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Wednesday, July 13
 

9:00am EDT

G4C Welcome with Susanna Pollack and Alia Jones-Harvey
Speakers
avatar for Susanna Pollack

Susanna Pollack

President, Games for Change
As President of Games for Change, Susanna leads the organization best know for the annual Games for Change Festival, dubbed by national media as "the Sundance of video games." Under Susanna's leadership, G4C has significantly expanded its programs and impact⁠—including G4C Learn... Read More →
avatar for Alia Jones-Harvey

Alia Jones-Harvey

Associate Commissioner, NYC Mayor's Office of Media & Entertainment
Alia Jones-Harvey is the Associate Commissioner of Education and Workforce Development for the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment.  By successfully building partnerships with employers, unions, non-profit organizations, schools, and City agencies, Jones-Harvey has launched... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 9:00am - 9:30am EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Special Sessions & Events, Special Event

9:30am EDT

Keynote - Change Matters. Games Matter. You Matter.
As an industry, we have come together to overcome many global challenges over the past few years. From this, one thing is clear - each and every one of us has the opportunity to create meaningful change using the power of games. We can all act to solve problems, bring joy to others and make the world a more diverse and equitable place. Join Leo Olebe from Google, as he celebrates people from across the globe who inspire us to remember why change matters, games matter and you matter. What is your legacy going to be?
Speakers
avatar for Leo Olebe

Leo Olebe

Managing Director, Google Play Games
Leo Olebe is Managing Director, Play Partnerships, Games at Google. In this role he and the team work with game developers and publishers around the world to help them build amazing experiences and find success on Google Play.Leo has been in the games industry for more than 20 years... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 9:30am - 9:50am EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Civics & Social Issues, Keynote

9:50am EDT

Bringing Accountability and Repair to the Game Industry
Just like the rest of society, the game industry lacks the right tools to address harm. The existing paradigm of punishment, removal, blacklisting, and whisper networks is ineffective at best, and dangerous at worst - and our inability to address this inside the industry impacts the types of games and spaces we create for players. In this talk, Eve will introduce a different paradigm for addressing harm that has the potential to transform the industry for the better.
Speakers
avatar for Eve Crevoshay

Eve Crevoshay

Executive Director, Take This
Eve Crevoshay joined Take This as Executive Director in 2018. She is a 20-year veteran of the nonprofit sector. Her background spans education, social services, and the arts, and she is committed to identifying and enabling systemic change. Eve is a member of the advisory boards for... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 9:50am - 10:10am EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Civics & Social Issues, Talk

10:30am EDT

Social Video in XR
Since the earliest days of AR and VR, video has played a crucial role in how the public understands these technologies. In particular, social video—produced by individual creators rather than corporations—has been pivotal in providing context and insights in the years that the technologies remained prohibitively expensive or otherwise inaccessible. This panel brings together leading experts to discuss how the social video format—from mixed reality playthrough videos to industry news coverage—has played a critical role in the XR community. And now that we’re at the doorstep of adoption outside niche communities, what is its role looking to the future?
Moderators
avatar for Jasmine Lehman

Jasmine Lehman

VR Content Creator & Product Manager, LIV
Jasmine Lehman (Atom Bomb Body) is a VR creator with a focus on helping other creators! She creates tutorials on how to be able to live-stream and record VR and eventually was hired by LIV as community manager and later promoted to a product manager.

Speakers
avatar for Dani Bittman

Dani Bittman

VR Creative Director
Dani is a VR Artist and Creative Director building workflows between new VR design tools and industry standard 3D software. She has launched three VR titles that were entirely made in a headset, including a VR coloring book called Color Space. Along the way, she's also created commercial... Read More →
avatar for Pearly Chen

Pearly Chen

VP, HTC
Pearly Chen is a VP at HTC with a unique operator-investor role on the forefront of immersive technologies. She has held leadership positions for HTC's VR content platform, investments and other strategic and operational roles as Chief of Staff to Chairwoman/CEO. She led the launch... Read More →
avatar for Jullian Slater

Jullian Slater

Public Figure, TechMan Technologies
Born and raised in Atlanta Ga, Jullian Slater is the third out of four brothers. He got into Virtual Reality in 2016 and started making content in 2019. Under the name TechMan Ju, he has amassed over 1.3 million followers on tiktok between 2021 and 2022.

Wednesday July 13, 2022 10:30am - 11:15am EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  XR for Change, Panel

10:45am EDT

Meet the Funder: Lacey Allen (NewSchools Venture Fund)
Do you have an idea or tool that promotes equitable and effective literacy learning experiences for students, especially those is underserved communities? Join NewSchools Associate Partner, Lacey Allen, to learn more about how NewSchools funds and supports educators and entrepreneurs who have these innovative learning solutions that are rooted in equity and can power new levels of student success.
Speakers
avatar for Lacey Allen

Lacey Allen

Associate Partner, NewSchools Venture Fund
Lacey Allen is an Associate Partner at NewSchools Venture Fund and she supports early stage innovators and educators who have ideas that can accelerate student growth and equitable outcomes. Prior to NewSchools, Lacey has worked as an educator, researcher, and scholarship manager... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 10:45am - 11:15am EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th Floor (Radio City Stage)
  Special Sessions & Events, Meet the Funder

11:00am EDT

How Games Deliver Critical Health Outcomes in Teens
This session will highlight the silver lining of the COVID-19 global pandemic in that it opened the door for a major uptick in the requests and use of serious games given so many teens were out of school. Dr. Fiellin will discuss the portfolio of games developed and tested by the play2PREVENT Lab, with a specific focus on content related to mental health and substance misuse. Given the exponential increases in the co-occurring epidemics of mental health issues and substance misuse in adolescents during the COVID pandemic, these games are critical both in terms of their demonstrating the impact of digital games but also the importance of the health outcomes they address.
Speakers
avatar for Lynn Fiellin

Lynn Fiellin

Founding Director, play2PREVENT Lab, Yale Center for Health and Learning Games
Dr. Lynn Fiellin is a Professor of Medicine, the Child Study Center, and Public Health at Yale. She is also the Founding Director of the play2PREVENT Lab at the Yale Center for Health & Learning Games where she and her team focus on developing and evaluating videogame interventions... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 11:00am - 11:20am EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Central Park West Stage) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Health & Wellness, Talk

11:30am EDT

How Blockchain Gaming Can Invert the Traditional Power Structure In Game Development
How player ownership of rewards or assets earned in a game has the potential to inverts the institutional hierarchy how games operate The power-through-ownership now lives with the decentralized base of gamers rather than only gaming executives. For game executives, they benefit by sharing in the secondary sales/trading of in-game assets. For players, the time spent playing a game has a real value now.
Speakers
avatar for Canaan Linder

Canaan Linder

CEO, Stardust
Canaan is an engineer and nerd. He started Stardust in 2018 because he saw the benefits of blockchain for games, but was frustrated with the lack of solutions that abstracted the technology away from the end game developer and player. Canaan's goal was to build a better product that... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 11:30am - 11:50am EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Civics & Social Issues, Talk

11:30am EDT

Everything You Feel is Real
How can we use immersive stories to reimagine the world and our place in it? In this talk, May Abdalla explores the power of physical experiences in virtual spaces to shape perception. She will present some of Anagram’s experiences which bring together the sensory power of immersive theatre with recently available technology to playfully invite audiences into alternative worlds.
Speakers
avatar for May Abdalla

May Abdalla

Executive Director, Anagram
May Abdalla works with technology to create sensory stories. A pioneer in the immersive space, she founded Anagram, a multi award-winning creative studio specialising in thought-provoking interactive storytelling. Their work has toured internationally at festivals, public spaces... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 11:30am - 11:50am EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Central Park West Stage) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  XR for Change, Talk

12:00pm EDT

Metaverse Healthcare: Accelerating Community Wellbeing and Quality of Life
Expand your vision of how the Metaverse will impact healthcare and reconnect us to our humanity. This panel brings together a unique blend of thought leaders to define what the metaverse is, how it plays a role in addressing health outcomes unique to XR and quality of life, and why it accelerates our ability to solve problems in health and wellness faster unparalleled by non-metaverse approaches. Join for an engaging conversation that will push the boundaries of what the Metaverse for health and wellness means, the problems it can uniquely solve, and how we can empower organizations to leverage it to accelerate quality of life, connection, and community–today and in the future.
Moderators
avatar for Carrie Shaw

Carrie Shaw

CEO, Embodied Labs
Carrie Shaw is a medical illustrator, public health educator, and the CEO & Founder of Embodied Labs - an immersive experience learning platform, starting with the healthcare workforce and caregivers. Her vision is to see healthier & connected lives through shared immersive experiences... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Kiira Benzing

Kiira Benzing

Creative Director, Double Eye Studios
Kiira Benzing is a multi-dimensional director crossing the mediums of theatre, hybrid cinema and virtual reality. She is the founder of Double Eye Studios which specializes in VR Theatre, live events and virtual production. VR credits and select awards: Finding Pandora X (winner of... Read More →
avatar for Sarah Ticho

Sarah Ticho

Co-Founder, XR Health Alliance
Sarah is an entrepreneur working at the intersection of XR, healthcare and the arts. She is the founder of Hatsumi, producer at Explore Deep, co-founder of Lemonade. She is also the co-founder XR Health Alliance, supporting the strategic adoption of VR in healthcare across the UK... Read More →
avatar for Ryan Lebar

Ryan Lebar

Senior Producer, Live Entertainment, Unity Technologies
Ryan is a seasoned producer and creative technologist working in live entertainment and immersive mediums, using realtime 3D game engines. Somewhere in the multiverse Ryan spends his days as a theater director.
avatar for Carrie Cusker

Carrie Cusker

Director of Clinical Innovation and Strategy, Embodied Labs
Carrie Cusker is an innovator in the aging space and a fervent advocate for older adults and their care partners. Carrie holds a Master's degree in Dementia Studies and draws on her 26 years of nursing experience to create meaningful, immersive content that encompasses both the clinical... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 12:00pm - 12:40pm EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Health & Wellness, Panel

12:00pm EDT

From the Classroom and Afterschool to the Studio
This moderated panel will showcase innovative programs and industry partnerships that are seeking to empower underrepresented students to overcome systemic disadvantages and acquire the skills necessary to participate in the study and making of video games. Participants include education, non-profit and industry leaders.
Moderators
avatar for Rebecca Torchia

Rebecca Torchia

Editor, EdTech: Focus on K–12 Magazine
Rebecca Torchia is an editor for EdTech: Focus on K–12 Magazine. Based out of Washington, D.C., she brings educational technology stories to life on the web and social media. A background in journalism has allowed her to explore many subject areas over the course of her career... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Gordon Bellamy

Gordon Bellamy

President and CEO, Gay Gaming Professionals
avatar for Pip Courtney

Pip Courtney

CEO, Urban Arts
Philip (Pip) Courtney has served as CEO of Urban Arts since 2003. Since starting off as a teaching artist in 1995, he has been committed to helping underrepresented students explore their creativity and harness technology in order to defy the odds and define their future. Pip is grateful... Read More →
avatar for Chanel Ward

Chanel Ward

Director, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, Take-Two Interactive
Chanel is a DE&I leader with approximately 14 years of experience. As a seasoned professional, Chanel has led strategic, equity-forward efforts across industries and has impacted thousands of learners as a master facilitator. Chanel currently serves as the inaugural Director of Diversity... Read More →
avatar for Aaron Thibault

