by Design Fellowship.

Jess Boyce has been in the education space for the past 17 years, ranging from math teacher to education technology engagement manager and everywhere in between. Her passion is all about leading with love and doing what's best for student engagement, safety, and inclusion.

Jessica Lindl is the author of "The Career Game Loop: Learn to Earn in the New Economy" and VP of Ecosystem Growth at Unity Technologies - responsible for growing and engaging the Unity community. She has over 20 years of experience running various business ventures and P&Ls.

Jess, an Emmy Award-winning storyteller and international peacebuilder, is the CEO/Co-founder of Wicked Saints Studios, a Black/female-led game studio backed by Riot Games. WS is the developer behind the worlds, first adventure activism game, World Reborn. She's raised over $5.5M in venture capital. American Business Journals named Jess 34 Female Founders to watch in 2023. Jess is the winner of the 2024 BTA Awards (Black Tech Achievement) for the "Force of Good Award."

Jib Leekitwattana is a game designer currently getting her MFA in Game Design at New York University. Jib has her BFA in Design and Technology from Parsons School of Design and has worked as a game designer and assistant art director in Bangkok, Thailand.

John is a marketing and events professional and educator who is passionate about uplifting students and early professionals. He is the content + marketing manager and scholarship program manager at the Academy of Interactive Arts & Sciences. In addition, John mentors at USC Annenberg and lectures at the University of California, Irvine. Advocating for digital literacy and AAPI causes, he also served as Project by Project’s National Marketing Director and is a CAUSE Leadership Institute fellow.

Josh Staub began his career in games as part of the core creative team behind the Myst series, but has spent the last 20 years in animation (Walt Disney Animation Studios, Netflix Animation, Warner Brothers), contributing to more than 20 film projects including the Academy Award winning Frozen, Big Hero 6, Paperman, and Feast. In 2018, Josh was inducted into the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences (Oscars) for "exceptional accomplishments in the field of theatrical motion pictures,” and also serves as a Tenured Professor of Cinematic Arts at the USC School of Cinematic Arts.

JunHee Lee is a Professor at Sungkyunkwan University in Seoul, Korea, where he serves as the Department Chair of Film, Television and Multimedia, and also holds a joint appointment in the Game Design Department. He is the Chair of the university’s Game Center, a research institute dedicated to advancing game studies and development. As one of the members who spearheaded the first Game Design program at a major Korean university, in June 2025, he organized the inaugural Games for Change Conference in Korea with Susanna Pollack, Lindsay Grace, Eric Zimmerman, Jesper Juul, Peter Lee and Tokita Takashi as speakers. Currently, JunHee is participating in several government-funded large-scale projects, including Metaverse for Radioactive Safety and the development of an AI-based Full-Stack Game Designer training program.

Karla Reyes is an award-winning game developer, activist, and Founder & Creative Director of Anima Interactive, a socially conscious indie games studio. Prior to founding Anima, Karla developed games at Square Enix and Niantic. She also helped build Code Coven, a global games accelerator for underrepresented talent in the creative technology and interactive media industries. With over 3 billion gamers globally, Karla and the Anima team strongly believe in the immense untapped opportunity for games to drive real-world cultural impact. When not making games, Karla is an active mentor, public speaker, and DJ/radio presenter.

Kat is a Designer, Engineer, and currently an HCI Researcher @ UCLA. Her research interests focus on explainable AI (xAI) and human-centered AI systems. Along with her team, Bloom AI, they designed an immersive and educational experience aimed to combat online toxicity. Their platform integrates gameplay mechanics where every interaction directly transforms a player’s virtual world, making kindness visible through tangible growth with collaborative world-building that cultivates civility.

Dr. Karen (Kat) Schrier is Professor and Director of Games & Emerging Media at Marist University. She is a game design consultant for World Health Organization (WHO) and CEO of PlatyPlay, LLC, which designs games for care, health, and learning. Dr. Schrier is the author/editor of over 100 published works, including We the Gamers (Oxford University Press) and Knowledge Games (JHU Press). She has over 20 years of experience in media, and has worked for Nickelodeon, Scholastic, and BrainPOP. See more at: https://www.karenschrier.com/ and https://www.linkedin.com/in/katschrier/.

Katherine Fung is a senior reporter at Newsweek, where she covers rankings, business innovation and emerging technologies. Previously, she reported on U.S. politics and culture for the news desk.

