Women In Games International Announces New Advisory Board
Industry Luminaries Now Play Key Role in Securing Funding, Helping Efforts for WIGI Outreach Programs
LOS ANGELES—May 15, 2014—Women In Games International (WIGI) today announced a new advisory board to secure funding, allowing WIGI to build on existing outreach programs and create new ones that will further their goal to create a more inclusive games industry. This new WIGI advisory board consists of industry luminaries and experts from various backgrounds in the games industry.
The new WIGI advisory board members include:
• Stephanie Barish, CEO, IndieCade
• Brenda Bailey Gershkovitch, CEO, Silicon Sisters Interactive Inc.
• Germaine Gioia, Founder/President, Playlife Media
• Erin Hoffman, Game Design Lead, GlassLab Institute of Play
• Bibi Jackson, GDC Events/ADC Events/Game Network Properties, UBM Tech
• Ginger Maseda, Director Global Talent Acquisition, Electronic Arts
• Kellee Santiago, Head of Developer Relations, OUYA
• Tom Sloper, Faculty Video Games Information Technology Program, University of Southern California
• Constance Steinkuehler, Co-Director Games+Learning+Society Center, UW-Madison
• Mary-Margaret Walker, CEO, Mary-Margaret Network
• Kelsey Wesley, Global Diversity & Inclusion Specialist, Electronic Arts
• Careen Yapp, VP Business Development and Account Management, Gaikai
“I want to continue the support of inclusion within the global gaming community, and I admire WIGI as an organization that does just that,” said Kelsey Wesley, global specialist on the Electronic Arts Diversity and Inclusion team. “I want to help spread awareness of the contributions women have made in this exciting and fun technology-driven industry.”
“Everyone involved with WIGI is passionate about making the video game industry more inclusive, and we all have amazing ideas about outreach programs we can create to make that happen,” said Belinda Van Sickle, president and CEO of WIGI. “This advisory board will enable us to move forward with some of those initiatives and help us continue supporting existing programs like GameMentorOnline. We can’t wait to see what a difference having this group will make for us, and ultimately everyone in the industry.”
Some of WIGI’s most recent programs include encouraging Girl Scouts to pursue an interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) subjects through the Girl Scout Patch Program. WIGI worked with the Girl Scouts of Greater Los Angeles to create the first video game design patch for Girl Scouts in April of 2013. Another popular program is GameMentorOnline, the first-of-its-kind online mentorship program for the games industry.
For information about WIGI, its programs, or to donate or sponsor, please visit: http://www.womeningamesinternational.org/.
About WIGI
Women in Games International (WIGI), made up of women and men, enthusiastically works to promote the inclusion and advancement of women in the global video game industry. WIGI promotes diversityin video game development, publishing, media, education and workplaces. WIGI is driven by a fundamental belief that increased equality and camaraderie among genders can make global impacts for exceptional products, increased consumer enjoyment and a stronger game industry.