Aaron Thibault

VP Strategic Ops & Ambassador, Gearbox
Aaron believes in the power of games to bring people closer together, to educate, and to build bridges between ideas and cultures.  He built the production department at Gearbox, organizing teams to co-develop games like Borderlands in a world full of talent.  He has been a Hip... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Central Park West Stage) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Games for Learning, Panel

12:00pm EDT

XR Brain Jam Showcase
Join us for a showcase of some of the most interesting collaborations to emerge from the 2022 XR Brain Jam. This unique yearly event pairs researchers and XR creators together and charges them to explore the intersection of their disciplines. Over several days, participants build experimental prototypes to push the boundaries of XR applications in areas spanning healthcare, education, climate, and more.
Moderators
avatar for Dave Culyba

Dave Culyba

Associate Teaching Professor & Director of Curriculum, CMU Entertainment Technology Center
Dave is an Associate Teaching Professor as well as the Director of Curriculum at Carnegie Mellon's Entertainment Technology Center. He primarily spends his time teaching students the ins and outs of working in creative industries like game development, theme parks, and virtual reality... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Leon Wang

Leon Wang

Accelerator Associate, Sustainable Ocean Alliance
Leon Wang 🦁 王立中 (Wáng Lì Zhōng) is a genderqueer gay Taiwanese 2nd gen American (they/them, ki/kin). Ki is a catalyzing connector, exploration facilitator, and networks weaver focusing on transformation + impact that lead us to being in right relationship with ourselves... Read More →
avatar for Ronald Baez

Ronald Baez

Creative Producer, Yellow Wood Immersive
Ronald Baez is an Afro-Latino filmmaker and immersive artist from Miami, FL. Baez’s work has been produced in collaboration with Oculus, Snapchat, National Geographic, the University of Oregon, the Knight Foundation and the Ford Foundation. In addition to screening at film festivals... Read More →
avatar for Dennis Morgan

Dennis Morgan

Game Designer, Harlem CoLab and Teachers College Columbia University
Dennis Morgan is deeply engaged in the integration of technology, education, and equity. He has been working with schools to create a technology practice in education, and corporations to discuss their struggles in employing technology experts from underserved communities. These conversations... Read More →
avatar for Gloria Mittmann

Gloria Mittmann

Research Psychologist, Karl Landsteiner University
I am a psychologist and researcher at Karl Landsteiner University. My research interests are in social psychology especially with adolescents and a focus on digitalisation and video games. My work mainly revolves around developing digital interventions for improving mental health... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 12:00pm - 12:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th Floor (Radio City Stage)
  XR for Change, Panel

1:45pm EDT

Meet the Funder: Paisley Smith (Unity for Humanity)
Unity for Humanity empowers visionary storytellers and solutionaries to foster a more equitable, inclusive, and sustainable world using RT3D across the focus areas of environment and sustainability, digital health and wellbeing, and inclusive education and economic opportunity. Meet Program Manager Paisley Smith to learn about the upcoming call for submissions and best practices for applying for a grant.
Speakers
avatar for Paisley Smith

Paisley Smith

The Unity for Humanity Program Producer, Unity Technologies
Paisley Smith is a Canadian filmmaker & virtual reality creator. Paisley leads the Unity for Humanity Program at Unity Technologies, which supports social impact RT3D creators. Paisley and Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun's VR film, Unceded Territories received 'Best XR for Change' at Games... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 1:45pm - 2:15pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th Floor (Radio City Stage)
  Special Sessions & Events, Meet the Funder

1:45pm EDT

The NFT Question: Can In-Game NFTs Create Value for Players AND Developers
Come join Benish Shah, VP of Marketing a Stardust, as she leads a discussion with industry CEOs Canaan Linder, Aziz Hasan, and Jan Roessner on how NFTs can create value for players and developers in the next phase of gaming.
Moderators
avatar for Benish Shah

Benish Shah

VP, Marketing, Stardust
Benish is an award-winning, industry-agnostic go-to-market strategist with more than 10 years of experience taking companies and products to market and growing businesses. She is the VP of Marketing at Stardust.

Speakers
avatar for Canaan Linder

Canaan Linder

CEO, Stardust
Canaan is an engineer and nerd. He started Stardust in 2018 because he saw the benefits of blockchain for games, but was frustrated with the lack of solutions that abstracted the technology away from the end game developer and player. Canaan's goal was to build a better product that... Read More →
avatar for Aziz Hasan

Aziz Hasan

Former CEO, Kickstarter
Aziz Hasan is a Brooklyn-based illustrator, designer, and creative executive. He was recently the CEO of Kickstarter until April 2022. Prior to Kickstarter, Aziz served as Vice President of Product Experience and Creative Director at Refinery29. He has also worked for Say Media and... Read More →
avatar for Jan Roessner

Jan Roessner

CEO, One Earth Rising
Jan successfully built and grew his previous gaming company with the release of six video games on consoles, PC, and mobile platforms. With One Earth Rising, Jan has started to implement his vision of creating the Purposeverse™ platform that creates meaningful experiences: entertainment... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Central Park West Stage) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Civics & Social Issues, Panel

1:45pm EDT

Teaching the Next Generation of Games for Change Developers
Making games is hard workーand making games for change adds to that challenge. Come to this panel to hear educators from several different university-level games programs share how they are preparing the next generation of games for change developers. Topics explored will include classroom structure to reflect gamedev realities, useful models and frameworks for games for change, ways to incorporate clients/experts, ethics considerations, and teaching anecdotes from panelists' experience.
Moderators
avatar for Sabrina Culyba

Sabrina Culyba

Owner & Principal Creative, Ludoliminal
Sabrina Culyba is a Pittsburgh-based game designer. Her professional work has spanned online games, VR, mobile apps, location-based entertainment, and board games across a variety of industries from healthcare to education. She is the author of The Transformational Framework (ETC... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Lindsay Grace

Lindsay Grace

Knight Chair in Interactive Media, MFA Degree, University of Miami / Director & Vice President, HEVGA
Lindsay is Knight Chair in Interactive Media and director of the MFA in Interactive Media at the University of Miami School of Communication , the Vice President for the Higher Education Video Game Alliance and the 2019 recipient of the Games for Change Vanguard award. Lindsay's recent... Read More →
avatar for Dave Culyba

Dave Culyba

Associate Teaching Professor & Director of Curriculum, CMU Entertainment Technology Center
Dave is an Associate Teaching Professor as well as the Director of Curriculum at Carnegie Mellon's Entertainment Technology Center. He primarily spends his time teaching students the ins and outs of working in creative industries like game development, theme parks, and virtual reality... Read More →
avatar for Kat Schrier

Kat Schrier

Associate Professor, Director of Games, & Game Designer, Marist College
Karen "Kat" Schrier (she/they) is an Associate Professor and the Director of the Games & Emerging Media program at Marist College. She currently consults as a Lead Game Designer for the World Health Organization (WHO) and is co-PI on a Templeton Foundation Grant on VR and empathy... Read More →
avatar for Lien Tran

Lien Tran

Assistant Professor, DePaul University
Lien Tran is an assistant professor of games and design at DePaul University. She is also director of Matters at Play, a transdisciplinary design lab partnering in the creation of interactive advocacy solutions for positive social transformations (focused on social justice, public... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Games for Learning, Panel

2:45pm EDT

#RepresentationMatters: How It Supports Learning and Applies to Design
This session will synthesize data from a meta-analysis to explain what the research says about how characters within educational materials impact students' learning and the representation of different social groups in these materials. Recommendations generated from the study's findings include consideration of belonging, authenticity, and identity. Come learn examples of how these recommendations can be applied to media and game development and programs that teach students about design.
Speakers
avatar for Amanda LaTasha Armstrong

Amanda LaTasha Armstrong

Games Lab Coordinator, New Mexico State University / Research Fellow, New America
Amanda LaTasha Armstrong has a M.S. in child development, administration specialization from Erikson Institute and is a PhD candidate at New Mexico State University. Her research areas include early childhood, learning design & technology, and critical pedagogies. She's a research... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 2:45pm - 3:05pm EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Games for Learning, Talk

2:45pm EDT

Making Magic Moments: How Accessible and Fun AR Can Lead To Real Impact
Remember the last time you saw something magic - the jaw-dropping wonder and suspension of disbelief? Augmented Reality (AR) is the medium of magic, and in this talk, we'll learn the 'fun+accessible' formula needed to make technology feel magical and how we can use that magic to catalyze greater creativity, connection, and understanding in the world.
Speakers
avatar for Aidan Wolf

Aidan Wolf

Game Designer, Smiley Cap
Aidan Wolf is an award-winning augmented reality developer known for hit AR apps like DoodleLens, Blue Sky Paint, and Word Vom, now designing next-gen AR games at his Snapchat-backed game studio Smiley Cap and co-running AR House, an LA-based creator house for AR artists.

Wednesday July 13, 2022 2:45pm - 3:05pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Central Park West Stage) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  XR for Change, Talk

3:15pm EDT

#CODEMedicalHeroes: Driving Systemic Change in the Pandemic
Despite the urgent need to fill healthcare worker vacancies to battle the pandemic, 50% of exceptionally qualified former military medics who want to work in the civilian healthcare profession cannot find jobs in the industry. Through a completely integrated marketing and communications plan, including significant in-game aspects, the Call of Duty team rallied to create both awareness and action on this issue. Learn how each element of the campaign came together to drive systemic change.
Speakers
avatar for Dan Goldenberg

Dan Goldenberg

Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility, Activision Blizzard / Executive Director, Call of Duty Endowment
Dan Goldenberg, a retired Navy Captain, brings to the job 27 years of active and reserve military service and two decades of business experience (including almost a decade in video games). Under his leadership the Call of Duty Endowment has risen to become the world's largest philanthropic... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 3:15pm - 3:35pm EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Civics & Social Issues, Talk

3:15pm EDT

Can Play Build Peace?
Do video games breed violent tendencies in young people? How do radical extremist groups employ video games to recruit young people? Can we leverage the features of a video game to prevent violent extremism? Can Play Build Peace? is about the Digital Games for Peace challenge by UNOCT, UNAOC, and UNESCO MGIEP, where an interdisciplinary cohort of youth were trained and supported to design video games embedded with social-emotional learning and intercultural dialogue competencies to build peace.

