Summary:

• 7+ years game development experience in narrative and game design with a proven track record in systems, features, quest and level design, as well as audio design and composing, and creative direction.
• 15 shipped titles in serious games, educational games, and entertainment products; 9 as writer, 6 as creative director.
• Story development and writing of all game text, including linear, non-linear and episodic games.
• Several industry awards including the Women in Gaming Rising Star Award for 2012 and a 2016 Honorable Mention for Excellence in Narrative from the IGF (Orion Trail).
• Developer outreach and education in various forms.
• Author, lecturer at the university and professional levels, and facilitator of workshops, classes, and activities such as game jams, brainstorming sessions, and think tanks.
• Can’t VR without puking.

 

Education:

Bachelor of Arts, Chatham University, Pittsburgh, PA

Double Major: Communications (Professional Writing); Film and Digital Technology

Associate of Arts, Community College of Allegheny County, Pittsburgh, PA

Major: English and Communications

 

Related Experience:

• Disruptor Beam, Framingham, MA. Contract Writer, unannounced title. 2/2019 — Current
  • Worldbuilding, dialogue and story; sole writer on a mobile title with a popular licensed IP.
  • Using provided parameters from the license holder to produce written content.
  • Work with editors, designers and other team members to make the game cohesive.
• Freelance Writer for various clients. 07/2000 — Current
  • Writing for various audiences on various topics by assignment for print and online periodicals.
  • Topics include music, movies, humor, family life, and games/tech.
  • Clients include BRAVO-TV, Elle Magazine, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Pittsburgh CityPaper, Patch.com, Yahoo! Movies and more.
• iThrive Games, Boston, MA. Senior Creative Director. 10/2015 — 10/2018
  • Develop and implement programs to do developer education around the organization’s mission, including but not limited to game jams, workshops, lectures, and elite-level think tanks.
  • Translate scientific findings in neuroscience and social psychology into design resources that game developers can use.
  • Act as 3rd-party creative director on org-funded game projects, and offer consult to independent developers who ask.
  • Build appropriate sponsorships and relationships within all the relevant communities of stakeholders in the org’s mission.
• Schell Games LLC, Pittsburgh, PA. Game Designer. 7/2011 — 10/2015
  • Narrative design and writing on game projects as assigned.
  • Features, systems and achievement design on game projects as assigned.
  • Documentation and testing, as well as observing the iterative process for game projects as assigned.
• Edgewood Borough Council, Edgewood, PA. Elected Councilperson. 11/2003 — 12/2009
  • Research, write, advocate for and vote on municipal legislation.
  • Attend public events on behalf of the borough, giving speeches where appropriate.
  • Interact with borough officials, supervising processes, departments and people assigned by the Council President, such as Public Works, Recreation, the crossing guards’ union, the police chief, communications staff and borough manager.
  • Co-administer a $2.7 million budget.

 

Other Experience:

Church organist, musician, bridal consultant, customer service representative, retail sales, sales assistant for a radio station, communications associate for a large church, “operator standing by” at an infomercial company, and “excess thread snipper” on doll clothes at a doll factory.

 

Software:

 

Think Tank Participation:

• Forward Slash Story, 2013
• Project Horseshoe, 2015
• DramCon, 2016
• iThrive Design Hive #1, 2016 (Host)
• DramCon, 2017
• iThrive Design Hive #2, 2017 (Host)
• iThrive Design Hive #3, 2017 (Host)
• DramCon, 2018
• iThrive Design Hive #4, 2018 (Host)

 

Nerddom:

• Owns a large collection of fascinators and Victorian hats.
• A veritable fountain of useless 80s trivia.
• Once won a national-level Oscar guessing contest.
• Endorsed for “Cheese” by multiple people on LinkedIn.
• Is known to dress like a pirate sometimes.
• Named a child after a member of Duran Duran.
• Loves to cook feasts based on fandoms.
• Sings a mean karaoke.
• Will give up the Oxford comma with her cold, dead hands.