Kay Vasey is the Head of Youth and Family at k-ID, where she champions the voice of kids, teens, and parents throughout the entire product journey—from concept to launch. She draws deep insights into the needs of families to inspire innovative features that help keep young people safe as they play, learn, and grow up online. Collaborating closely with her team, Kay transforms bold ideas into real-world products that empower the next generation and excite global audiences.

Kelli Dunlap, PsyD, MA is the executive director at Take This, the original mental health and games non-profit, and brings on over a decade of experience working at the intersection of mental health and games. In addition to her work at Take This, Dr. Dunlap is a licensed clinical psychologist, holds a Masters in game design, and serves as a researcher-in-residence at American University’s Game Center. Her collaborations include NIMH, UNESCO, VOX Media, and U.S. Congressional staffers.

Kelli McGee is a Master’s student in Human Centered Design & Engineering at the University of Washington and CX Program Manager at Microsoft. In partnership with the Washington Interactive Learning Alliance, Kelli and her capstone team explored ways to bridge the gap between game designers and educators. Her team researched the complexities of K–12 classrooms and identified ways to help game designers create engaging and effective learning experiences in classrooms.

Kevin Truong is Senior Grants Program Manager at Unity, leading grant strategy and partnerships on the Social Impact team. With a background in nonprofit leadership and education innovation, his work focuses on advancing education, technology, and workforce development to empower the next generation of underrepresented learners and changemakers around the world.

Krysti Nellermoe has a decade of experience in refugee resettlement. She is currently the Senior Training Officer for Emerging Technology on Switchboard, a project of the International Rescue Committee, that provides capacity building to service providers nationally. Krysti launched and leads the Emerging Technology initiative, which makes immersive media and videos that help newcomers navigate their new communities before encountering them in real life, building confidence while improving service delivery outcomes. This initiative was the recipient of the 2024 Anthem Award: Humanitarian Action & Services, Innovation, Product, Innovation, or Service (Gold- audience award and Silver-judges placements). Krysti is a former Digital Inclusion Fellow with NTEN, a technology-focused nonprofit. She holds certifications in Peacebuilding and Conflict Transformation, TESOL, and Co-Design. Krysti completed an MA in International Studies in Shanghai, China.

Leo Olebe is a results-oriented, veteran executive with experience in management consulting, brand management, strategic partnerships, and business development for some of the biggest brands and companies in the world.   Leo has been in the games industry for more than 24 years, with experience ranging from launching AAA mobile, PC, console and online games to building new platforms and advising developers and start-ups. Before joining Microsoft Leo was Global Head of Gaming @ YouTube. His work includes major brands like Star Wars, Marvel, Disney Princess and The Matrix at companies like Google, YouTube, Facebook, BioWare, EA, Disney, Warner Bros., Sierra Online (now Activision Blizzard), Zynga, and Kabam. He has degrees from Occidental College and the University of Southern California Marshall School of Business.

Lien Tran is an associate professor and chair of the game design program at DePaul University's Jarvis College of Computing and Digital Media. She is director of Matters at Play, a transdisciplinary design lab partnering in the creation of interactive advocacy solutions for positive social transformations. She is an award-winning designer whose game design portfolio includes collaborations with Open Society Foundations, World Bank, United Nations, and Full Spectrum Features.

Lindsay Grace is the Knight Chair in Interactive Media and a full professor at the University of Miami School of Communication. A leader in game design and social impact, he is Vice President of the Higher Education Video Game Alliance and a Games for Change Vanguard awardee. He has authored over 95 scholarly works, including Doing Things with Games and Black Game Studies. His work has been showcased globally, and he has curated major game exhibitions. He frequently speaks at top industry events.

Lindsay Watson, PT, MPT, is the CEO and Co-Founder of Augment Therapy, a digital health company using AR gamification to make physical rehabilitation engaging for all. A pediatric physical therapist with 20+ years’ experience, she founded the company in 2017 to improve the therapy experience particularly for children and individuals with cognitive and physical disabilities. Her work has earned national awards, global partnerships, and recognition as a leader in health tech innovation.

I hold a doctorate in public health specializing in health promotion at Parisian hospitals. My work combines public mental health principles with both participatory and interventional research methodologies. Passionate about digital innovation for population health, I focus on leveraging video games and social networks to engage adolescents in effective health promotion strategies, creating evidence-based digital experiences that resonate with youth.