Speakers
avatar for Vignesh Mukund

Vignesh Mukund

Associate National Programme Officer, UNESCO MGIEP, Games for Learning
Vignesh Mukund is a learning experience designer with the Games for Learning team at UNESCO MGIEP where he applies his multidisciplinary background to design innovative pedagogical solutions that leverage the best of video-games and technology to help cultivate critical-thinking and... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 3:15pm - 3:35pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Central Park West Stage) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Civics & Social Issues, Talk

3:45pm EDT

Keynote - Toxicity and Extremism in Online Games
The last 8 years have witnessed a rise in toxicity and extremism throughout the US and games are no exception. But if games are powerful agents of change, then what impacts have they now? Join Constance Steinkuehler as she reviews the literature on the rise of extremism in online games, empirical findings on the normalization of toxicity in such spaces, and the current state of game industry policy on both. There is no them; there is only us. And the solution is not more hate and estrangement but greater health and kinship.
Speakers
avatar for Constance Steinkuehler

Constance Steinkuehler

Professor, University of California, Irvine
Constance Steinkuehler is a Professor of Informatics at University of California, Irvine where she researches culture, cognition and learning in multiplayer online games. She is an ADL Belfer Fellow, Chair of UCI's Game Design & Interactive Media Program, Co-Director of the Games+Learning+Society... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 3:45pm - 4:15pm EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Civics & Social Issues, Keynote

4:15pm EDT

Keynote - Augmented Activism: Preserving History and Culture in the Metaverse
When Aaron Huey set out to do a cover story for NatGeo on public lands in 2017, he had a suspicion it would fail. The story was just too big, with too many important voices and ideas to fit into a traditional format. When he turned to photogrammetry as a solution, he had no idea that this would become a crucial turning point in his career as a storyteller, activist, and founder. The NatGeo piece went on to become a Webby-award winning experience, producing the world’s largest photogrammetry collection of Ancestral Pueblo structures in the process. Since then, he’s shifted from flat to spatial technologies, from the “We the People” campaign he built with Shepard Fairey through Amplifier.org to his latest efforts at Art Machine. This keynote explores his insights learned throughout the past half-decade, taking a look at the unique affordances of Metaverse-driven storytelling formats to deepen cultural heritage efforts, foster inclusion, and provoke new forms of activism.
Speakers
avatar for Aaron Huey

Aaron Huey

Photographer, National Geographic / Founder, Art Machine
Aaron Huey is a National Geographic photographer, the Founder Amplifier.org, and Founder and Creative Lead at Art Machine. Huey has created over 30 stories for the National Geographic magazines including several cover stories, and is also leading Nat Geo new media projects for the... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 4:15pm - 4:45pm EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  XR for Change, Keynote

4:45pm EDT

G4C: Meet and Play (Day 1)
The Games for Change Festival has been a long-standing nexus for attendees of all backgrounds to converge around the power of games for good. This summer, G4C will present its inaugural Meet and Play program, a series of activations that encourage community through playful interaction. In order to further bridge the gap between game developers, educators, academics, activists, and funders, G4C will dedicate nearly twenty program-hours to activities that break away from traditional conference session formats such as talks and panels.
Wednesday July 13, 2022 4:45pm - 6:30pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center (Special Events) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Special Sessions & Events, Special Event

4:45pm EDT

Meet the Speakers
Join the first-ever ‘Meet the Speakers’ activation at the Games for Change Festival! Attendees will have the opportunity to mingle with presenters, have informal conversations, and ask any questions they might have!
Wednesday July 13, 2022 4:45pm - 6:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center (6th Floor Lounge)
  Special Sessions & Events, Networking

5:00pm EDT

Crooked Poker
Crooked Poker is a cunning card game of wits and deceit. Take on your opponents at the poker table to win the pot. But watch out; everyone in this game is a two-faced fraud who will stop at nothing for the prize.
Speakers
avatar for Greg Trefry

Greg Trefry

Game Designer, Gigantic Mechanic
Greg Trefry has designed everything from 100-person live-action simulations for museums to documentary video games to giant dodgeball battles. He co-founded the game studio Gigantic Mechanic to explore new ways to bring fun and engaging experiences to the world around us through real-world... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 5:00pm - 5:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 5th Floor (Winter Garden Stage) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Special Sessions & Events, Networking Game

5:00pm EDT

Speed Networking
Make your next great connection at #G4C2022! Attendees are invited to get to know fellow G4C community members who love games and immersive media for 5-minutes at a time. Continue your conversation on the next day of the Festival or online through social media.
Wednesday July 13, 2022 5:00pm - 5:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th Floor (Radio City Stage)
  Special Sessions & Events, Networking

5:00pm EDT

Topic Table: Creating Social Impact Beyond the XR Experience
Join G4C's speakers and experts for small-group conversations on today's most relevant topics in games and XR. These Topic Tables are a great opportunity to ask questions and get to know leaders in the field in an informal and lively setting.
Speakers
avatar for Paisley Smith

Paisley Smith

The Unity for Humanity Program Producer, Unity Technologies
Paisley Smith is a Canadian filmmaker & virtual reality creator. Paisley leads the Unity for Humanity Program at Unity Technologies, which supports social impact RT3D creators. Paisley and Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun's VR film, Unceded Territories received 'Best XR for Change' at Games... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 5:00pm - 5:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Jacobs Boardroom)
  Special Sessions & Events, Networking

5:00pm EDT

Topic Table: Implicit Biases when Designing Games for Change
Join G4C's speakers and experts for small-group conversations on today's most relevant topics in games and XR. These Topic Tables are a great opportunity to ask questions and get to know leaders in the field in an informal and lively setting.
Speakers
avatar for Celia Hodent

Celia Hodent

Independent Game UX Strategist
Celia Hodent is recognized as a leader in the application of user experience (UX) and cognitive science in the game industry. Celia holds a PhD in psychology and has over ten years of experience in the development of UX strategy and processes in video game studios (e.g. Fortnite... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 5:00pm - 5:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Ambassador Boardroom)
  Special Sessions & Events, Networking

5:00pm EDT

Topic Table: Influencing Behavioral Change
Join G4C's speakers and experts for small-group conversations on today's most relevant topics in games and XR. These Topic Tables are a great opportunity to ask questions and get to know leaders in the field in an informal and lively setting.
Speakers
avatar for Vignesh Mukund

Vignesh Mukund

Associate National Programme Officer, UNESCO MGIEP, Games for Learning
Vignesh Mukund is a learning experience designer with the Games for Learning team at UNESCO MGIEP where he applies his multidisciplinary background to design innovative pedagogical solutions that leverage the best of video-games and technology to help cultivate critical-thinking and... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 5:00pm - 5:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Booth Boardroom)
  Special Sessions & Events, Networking

5:00pm EDT

Beat! That! Heat!: A Climate Action Game Show
Beat! That! Heat! is an interactive game show where players compete and collaborate as they contribute to climate solutions. Part Jeopardy, part 90s Nickelodeon Double Dare, part dance party, this 90-minute interactive game show is designed to support us as we champion thriving, just, regenerative futures.
Speakers
avatar for Jenny Gottstein

Jenny Gottstein

Experience-Designer-In-Residence, IDEO Play Lab
Jenny leverages the power of play to help clients around the world uncover innovative solutions that are sustainable, engaging and fun. She designs experiences to connect, empower, inspire & delight from voter education parties to Zombie Apocalypse Disaster Preparedness Games to Climate... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 5:00pm - 6:30pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Central Park West Stage) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Special Sessions & Events, Game Show

5:00pm EDT

Terra Thrift
Become an eco-friendly shopper! With Terra Thrift, you can increase your environmental awareness of fabric sustainability. Communicate and work with your team to make the best garment selections for your customers. Created by a team of graduate students at Carnegie Mellon University’s Entertainment Technology Center.
Speakers
avatar for Jingyuan Fang

Jingyuan Fang

Student, CMU Entertainment Technology Center
avatar for James Finkel

James Finkel

Programmer & Game Designer, CMU Entertainment Technology Center
James Finkel is a Game Designer and Software Engineer. He enjoys games of all types, spending most of his time playing board games or video games. He graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a Computer Science and Psychology double major. James has his sights set on joining... Read More →
avatar for Yi-Hsiu Huang

Yi-Hsiu Huang

3D Artist, CMU Entertainment Technology Center
I'm an artist specializing in 3D environments, lighting, and architectural design. As a current Entertainment Technology grad student at Carnegie Mellon University with a background in architecture, I love to explore the spatial design of virtual spaces based on my architectural and... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 5:00pm - 6:30pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 5th Floor (Music Box Stage) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Special Sessions & Events, Game

6:00pm EDT

Crooked Poker
Crooked Poker is a cunning card game of wits and deceit. Take on your opponents at the poker table to win the pot. But watch out; everyone in this game is a two-faced fraud who will stop at nothing for the prize.
Speakers
avatar for Greg Trefry

Greg Trefry

Game Designer, Gigantic Mechanic
Greg Trefry has designed everything from 100-person live-action simulations for museums to documentary video games to giant dodgeball battles. He co-founded the game studio Gigantic Mechanic to explore new ways to bring fun and engaging experiences to the world around us through real-world... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 6:00pm - 6:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 5th Floor (Winter Garden Stage) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Special Sessions & Events, Networking Game

6:00pm EDT

Speed Networking
Make your next great connection at #G4C2022! Attendees are invited to get to know fellow G4C community members who love games and immersive media for 5-minutes at a time. Continue your conversation on the next day of the Festival or online through social media.
Wednesday July 13, 2022 6:00pm - 6:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th Floor (Radio City Stage)
  Special Sessions & Events, Networking

6:00pm EDT

Topic Table: Taking Toxic Gamer Culture Seriously
Join G4C's speakers and experts for small-group conversations on today's most relevant topics in games and XR. These Topic Tables are a great opportunity to ask questions and get to know leaders in the field in an informal and lively setting.
Speakers
avatar for Eve Crevoshay

Eve Crevoshay

Executive Director, Take This
Eve Crevoshay joined Take This as Executive Director in 2018. She is a 20-year veteran of the nonprofit sector. Her background spans education, social services, and the arts, and she is committed to identifying and enabling systemic change. Eve is a member of the advisory boards for... Read More →

Wednesday July 13, 2022 6:00pm - 6:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Ambassador Boardroom)
  Special Sessions & Events, Networking
 
Thursday, July 14
 

9:30am EDT

G4C Welcome with President Susanna Pollack
Speakers
avatar for Susanna Pollack

Susanna Pollack

President, Games for Change
As President of Games for Change, Susanna leads the organization best know for the annual Games for Change Festival, dubbed by national media as "the Sundance of video games." Under Susanna's leadership, G4C has significantly expanded its programs and impact⁠—including G4C Learn... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 9:30am - 9:40am EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Special Sessions & Events, Special Event

9:40am EDT

Keynote - Video Games: A Force for Good
Public perception about video games is at an all-time high, with more and more people recognizing their positive benefits. The pandemic increased awareness of these benefits, as people turned to games to find connection and joy as a means to cope with isolation and other challenges brought on by COVID-19. The emerging view that video games are fast becoming the national pastime stands in stark contrast to earlier stereotypes about the role of video games in society as well as misperceptions about those who play games. Now, the view from Main Street is that video games can do good, have a positive social impact, restore connections among people, and teach us some things about ourselves and the world. Dean Takahashi, lead writer of GamesBeat, will talk about these topics with Stanley Pierre-Louis, President and CEO of the Entertainment Software Association.
Speakers
avatar for Dean Takahashi

Dean Takahashi

Gamesbeat Lead Writer, VentureBeat
Dean Takahashi is lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat. He has been a tech journalist since 1988, and he has covered games as a beat since 1996. He has been at VentureBeat since 2008. Prior to that, he wrote for the San Jose Mercury News, the Red Herring, the Wall Street Journal... Read More →
avatar for Stan Pierre-Louis

Stan Pierre-Louis

CEO, Entertainment Software Association
Stanley Pierre-Louis was named CEO of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) in May of 2019, and was chosen for his extensive entertainment, law, and policy expertise, having joined the ESA as General Counsel in May 2015. As CEO, Stanley leads ESA’s public policy efforts to... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 9:40am - 10:00am EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Civics & Social Issues, Keynote

10:00am EDT

Keynote - How Sensing Affect Will Transform Gaming and Healthcare
Current advances in sensors and analytic technologies are making it possible to develop systems that sense, interpret, and adapt to the user’s arousal level, cognitive status, and mood. These advances have profound implications for the evolution of the next generation of gaming platforms, as well as facilitating the development of improved healthcare systems that leverage the power of narrative storytelling to improve clinical care and make staying healthy less arduous.
Speakers
avatar for Walter Greenleaf

Walter Greenleaf

Medical XR Expert, Stanford University
Walter Greenleaf Ph.D. is a neuroscientist and medical technology developer working at Stanford University. With three decades of research and product development experience, Walter is considered a leading and pioneering authority in the fields of digital medicine and Medical XR technology... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 10:00am - 10:30am EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Health & Wellness, Keynote

10:45am EDT

How Do We Awaken: A Deep Dive into the Impact Campaign of On the Morning You Wake
Moderated by President of Games for Change, Susanna Pollack, this panel will feature key figures within the impact campaign of the award-winning virtual reality documentary On the Morning You Wake (to the End of the World).

From funder to impact fellow, the featured panelists — Sharon Weiner of Carnegie Foundation, Alex Glaser of Princeton University, Ray Acheson of ICAN and Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, and Michaela Ternasky-Holland of Games for Change — represent a spectrum of roles within the year-long impact strategy surrounding the threat and disarmament of nuclear weapons.

By attending this panel you will receive an in-depth perspective of the many phases of impact. Learn about the strategizing, creating, funding, and producing behind this virtual reality experience that has recently screened not only at major international film festivals but also with key impact partnerships, such as the Times Square Arts Alliance, the Nobel Peace Center, and the United Nations.
Moderators
avatar for Susanna Pollack

Susanna Pollack

President, Games for Change
As President of Games for Change, Susanna leads the organization best know for the annual Games for Change Festival, dubbed by national media as "the Sundance of video games." Under Susanna's leadership, G4C has significantly expanded its programs and impact⁠—including G4C Learn... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Sharon Weiner

Sharon Weiner

Senior Resident Fellow, Carnegie Corporation of New York
Sharon K. Weiner is a senior resident fellow in the International Peace and Security program at the Carnegie Corporation of New York.  While serving in this role, she will take a leave of absence from her position as an associate professor at American University’s School of International... Read More →
avatar for Alex Glaser

Alex Glaser

Program on Science and Global Security, Princeton University
Alex Glaser is associate professor in the School of Public and International Affairs and in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering at Princeton University. Glaser co-directs Princeton's Program on Science and Global Security (sgs.princeton.edu), which conducts research... Read More →
avatar for Ray Acheson

Ray Acheson

Director of Disarmament, Women's International League for Peace and Freedom
Ray Acheson is the Director of Reaching Critical Will, the disarmament programme of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. They are also a steering group member of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons, which won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize. Ray is... Read More →
avatar for Michaela Ternasky-Holland

Michaela Ternasky-Holland

XR Creative Strategist & Impact Producer, Games for Change
Michaela Ternasky-Holland is an Emmy, Webby, and Sheffield Doc/Fest award-winning XR/metaverse storyteller. Recently named as one of the 100 Original Voices of XR, she creates non-fiction and socially impactful stories by using immersive and interactive technology. She focuses on... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 10:45am - 11:30am EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  XR for Change, Panel

11:00am EDT

Meet the Funder: Dave Miller and Rhonda Moore (NIH)
The National Institutes of Health is dedicated to a mission of funding state-of-the-art biomedical and behavioral research performed across academic institutions, non-profits, companies & small businesses. This interactive talk will give an overview on applying for NIH funding, and highlight opportunities of interest to the G4C community for developing games and technologies that impact human health, health education, and biomedical & behavioral research.
Speakers
avatar for Dave Miller

Dave Miller

Program Director, National Cancer Institute
Dr. Dave Miller is a program director at the NIH's National Cancer Institute, the US government's largest funder of cancer research and technology development. Dave is a computational physicist who maintains a research grants portfolio encompassing mathematical modeling, data visualization... Read More →
avatar for Rhonda J. Moore, PhD

Rhonda J. Moore, PhD

Program Director, Global Mental Health, National Institutes of Health
Rhonda Moore is a medical anthropologist and Program Director in Global Mental Health at NIH/NIMH. Most of her work has focused on lived experiences of pain and invisible disability across the lifespan. Prior to NIH, she spent over 8 years as a social scientist at the US FDA. Rhonda... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 11:00am - 11:30am EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th Floor (Radio City Stage)
  Special Sessions & Events, Meet the Funder

11:00am EDT

Towards a Public Pathway for Careers in Gaming: NYC Youth and Agency
In May 2022, the City University of New York (CCNY) announced a new public pathway to gaming careers to meet the workforce needs of the growing video gaming and related industries in New York City. This presentation explores this new pathway in three ways. First, we will explore highlights from the 2021 study undertaken with area high school-aged youth to inform the development of this project. It will highlight key lessons learned about youth and games while sharing techniques developed to surface examples of youth agency within gaming ecosystems. Second, we will explore what is means to create a new public option offering a bachelor’s degree for youth who want to pursue careers in these industries but lack the means to attend the more expensive private universities offering similar degree programs. Finally, the last third of this symposium will introduce the Weston Game Lab at the University of Chicago and representatives from both programs will explore how both public and private universities can work with local communities to prepare Black and brown youth for a game-oriented career trajectory. The Pathway is a new partnership between New York City’s MoME (Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment) and a team led by CCNY consisting of SAENY (Science and Arts Engagement New York) and UAP (Urban Arts). 
Speakers
avatar for Nicholas Fortugno

Nicholas Fortugno

Co-Founder & CCO, Playmatics LLC
Nick Fortugno is a designer of games and interactive narrative experiences and co-founder of Playmatics. Fortugno has been lead designer on dozens of works,  including the downloadable blockbuster Diner Dash, and the award-winning serious game Ayiti: The Cost of Life. Nick also teaches... Read More →
avatar for Barry Joseph

Barry Joseph

Principal, Barry Joseph Consulting
Talk to me about whatever you feel passionate about. Ask me about my new books, what games I'm playing or designing, and my new consulting company focused on digital experience design. 
avatar for Ashlyn Sparrow

Ashlyn Sparrow

Assistant Director, Weston Game Lab, The University of Chicago
Ashlyn Sparrow is the Assistant Director of the Weston Game Lab. She has worked on scholarly board, card, and digital games, public health apps, the development of serious games, interactive learning experiences, and digital media art with youth and for youth. Ashlyn received a Bachelor... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Central Park West Stage) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Games for Learning, Panel

11:30am EDT

Breonna's Garden: The Power and Responsibility of the Metaverse
"She who plants a garden, plants hope." In solidarity with Breonna Taylor's family, notable artist and art curator Lady PheØnix developed Breonna’s Garden, an XR experience for veneration to honor Breonna Taylor's life and cultivate a healing space to process emotions such as grief. Breonna’s Garden is a sacred space for anyone who wants to share a message of hope for Breonna’s family. Or, a message in remembrance of someone they miss.

Join Creator Lady PheØnix and New Media Artist Nancy Baker Cahill for a discussion of the award-winning project's journey and the power and responsibility of technology and storytelling in the metaverse.
Speakers
avatar for Lady PheØnix

Lady PheØnix

Director & Founder, YesUniverse
Lady PheØnix is a leading voice for contemporary digital art and culture, providing an essential platform for the art and artists of our time. As a passionate producer of creative works at the intersection of art and technology she is deeply interested in the relationship between... Read More →
avatar for Nancy Baker Cahill

Nancy Baker Cahill

New Media Artist, Nancy Baker Cahill Studio / Founder and Director, 4th Wall App
Nancy Baker Cahill is a new media artist who examines systemic power, selfhood, and embodied consciousness through drawing and shared immersive space. She is the Founder and Artistic Director of 4th Wall, a free Augmented Reality (AR) art platform exploring resistance and inclusive... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 11:30am - 11:50am EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  XR for Change, Talk

12:00pm EDT

Envisioning a New Kind of Healing Space in Games
Sy Raffoul would like to draw attention to an emerging game genre that creates purpose-built healing spaces. Spaces where players can traverse the gap between individual mental health and social justice, and leave with renewed compassion and fortified boundaries. Using the example of Glitchhikers: The Spaces Between, they will look at designing games where openness and vulnerability is balanced with comfort, cooperative conversations shift perspectives, time and productivity are reframed, and tools are modelled that players can use to heal themselves and their communities.
Speakers
avatar for Sy Raffoul

Sy Raffoul

Communications Manager, Silverstring Media
Sy Raffoul lives their life on the intersections. A product of a multicultural family with a foot on several continents, they had a lifelong fascination with mapping out the gaps between cultures and people, building bridges wherever commonality could be found. They've dedicated a... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 12:00pm - 12:20pm EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Civics & Social Issues, Talk

12:00pm EDT

The Power of Place: Accounting for the Local in XR Projects
How do the local conditions and histories matter for the creation and consumption of VR experiences? Do certain elements of a place become mistaken as universal? For VR experiences that hope to have widespread social impact, these questions are particularly salient as they can help identify barriers impeding adoption. This talk draws from an anthropological study of the VR community in Los Angeles, offering a case study for how the virtual is thoroughly grounded in place and history.
Speakers
avatar for Lisa Messeri

Lisa Messeri

Professor, Yale University
Lisa Messeri is an assistant professor of sociocultural anthropology at Yale University. She works with scientists and innovators to understand how their practices and imaginaries shape broader understandings of what it means to be in the world. Her research has been featured in The... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 12:00pm - 12:20pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Central Park West Stage) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Health & Wellness, Talk

12:00pm EDT

Meet the Funder: David Ball (Headstream)
Headstream, powered by SecondMuse, is a national innovation program focused on creating a just and thriving digital economy to support the well-being of young people. For many youth, especially marginalized young people and queer youth, the systems that are intended to help them transition to adulthood do not currently meet their needs. Join us to learn how we fund entrepreneurs working on gaming, social media, ed-tech, and digital health solutions through the Headstream Accelerator.
Speakers
avatar for David Ball

David Ball

Senior Director, Headstream
David Ball is the Senior Director of SecondMuse's Health and Social Tech portfolio, which focuses on catalyzing digital solutions in the ed-tech, social tech, and digital health sectors to support the wellbeing of young people. Over the last three years, through initiatives such as... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 12:00pm - 12:30pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th Floor (Radio City Stage)
  Special Sessions & Events, Meet the Funder

12:20pm EDT

Keynote - What Did We Change with Games?
It’s been two decades since the launch of the Serious Games Initiative and Games for Change. Ian’s studio, Persuasive Games, is now that old, too, and his book of the same title is 15 (Edutainment, learning games, political games, and many other fellow travelers are even older). It made him wonder: what was it they were going to change with these games? Did they succeed? In this talk, a 20-year veteran of this space reflects on the unrealized promises of the sector, and what it means for the future.
Speakers
avatar for Ian Bogost

Ian Bogost

Professor & Director, Washington University in St. Louis / Founding Partner, Persuasive Games
Dr. Ian Bogost is an author and an award-winning game designer. He is Professor and Director of the Program in Film & Media Studies and Professor of Computer Science & Engineering at Washington University in St. Louis. Bogost is also Founding Partner at Persuasive Games LLC, an independent... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 12:20pm - 12:40pm EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Civics & Social Issues, Keynote

12:20pm EDT

Data-Driven, Theory-Informed Dashboards to Support Collaboration in VR
VR is a promising yet under-researched tool for learning. This talk is on data dashboards, built for the VR learning system, EcoSystemOne, that represent meaningful metrics on collaborative learning. Join Alex Stolyarik and Bruce Homer as they present the design process, informed by theories of computer-supported collaborative learning, and ongoing research with illustrative slides and videos on functionality and utility, and conclude by discussing steps for building the next generation of metrics for digital learning.
Speakers
avatar for Alex Stolyarik

Alex Stolyarik

Founder & CEO, EcoSystemOne
Alex Stolyarik is a founder of EcoSystemOne and Univirtual.Academy - a User Generated Content platform and an Immersive afterschool Science and Technology program for middle school teens. Alex is a PI of the SBIR NSF research grant which is focusing on engagement behavior profiling... Read More →
avatar for Bruce Homer

Bruce Homer

Professor, The Graduate Center, CUNY
Bruce Homer, Professor of Educational Psychology at the Graduate Center, CUNY, directs the Child Interactive Learning and Development Lab. Dr. Homer studies the design and use of digital technologies, particularly simulations and games, for learning. He has authored over a hundred... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 12:20pm - 12:40pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Central Park West Stage) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Games for Learning, Talk

1:45pm EDT

Meet the Funder: Diane Hickey (Diamond Chameleon Group)
Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR/STTR) programs are "America's Seed Funds",  helping startups and small businesses transform high-risk, high-impact innovations into marketable products and services. Dr. Hickey will provide an overview of how developers and entrepreneurs can benefit from this funding model and transform their ideas into commercial products.
Speakers
avatar for Diane Hickey

Diane Hickey

Program Director, Small Business Innovation Research Program, National Science Foundation
Dr. Diane Hickey is a Program Director in the National Science Foundation’s Small Business Innovation Research Program. She oversees proposals on the topics of Human Computer Interaction, Augmented/Virtual Reality and Learning/Cognition Technologies. She has extensive experience... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 1:45pm - 2:15pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th Floor (Radio City Stage)
  Special Sessions & Events, Meet the Funder

1:45pm EDT

Place-Based Games for Social Impact and Communities
What impact comes from play tied to specific neighborhoods and places? What can you build -- and with what budget? This panel brings together successful case studies on place-based play, including the Streets of My Town platform to co-create stories of the community that you live in; Revolutionary Spaces, where 40 players engage in a specific historical room tied to the Boston Tea Party; and how libraries in 20+ cities are Engaging Beyond Our Walls with low-tech like "text with a sculpture."
Speakers
avatar for Benjamin Stokes

Benjamin Stokes

Associate Professor, AU Game Center / Playful City Lab
Benjamin Stokes' recent book is "Locally Played: Real-World Games for Stronger Places." He is an associate professor with the Game Center at American University, where he leads the Playful City Lab. He is one of the original co-founders of Games for Change. Previously, Benjamin worked... Read More →
avatar for Hazel Arroyo

Hazel Arroyo

Senior Learning Experience Designer, Humans Who Play / Consultant, Teddy Consulting
Hazel is a Senior Learning Experience Designer at Humans Who Play, working on educational and international development projects through the lens of playful learning and technology. Additionally, she is the Lead Consultant at Teddy Consulting and works on projects with the Playful... Read More →
avatar for Steven Dupon

Steven Dupon

Managing Director, Solucia, Institute of Games
Steven is the founder and Director at the Institute of Games, Australia, and the producer, designer, & writer of Streets of My Town. With over 20+ years experience in youth work, you can find Steven on the intersection of video games and youth wellbeing.
avatar for Matthew Wilding

Matthew Wilding

Director of Visitor Experience & Content Development, Revolutionary Spaces
Matthew Wilding is a museum professional who has utilized role-playing games as a central means of place-based learning for most of the last decade. He has worked on design and implementation of learning games at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the US Senate, the Ronald Reagan... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Civics & Social Issues, Panel

1:45pm EDT

XR’s Potential for Engagement and Impact in Student-Centered Learning
Immersive media is relatively new to the classroom but has the potential to inspire and empower students and educators. Our panel of teachers, developers and researchers will explore XR’s potential for engagement and impact, immersive media experiences that support student-centered learning, and the results of the XRA’s recent survey of teenagers on their understanding and use of XR technologies.
Moderators
avatar for Michael Preston

Michael Preston

Joan Ganz Cooney Center
Michael Preston, PhD is the Executive Director of the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, a research and innovation lab that works to advance children's learning in the digital age. Previously he led K-12 computer science education efforts at CSforALL and CSNYC, digital initiatives... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Peirce Clark

Peirce Clark

Program Development Manager, XR Association
Peirce Clark serves as the XR Association’s Program Development Manager. In this position, Clark assists in the development of industry leading best practices, evaluates potential research topics, and supports XRA’s Health and Inclusion committees.
avatar for Idris Brewster

Idris Brewster

Founder & CEO, Movers and Shakers
Idris Brewster is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Movers and Shakers. He is a passionate innovator who uses his technical and artistic expertise to disrupt traditional narratives through immersive experiences, all the while empowering others to do the same. Idris is a Forbes... Read More →
avatar for Ellen Flaherty

Ellen Flaherty

Senior Manager, Learning Design, Strategy & Architecture, Unity Technologies
Ellen Flaherty leads the Real-time learning design and strategy team for Unity Technologies - the world's leading platform for real-time content creation. In this role she, and her team, create and scale technology-based learning experiences empowering creators to bring their visions... Read More →
avatar for Kevin Merges

Kevin Merges

Innovation.Academy, Director, Rutgers Preparatory School
Dr. Merges is the Innovation.Academy Director at Rutgers Preparatory School and a co-founder of Virtual Research, LLC.  He has presented at conferences, in many countries, on the topics of communication through online environments, virtual reality and augmented reality in education... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 1:45pm - 2:30pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Central Park West Stage) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  XR for Change, Panel

2:45pm EDT

Co-Founding Glow Up Games: Innovative Storytelling About Black and Brown Joy
Loving games led Latoya Peterson and Mitu Khandaker to start the first all women of color founded studio, Glow Up Games, and launch their first title based in the world of HBO's Insecure. But in their three years of existence, they have faced funding inequities, the trials of game development, and a global pandemic. This session will cover the realities of starting, growing, and scaling a studio with an emphasis on storytelling around black and brown joy.
Speakers
avatar for Latoya Peterson

Latoya Peterson

Co-Founder & CXO, Glow Up Games
Latoya Peterson lives at the intersection of emerging technology and culture. She is cofounder and CXO at Glow Up Games, a game studio working on their first title set in the world of HBO's Insecure. Previously, she was the Deputy Editor, Digital Innovation for ESPN's The Undefeated... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 2:45pm - 3:05pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Central Park West Stage) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Civics & Social Issues, Talk

2:45pm EDT

Preparing Today's Youth for the Careers of Tomorrow, with Games
Kids play a collective 10,000 hours of video games. We want to use a portion of that time to prepare them with the skills that will define their future. So how will we do it? Meet our youth where they are at. With games.
Speakers
avatar for Matt Dalio

Matt Dalio

Founder, Endless
Matt is the founder of Endless—an organization fighting for a world in which every kid is a creator. Endless has three initiatives. First, it is harnessing the power of games to introduce youth to 21st Century skills like coding. Second, it is addressing the internet gap by creating... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 2:45pm - 3:05pm EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Games for Learning, Talk

3:15pm EDT

Football, the Forward Pass, and the Future of Education
Join Director of Microsoft's Modern Workplace, Josh Reynolds, as he shares stories of innovation, digital transformation and our opportunity to impact the ways in which we teach and learn (don’t worry, we’ll only talk about football for a few minutes).
Speakers
avatar for Josh Reynolds

Josh Reynolds

Director, Modern Workplace, Microsoft

Thursday July 14, 2022 3:15pm - 3:35pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Central Park West Stage) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Games for Learning, Talk

3:15pm EDT

The Global Strategic Adoption of XR in Health and Wellbeing
‘The Growing Value of XR in Healthcare in the UK’ report unlocked the development of a national XR strategy. Hear about the report findings, latest developments and opportunities to support the equitable adoption of XR therapeutics, health education tools and immersive arts on prescription through cross-industry collaboration. The session will conclude with an open invitation to co-develop strategic infrastructure for XR healthcare to be scaled for citizens, globally.
Speakers
avatar for Sarah Ticho

Sarah Ticho

Co-Founder, XR Health Alliance
Sarah is an entrepreneur working at the intersection of XR, healthcare and the arts. She is the founder of Hatsumi, producer at Explore Deep, co-founder of Lemonade. She is also the co-founder XR Health Alliance, supporting the strategic adoption of VR in healthcare across the UK... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 3:15pm - 3:35pm EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Health & Wellness, Talk

3:45pm EDT

Keynote - Peabody Awards in a Shifting Field: Rethinking Interactivity
This is the first year the Peabody Awards is honoring new interactive and immersive projects, including in gaming, as part of its mission to recognize stories that matter. Join the executive director of the Peabody Awards, Jeffrey Jones, along with Peabody Board Member, Yasmin Elayat, for a fireside chat on the significance of electronic media’s oldest award recognizing interactivity in storytelling, and how this recognition holds the potential to enhance the broader cultural recognition and understanding of these forms.
Speakers
avatar for Jeffrey Jones

Jeffrey Jones

Executive Director, Peabody Awards
Dr. Jeffrey Jones directs the George Foster Peabody Awards at the University of Georgia—the oldest and most prestigious award for electronic media. Jones has led the organization for nine years, most recently opening award submissions for interactive and immersive media. Jones is... Read More →
avatar for Yasmin Elayat

Yasmin Elayat

Co-Founder, Scatter
Scatter Co-Founder Yasmin Elayat is an Emmy-award winning immersive director whose work explores social justice and ownership of the storytelling process through emergent technologies. Her award-winning films include Zero Days VR and Changing Same: Episode 1. Yasmin has won multiple... Read More →
avatar for Susanna Pollack

Susanna Pollack

President, Games for Change
As President of Games for Change, Susanna leads the organization best know for the annual Games for Change Festival, dubbed by national media as "the Sundance of video games." Under Susanna's leadership, G4C has significantly expanded its programs and impact⁠—including G4C Learn... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 3:45pm - 4:15pm EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Civics & Social Issues, Keynote

4:15pm EDT

Keynote - Building The Mindful Metaverse
TRIPP is a portal into a mindful metaverse that enhances the human experience. Join CEO Nanea Reeves as she takes you through an exclusive, behind-the-curtain look at a purpose-driven team that believes in the use of technology for good, and their committed efforts in helping people find solutions and experiences that drive deeper connections to themselves and the world around them.
Speakers
avatar for Nanea Reeves

Nanea Reeves

CEO, TRIPP
Nanea Reeves is the Co-Founder and CEO of TRIPP, a category-leading global XR Wellness company pioneering innovative and accessible technologies that empower people to take control of their mental and emotional well-being. Nanea brings over 15 years of experience in digital distribution... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 4:15pm - 4:45pm EDT
The Times Center (Times Center Stage) 242 W 41st St, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Health & Wellness, Keynote

4:45pm EDT

G4C: Meet and Play (Day 2)
The Games for Change Festival has been a long-standing nexus for attendees of all backgrounds to converge around the power of games for good. This summer, G4C will present its inaugural Meet and Play program, a series of activations that encourage community through playful interaction. In order to further bridge the gap between game developers, educators, academics, activists, and funders, G4C will dedicate nearly twenty program-hours to activities that break away from traditional conference session formats such as talks and panels.
Thursday July 14, 2022 4:45pm - 6:30pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center (Special Events) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Special Sessions & Events, Special Event

4:45pm EDT

Meet the Speakers
Join the first-ever ‘Meet the Speakers’ activation at the Games for Change Festival! Attendees will have the opportunity to mingle with presenters, have informal conversations, and ask any questions they might have!
Thursday July 14, 2022 4:45pm - 6:45pm EDT
  Special Sessions & Events, Networking

5:00pm EDT

Crooked Poker
Crooked Poker is a cunning card game of wits and deceit. Take on your opponents at the poker table to win the pot. But watch out; everyone in this game is a two-faced fraud who will stop at nothing for the prize.
Speakers
avatar for Greg Trefry

Greg Trefry

Game Designer, Gigantic Mechanic
Greg Trefry has designed everything from 100-person live-action simulations for museums to documentary video games to giant dodgeball battles. He co-founded the game studio Gigantic Mechanic to explore new ways to bring fun and engaging experiences to the world around us through real-world... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 5:00pm - 5:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 5th Floor (Winter Garden Stage) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Special Sessions & Events, Networking Game

5:00pm EDT

Place-Based Games Networking and Showcase
Come see how games connect us more deeply to place, local history, and our neighbors – including outside. This session is both an informal showcase and a networking event with peer designers, including an emerging network of 20+ libraries, museum educators and more. Play one of several demos tied to specific places, check out the new Hive Mechanic game engine (deliberately low-tech), and get introduced to others who think place matters. Featuring projects from Monash to Boston, “Text with a Sculpture,” Streets of My Town, and Revolutionary Spaces. You will participate and meet new people – our goal is to spark dozens of small discussions about the role of play in outdoor spaces, and how to tap into game design for community life.
Speakers
avatar for Benjamin Stokes

Benjamin Stokes

Associate Professor, AU Game Center / Playful City Lab
Benjamin Stokes' recent book is "Locally Played: Real-World Games for Stronger Places." He is an associate professor with the Game Center at American University, where he leads the Playful City Lab. He is one of the original co-founders of Games for Change. Previously, Benjamin worked... Read More →
avatar for Hazel Arroyo

Hazel Arroyo

Senior Learning Experience Designer, Humans Who Play / Consultant, Teddy Consulting
Hazel is a Senior Learning Experience Designer at Humans Who Play, working on educational and international development projects through the lens of playful learning and technology. Additionally, she is the Lead Consultant at Teddy Consulting and works on projects with the Playful... Read More →
avatar for Steven Dupon

Steven Dupon

Managing Director, Solucia, Institute of Games
Steven is the founder and Director at the Institute of Games, Australia, and the producer, designer, & writer of Streets of My Town. With over 20+ years experience in youth work, you can find Steven on the intersection of video games and youth wellbeing.
avatar for Matthew Wilding

Matthew Wilding

Director of Visitor Experience & Content Development, Revolutionary Spaces
Matthew Wilding is a museum professional who has utilized role-playing games as a central means of place-based learning for most of the last decade. He has worked on design and implementation of learning games at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the US Senate, the Ronald Reagan... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 5:00pm - 5:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 5th Floor (Music Box Stage) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Special Sessions & Events, Networking Showcase

5:00pm EDT

Speed Networking
Make your next great connection at #G4C2022! Attendees are invited to get to know fellow G4C community members who love games and immersive media for 5-minutes at a time. Continue your conversation on the next day of the Festival or online through social media.
Thursday July 14, 2022 5:00pm - 5:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th Floor (Radio City Stage)
  Special Sessions & Events, Networking

5:00pm EDT

Topic Table: Designing for Wellbeing
Join G4C's speakers and experts for small-group conversations on today's most relevant topics in games and XR. These Topic Tables are a great opportunity to ask questions and get to know leaders in the field in an informal and lively setting.
Speakers
avatar for Michael Preston

Michael Preston

Joan Ganz Cooney Center
Michael Preston, PhD is the Executive Director of the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, a research and innovation lab that works to advance children's learning in the digital age. Previously he led K-12 computer science education efforts at CSforALL and CSNYC, digital initiatives... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 5:00pm - 5:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Jacobs Boardroom)
  Special Sessions & Events, Networking

5:00pm EDT

Topic Table: Implicit Biases when Designing Games for Change
Join G4C's speakers and experts for small-group conversations on today's most relevant topics in games and XR. These Topic Tables are a great opportunity to ask questions and get to know leaders in the field in an informal and lively setting.
Speakers
avatar for Danielle Rourke

Danielle Rourke

Senior Higher Education Strategist, Dell Technologies
Danielle Rourke is a Dell Technologies Senior Higher Education Strategist. Danielle now brings her passion for games and immersive technology to speaking with schools, clubs, and universities about the ways esports can facilitate social and emotional learning, diversity, equity, and... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 5:00pm - 5:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Ambassador Boardroom)
  Special Sessions & Events, Networking

5:00pm EDT

Topic Table: Navigation From Prototype to Clinical Product
Join G4C's speakers and experts for small-group conversations on today's most relevant topics in games and XR. These Topic Tables are a great opportunity to ask questions and get to know leaders in the field in an informal and lively setting.
Speakers
avatar for Walter Greenleaf

Walter Greenleaf

Medical XR Expert, Stanford University
Walter Greenleaf Ph.D. is a neuroscientist and medical technology developer working at Stanford University. With three decades of research and product development experience, Walter is considered a leading and pioneering authority in the fields of digital medicine and Medical XR technology... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 5:00pm - 5:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Booth Boardroom)
  Special Sessions & Events, Networking

5:00pm EDT

Beat! That! Heat!: A Climate Action Game Show
Beat! That! Heat! is an interactive game show where players compete and collaborate as they contribute to climate solutions. Part Jeopardy, part 90s Nickelodeon Double Dare, part dance party, this 90-minute interactive game show is designed to support us as we champion thriving, just, regenerative futures.
Speakers
avatar for Jenny Gottstein

Jenny Gottstein

Experience-Designer-In-Residence, IDEO Play Lab
Jenny leverages the power of play to help clients around the world uncover innovative solutions that are sustainable, engaging and fun. She designs experiences to connect, empower, inspire & delight from voter education parties to Zombie Apocalypse Disaster Preparedness Games to Climate... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 5:00pm - 6:30pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Central Park West Stage) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Special Sessions & Events, Game Show

6:00pm EDT

Crooked Poker
Crooked Poker is a cunning card game of wits and deceit. Take on your opponents at the poker table to win the pot. But watch out; everyone in this game is a two-faced fraud who will stop at nothing for the prize.
Speakers
avatar for Greg Trefry

Greg Trefry

Game Designer, Gigantic Mechanic
Greg Trefry has designed everything from 100-person live-action simulations for museums to documentary video games to giant dodgeball battles. He co-founded the game studio Gigantic Mechanic to explore new ways to bring fun and engaging experiences to the world around us through real-world... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 6:00pm - 6:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 5th Floor (Winter Garden Stage) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Special Sessions & Events, Networking Game

6:00pm EDT

Place-Based Games Networking and Showcase
Come see how games connect us more deeply to place, local history, and our neighbors – including outside. This session is both an informal showcase and a networking event with peer designers, including an emerging network of 20+ libraries, museum educators and more. Play one of several demos tied to specific places, check out the new Hive Mechanic game engine (deliberately low-tech), and get introduced to others who think place matters. Featuring projects from Monash to Boston, “Text with a Sculpture,” Streets of My Town, and Revolutionary Spaces. You will participate and meet new people – our goal is to spark dozens of small discussions about the role of play in outdoor spaces, and how to tap into game design for community life.
Speakers
avatar for Hazel Arroyo

Hazel Arroyo

Senior Learning Experience Designer, Humans Who Play / Consultant, Teddy Consulting
Hazel is a Senior Learning Experience Designer at Humans Who Play, working on educational and international development projects through the lens of playful learning and technology. Additionally, she is the Lead Consultant at Teddy Consulting and works on projects with the Playful... Read More →
avatar for Steven Dupon

Steven Dupon

Managing Director, Solucia, Institute of Games
Steven is the founder and Director at the Institute of Games, Australia, and the producer, designer, & writer of Streets of My Town. With over 20+ years experience in youth work, you can find Steven on the intersection of video games and youth wellbeing.
avatar for Benjamin Stokes

Benjamin Stokes

Associate Professor, AU Game Center / Playful City Lab
Benjamin Stokes' recent book is "Locally Played: Real-World Games for Stronger Places." He is an associate professor with the Game Center at American University, where he leads the Playful City Lab. He is one of the original co-founders of Games for Change. Previously, Benjamin worked... Read More →
avatar for Matthew Wilding

Matthew Wilding

Director of Visitor Experience & Content Development, Revolutionary Spaces
Matthew Wilding is a museum professional who has utilized role-playing games as a central means of place-based learning for most of the last decade. He has worked on design and implementation of learning games at the Edward M. Kennedy Institute for the US Senate, the Ronald Reagan... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 6:00pm - 6:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 5th Floor (Music Box Stage) 11 Times Sq, New York, NY 10036, USA
  Special Sessions & Events, Networking Showcase

6:00pm EDT

Speed Networking
Make your next great connection at #G4C2022! Attendees are invited to get to know fellow G4C community members who love games and immersive media for 5-minutes at a time. Continue your conversation on the next day of the Festival or online through social media.
Thursday July 14, 2022 6:00pm - 6:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th Floor (Radio City Stage)
  Special Sessions & Events, Networking

6:00pm EDT

Topic Table: Options for Publishing Your Game
Join G4C's speakers and experts for small-group conversations on today's most relevant topics in games and XR. These Topic Tables are a great opportunity to ask questions and get to know leaders in the field in an informal and lively setting.
Speakers
avatar for Nika Nour

Nika Nour

Head of Partnerships, Genvid Entertainment
Nika joined Genvid in 2021 to manage relationships with game developers, publishers, platforms and IP holders, focused on producing and publishing massive interactive live events (MILEs). Nika spent more than a decade building coalitions and programs for leading internet and video... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 6:00pm - 6:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Ambassador Boardroom)
  Special Sessions & Events, Networking

6:00pm EDT

Topic Table: The Metaverse (Science Fiction No More)
Join G4C's speakers and experts for small-group conversations on today's most relevant topics in games and XR. These Topic Tables are a great opportunity to ask questions and get to know leaders in the field in an informal and lively setting.
Speakers
avatar for Dean Takahashi

Dean Takahashi

Gamesbeat Lead Writer, VentureBeat
Dean Takahashi is lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat. He has been a tech journalist since 1988, and he has covered games as a beat since 1996. He has been at VentureBeat since 2008. Prior to that, he wrote for the San Jose Mercury News, the Red Herring, the Wall Street Journal... Read More →

Thursday July 14, 2022 6:00pm - 6:45pm EDT
Microsoft Technology Center, 6th floor (Jacobs Boardroom)
  Special Sessions & Events, Networking
 
Friday, July 15
 

9:50am EDT

G4C Virtual Welcome with President Susanna Pollack
Speakers
avatar for Susanna Pollack

Susanna Pollack

President, Games for Change
As President of Games for Change, Susanna leads the organization best know for the annual Games for Change Festival, dubbed by national media as "the Sundance of video games." Under Susanna's leadership, G4C has significantly expanded its programs and impact⁠—including G4C Learn... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 9:50am - 10:00am EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Special Sessions & Events, Special Event

10:00am EDT

Let the Magic Circle Bleed: Bridging the Gap Between Games and Reality
Games often intend to draw us in so completely that we forget there is a world outside of the game. Identity permeability in games (bleed) suggests that there is no pause button on identity and in-game learning can affect players across two realities. This talk will look at examples of bleed and outline the relationship between the safety of the magic circle, the transformative power of bleed, and the role of educators in bridging the gap between games and reality.
Speakers
avatar for Jessica Creane

Jessica Creane

Play-Based Design, IKantKoan Play/s
Jessica is a game and immersive experience designer focused on personal and communal transformation through play. She is the founder of IKantKoan Play/s, Professor of Game Design at Drexel University and CUNY City Tech, a 2022 Arctic Circle Artist-in-Residence, a Buckminster Fuller... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 10:00am - 10:20am EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Talk

10:00am EDT

Green Games: How Video Games Can Inspire Players to Act on Climate Change
Video games have the potential to bring abstract topics like climate change and sustainability to life. In this panel, speakers from Ubisoft and the UN’s Playing for the Planet Alliance will discuss how developers can raise players’ awareness and inspire them to take action in the real world. They’ll explore the unique ways in which video games can deepen players’ understanding of sustainability, share insights from games such as Anno 1800 and Hungry Shark World, and provide tips and best practices.
Moderators
avatar for Giorgia La Rocca

Giorgia La Rocca

Marketing Manager, Ubisoft
Giorgia La Rocca leads marketing at Future Games of London, a Ubisoft studio specialized in F2P mobile games and the proud creators behind the Hungry Shark Franchise. Thanks to a close collaboration between brand, community and production teams, she has the unique opportunity to be... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Arnaud Fayolle

Arnaud Fayolle

Art Director, Ubisoft, Positive Play
Arnaud Fayolle is Art Director at Ubisoft Positive Play, a team dedicated to demonstrating and amplifying the positive impact of videogames on our players and our planet. A nature lover since childhood, Arnaud turned eco-anxiety into a driving force for the evolution of his work... Read More →
avatar for Siiri Mäkelä

Siiri Mäkelä

Associate Expert, UN Environment Programme
Siiri works at the UNEP regional office for Europe, where she leads the work on sustainable food systems. Siiri also leads the non-formal education work at the UNEP Ecosystems division where she works closely with the biggest youth movements in the word and co-leads the Playing for... Read More →
avatar for Clayton Whittle

Clayton Whittle

Researcher, Pennyslvania State University
Clayton Whittle is lifelong gamer, educator, environmentalist, and researcher. He has been a professor, a design researcher, and a game designer. His work as a researche at Pennsylvania State University has focused on the development of game design frameworks founded in proven serious... Read More →
avatar for Dominik Kirner

Dominik Kirner

Game Designer, Ubisoft Mainz
Dominik has been working for 7 years in the games industry at Ubisoft Mainz. For two years he has been a Game Designer for ANNO 1800, a city builder set during the industrial revolution. His responsibilities are the economy simulation, balancing, military, and new content.

Friday July 15, 2022 10:00am - 10:50am EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Civics & Social Issues, Roundtable

10:00am EDT

Listen Up! Kids’ Audio at Home, at School, and Beyond
This session welcomes leaders from kids and family podcasting companies Tinkercast, audiyo-yo, and Common Sense Media, along with educators who are using audio programs in their classrooms. In this participatory virtual roundtable, we’ll have a conversation about how audio experiences are making an impact in so many aspects of kids’ lives, how to design podcasts that speak to the needs of kids, families, teachers, and our hopes for the medium’s future.
Moderators
avatar for Meredith Halpern-Ranzer

Meredith Halpern-Ranzer

Chief Executive Tinkerer, Tinkercast
Meredith Halpern-Ranzer is Co-founder and Chief Executive Tinkerer at Tinkercast, the company behind the #1 podcast for kids & families Wow in the World. Meredith is an Emmy-nominated children's media executive and has been a thought-leader in the children's media industry for over... Read More →
avatar for Anne Richards

Anne Richards

Vice President, audiyo-yo, FableVision Studios
Anne Richards is a children's creative executive with over twenty years of experience leading projects for audio, interactive, and television. As Vice President, audiyo-yo, Anne leads FableVision Studios' work creating engaging and inspiring audio content for kids and families. Anne... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Laura Ordoñez

Laura Ordoñez

Head of Podcast Ratings and Reviews, Common Sense Media
Laura Ordoñez, Head of Podcast Ratings and Reviews for Common Sense Media, spearheaded the launch of the first of its kind comprehensive podcast ratings and reviews channel. Before joining Common Sense Media, she worked as a podcast producer, host and project manager for a podcast... Read More →
avatar for Martin Odima

Martin Odima

Special Education Teacher, Saint Paul Public Schools
Martin Odima Jr. is a Special Education teacher and pre-service teacher mentor in the Saint Paul Public School district in Minnesota. Also, Martin is an adjunct faculty in the Department of Special Education at St. Thomas University teaching undergraduates and graduate students the... Read More →
avatar for Carole Paterson-Wright

Carole Paterson-Wright

Science Teacher, Valley School of Ligonier
Carole is an enthusiastic and engaging science educator with experience in outdoor education, public education, and independent schools. With more than twenty years of experience, she blends her degrees in science, education, and SEL to create an interactive learning environment... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 10:00am - 10:50am EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Roundtable

10:20am EDT

The Metaverse: A Brave, New (Virtual) World
Beyond the hype, what are the possibilities and pitfalls of creating the Metaverse, and what makes it different from the Internet or other virtual worlds? Can we ethically create it, or will it be the new iteration of surveillance capitalism? Join Micaela Mantegna, a leading expert in video game and metaverse policy, as she takes a look at some of these new questions surrounding this new field, and investigates what role games can have in creating a safer metaverse for everyone.
Speakers
avatar for Micaela Mantegna

Micaela Mantegna

Abogamer / TED Fellow / Berkman Klein Center Affiliate
Known as the "Abogamer", Micaela Mantegna is a leading expert in the emerging field of video game and metaverse policy, and an activist of gaming as an instrument of social change. Author of the book "ARTficial: creativity, artificial intelligence and copyright" (forthcoming July... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 10:20am - 10:40am EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  XR for Change, Talk

10:40am EDT

Goliath: Playing with Reality
May and Barry introduce Goliath: Playing with Reality and discuss some of the approaches they took in the representation of the central characters and how the project was received within the community.
Speakers
avatar for May Abdalla

May Abdalla

Executive Director, Anagram
May Abdalla works with technology to create sensory stories. A pioneer in the immersive space, she founded Anagram, a multi award-winning creative studio specialising in thought-provoking interactive storytelling. Their work has toured internationally at festivals, public spaces... Read More →
avatar for Barry Murphy

Barry Murphy

Director, Anagram
Barry Gene Murphy (1978, Ireland) is a filmmaker and artist with a love for the absurd, documentary, 3D animation techniques and more recently in mixed-reality works.

Friday July 15, 2022 10:40am - 10:50am EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Health & Wellness, Project Brief

11:00am EDT

Authenticity, Realism, Gameplay: How to Pick 3
Learn how Schell Games’ VR cooking game Lost Recipes made use of subject matter consultants, native speakers, and accurate environments to craft an experience that reflected the Greek, Chinese, and Maya civilizations represented within, while also appealing to casual VR users looking for a fun game. Authenticity and accessibility were guiding principles throughout the game’s development, and this talk will provide insight into how the development team blended realism, research, and gameplay. 
Speakers
avatar for Shawn Patton

Shawn Patton

Principal Game Designer, Schell Games
Shawn Patton is a Principal Game Designer at Schell Games. With over 18 years of experience in the gaming industry, he is responsible for leading the design of projects from start to finish. His most recent VR projects include Design Director on Lost Recipes, a historical cooking... Read More →
avatar for Melanie Harke

Melanie Harke

Senior Design Manager, Schell Games
Melanie Harke is a Senior Game Design Manager at Schell Games. Since 2005, Melanie has served as designer and director for projects ranging from interactive connected toys, MMOs, VR experiences, theme park rides, and dozens of early childhood educational games. She is especially interested... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 11:00am - 11:20am EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Civics & Social Issues, Talk

11:00am EDT

Music Making and Creative Computing in Minecraft
At Drexel University, we host weeks of free summer enrichment programs for middle school students in the West Philly Promise Zone, an historically underserved neighborhood. During the pandemic, we developed inclusive STEAM activities in Minecraft as virtual camp offerings to foster creative concepts like design, scale modeling, and collaboration. I’ll summarize those and detail our Making Music in Minecraft curriculum, which (unbeknownst to students) also teaches the foundations of computation.
Speakers
avatar for Youngmoo Kim

Youngmoo Kim

Professor, Drexel University / Director, ExCITe Center
Youngmoo Kim is Director of the ExCITe Center, an institute at Drexel University for transdisciplinary collaboration and learning, and Professor of Electrical & Computer Engineering. His research group, the Music & Entertainment Technology Lab pursues AI for music, human-machine interfaces... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Roundtable

11:00am EDT

Adopting Games and XR for Cultural Heritage Digitization in Africa
Join impact-driven changemakers who are leveraging digital technologies in curation and gamification of African Arts, Culture and Heritage. They will be sharing insights, key projects on the Gaming space in Africa, and the latest on the quickly growing Extended Reality (XR) industry on the continent. 
Moderators
avatar for Arome Ibrahim

Arome Ibrahim

360° Virtual Reality Innovator & XR Product Manager, Experis Immersive
Arome Ibrahim is a 360° Virtual Reality, Product Manager (XR), Digital Media Arts Creative who strongly believes in utilizing technology, more broadly, innovation to build and grow impact-based solutions in Africa. He is the co-founder of Experis Immersive - an Extended Reality... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Walid Kilonzi

Walid Kilonzi

VR Producer, Fallohide
A pioneering Virtual Reality Producer and a Creative Director with a knack for telling stories, a flair for detail, and a hint of humour. Walid Kilonzi has a proven and experienced background in 360 productions, simulations, 360 animations and VR games for multinational companies... Read More →
avatar for Daniel Getachew

Daniel Getachew

Founder & CEO, Guzo Technologies
Daniel Getachew is the Founder and CEO of Guzo Technologies, an IT services and Media startup company residing in Ethiopia that is highly focused on VR/AR and IoT products. Daniel is also an Independent Contractor, Trainer and Mentor. Daniel made and contributed several software projects... Read More →
avatar for Lorna Okeng

Lorna Okeng

Creative Technologist
Lorna Okeng is a creative technologist and inclusive innovation scholar invested in unconventional works which bring art, culture and tech into the same conversation. Her work explores emerging tech, new frontiers of storytelling and what that means for the future of Africa's cultural... Read More →
avatar for Ntokozo Vellah

Ntokozo Vellah

Creative Director, Infinity VR
Ntokozo (32) is a consummate entrepreneur based in Botswana with 2 years in Visual Marketing and Conversational A.I. The defining quality of his work is PRESENCE, which is this feeling that you are there in another place or with another person. Ntokozo leads a passionate team of creatives... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  XR for Change, Roundtable

11:20am EDT

Helping Afghan and Ukrainian Kids to Learn in Their Mother Language
After the success of Antura and the Letters with Syrian children, Video Games Without Borders is currently scaling its impact to two other major refugee crises: Afghanistan and Ukraine. This free and open-source mobile game has been updated to help Afghan kids to learn to read in their mother languages (Dari and Pashto) as well as help Ukrainian children integrate into a new country by learning the local language. One single app now offers both basic literacy and an introduction to a variety of foreign languages!
Speakers
avatar for Francesco Cavallari

Francesco Cavallari

Founder, Video Games Without Borders
After spending 15 years at Ubisoft, in 2015 Francesco founded Video Games Without Borders, a nonprofit organization and a community of people who believe in digital games to change the world for the better. Building on the success of Antura and the Letters, a mobile game to improve... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 11:20am - 11:30am EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Project Brief

11:30am EDT

Promoting Empathy Through Decentralized Live Immersive Theater in VR
Brought together through shared passions and curiosity during the pandemic, a group of individuals spread across the world came together to bring live immersive theatre to VR. This group, Ferryman Collective, has since focused on bringing experiences that had previously been limited to select metropolitan areas to a global audience, with an emphasis on crafting narratives that put users into intimate scenarios which impart understanding and empathy through embodiment and live interaction.
Speakers
avatar for Braden Roy

Braden Roy

Co-Founder, Ferryman Collective
Braden Roy is the co-founder of Ferryman Collective and has served as the writer, producer, director, narrative designer, technical advisor and performer in varying capacities on each of their productions to date. He has a background in film production, illustration, marketing, web... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 11:30am - 11:40am EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Health & Wellness, Project Brief

11:40am EDT

Bridging the Synaptic Gap: A Call for a More Learner-Centric XR
Immersive learning environments offer a glimpse of education’s future yet the hardware has not been designed with the needs of the future learner in mind, presenting some barriers to entry. This session will recount lessons learned from piloting an original virtual reality learning experience with online students distributed across the United States and offer reflections for technologists and educators hoping to positively impact diverse populations of learners at scale with educational VR.
Speakers
avatar for Cat Flynn

Cat Flynn

Director of Learning Science, Southern New Hampshire University
Cat Flynn is the Director of Learning Science at SNHU Labs where she grounds initiatives in the learning sciences for an evidence-based approach to the design, development, and testing of future learning solutions at Southern New Hampshire University. Cat holds a Master of Education... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 11:40am - 11:50am EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  XR for Change, Project Brief

12:00pm EDT

Epic Quest? Engaging Gamers on Climate Change
What do we know about video gamers’ thoughts and beliefs about climate change? What have we learned about empowering players to take action to restore our natural systems and address climate change? Join us to explore new research from Yale University and Katoa, hear lessons learned from Niantic, and discuss where the video games industry can go next to engage players the issue of climate change.
Moderators
avatar for Marina Psaros

Marina Psaros

Head of Sustainability, Unity
Marina Psaros is Unity's Head of Sustainability and the author of The Atlas of Disappearing Places: Our Coasts and Oceans in the Climate Crisis. Her mission is to unite science, technology, and creativity to solve our most pressing environmental issues.

Speakers
avatar for Yennie Solheim

Yennie Solheim

Director of Social Impact, Niantic
Yennie Solheim is the Director of Social Impact at Niantic, where she has spent the last 11 years, taking on various operational roles and founding the Social Impact function. Prior to Niantic, Yennie ran a small energy consulting firm. She's a UC Davis alum and lives in San Francisco... Read More →
avatar for Jennifer Carman

Jennifer Carman

Deputy Research Manager, Yale Program on Climate Change Communication
Dr. Carman's research is at the intersection of climate change adaptation and human behavior, focusing on ways that people can both protect themselves and advance the common good in the face of increasing climate change impacts. Her past research projects have included studies of... Read More →
avatar for Victoria Raiser

Victoria Raiser

CEO & Co-Founder, Sankari Studios
Victoria Raiser is the CEO and Co-Founder at Sankari Studios. Recognizing the need for regenerative business models, and the opportunity in pivoting the most popular form of entertainment (gaming) into a tool for good, lead Sankari's Team to developing KATOA: A mobile gaming platform... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 12:00pm - 12:30pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Civics & Social Issues, Roundtable

12:00pm EDT

Keynote - Games and Play to Engage Research Participants in Projects About Change
Join Dr. Dylan Yamada-Rice as she takes you through the use of design-based and playful methods to include children in the research and development of an innovative XR playkit to help 4 to 10-year-olds undertake an MRI scan without a general anaesthetic. On the way, you will be asked to consider the other contexts in which learning through play can be helpful to children.
Speakers
avatar for Dylan Yamada-Rice

Dylan Yamada-Rice

Senior Research Manager, Dubit / School of Digital Arts, Manchester Met Uni
Dr. Dylan Yamada-Rice is a Senior Lecturer in Immersive Storytelling in the School of Digital Arts at Manchester Metropolitan University, as well as a Senior Research Manager for Dubit. She is an artist and researcher specialising in play and stories for children. She has an interdisciplinary... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 12:00pm - 12:30pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Keynote

12:30pm EDT

Beyond Gaming: Virtual Reality for Neurological Rehabilitation
This session will provide insight into and an overview of virtual reality applications in healthcare and provide a deeper understanding of its uses for neurological rehabilitation in cognitive and physical therapy. It will discuss how Neuro Rehab VR is leveraging neuroplasticity of the brain by using immersive 3D environments with precise control over the stimulus and the cognitive load that the user experiences, and how programming functional goals into therapy increase patient engagement, progress, and outcomes.
Speakers
avatar for Veena Somareddy

Veena Somareddy

CEO, Neuro Rehab VR
Veena Somareddy is the CEO of Neuro Rehab VR, a VR healthcare start-up aimed at building virtual reality therapy exercises for rehab. Her accolades include being recognized as a Top Innovator in North Texas, Fast Company's World Changing Ideas honoree, and featured in Forbes and Cosmopolitan... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 12:30pm - 12:50pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Health & Wellness, Talk

1:00pm EDT

Black Games: African Diasporic Work and Social Impact
From science fiction board games to art-focused virtual reality, financial literacy card games to mobile games about the Black experience, this panel highlights the work and impact of Black game makers. Comprised of academic researchers and game designers who have studied or produced work related to the global Black community, join as the group shares their perspectives on the past, present and potential future diasporic game creation. What are the patterns of social impact offered in these games, how have they worked, and what can the community look forward to?
Moderators
avatar for Lindsay Grace

Lindsay Grace

Knight Chair in Interactive Media, MFA Degree, University of Miami / Director & Vice President, HEVGA
Lindsay is Knight Chair in Interactive Media and director of the MFA in Interactive Media at the University of Miami School of Communication , the Vice President for the Higher Education Video Game Alliance and the 2019 recipient of the Games for Change Vanguard award. Lindsay's recent... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Allan Cudicio

Allan Cudicio

CEO & Creative Director, Twin Drums
After about a decade of gaming experience in large and smaller companies, Italo-Ghanaian game designer Allan Cudicio founded his Riot Games backed studio, Twin Drums. Based between Berlin and Accra, he is currently working on the PC game "The Wagadu Chronicles", the first Afrofantasy... Read More →
avatar for Carl Varnado

Carl Varnado

Executive Director, Black in Gaming Foundation
Carl Varnado is an author, educator, and content creator deeply committed to the development and growth of young people. He has served as a writer and cultural consultant to EA Games. He is the creator and producer of the Black in Gaming Awards. He currently serves as Executive Director... Read More →
avatar for Aaron Trammell

Aaron Trammell

Assistant Professor, UC Irvine
Aaron Trammell is an Assistant Professor of Informatics and Core Faculty in Visual Studies at UC Irvine. He is the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Analog Game Studies and the co-editor for the Tabletop Gaming series at University of Michigan Press. He has two books slated for release... Read More →
avatar for Nyambura Waruingi

Nyambura Waruingi

Founder / Creative Director, Akoia & Company Ltd
Nyambura M. Waruingi is the Founder and Creative Director of Akoia & Company. She creates, curates, produces, and collaborates across various artistic expressions, encountering unique ways to imagine new worlds through immersive storytelling, and focusing on producing extended reality... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 1:00pm - 1:45pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Civics & Social Issues, Panel

1:00pm EDT

Discovery Tour: The Impact of Stories in Educational Video Games
The latest Discovery Tour: Viking Age has brought a fresh approach to the series by adding a strong narrative component to its virtual tours. Discover how this new narrative dimension helps create an emotional bond with learners that positively impacts teaching History and cross-curricular subjects. The panel will discuss the theory behind this change in the Discovery Tour formula, present feedback from teachers and students, and share best practices.
Moderators
avatar for Youssef Maguid

Youssef Maguid

Manager, Editorial Communications, Ubisoft
Youssef Maguid is a part of the Ubisoft News team and helps showcase Ubisoft's games on their weekly livestreams and showcases like Ubisoft Forward. His background in architecture and archaeology and their implementation in videogames is what originally brought him to Ubisoft.

Speakers
avatar for Yota Dimitriadi

Yota Dimitriadi

Associate Professor in TEL & Computing Education, University of Reading, Institute of Education
Dr Yota Dimitriadi, NTF, is an experienced, innovative teacher-educator who specialises in the field of digital technologies and computer science education with passion around inclusion and diversity. Her special interest is in digital well-being and inclusive self-care practices... Read More →
avatar for Maxime Durand

Maxime Durand

World-Design Director, Ubisoft
A graduate in History, Maxime is directing the Discovery Tour franchise at Ubisoft; a game-based learning tool for all to discover History and more. Maxime has worked on the Assassin's Creed franchise and is involved in various museum projects.
avatar for Adam Dubé

Adam Dubé

Associate Professors, Associate Dean, McGill University
Adam Kenneth Dubé is an Associate Professor of Learning Sciences and Associate Dean — Academic Programs for the Faculty of Education at McGill University. He is the McGill Faculty of Education Distinguished Teacher award recipient, the 2021 EdTech Leadership Award Recipient, the... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Roundtable

1:00pm EDT

The M-Word: Big Issues In, With, and About the Metaverse
Thirty years since Neal Stephenson originally coined the term, the metaverse has evolved from a fascinoma to a full-blown cultural phenomenon, and it's prompting fierce discussion about the future of life in a virtual context. This roundtable turns to leading minds to focus the discussion within the noise. What are the issues we need to be paying the most attention to—be they social, conceptual, or technological—as we enter the metaverse?
Moderators
avatar for Dean Takahashi

Dean Takahashi

Gamesbeat Lead Writer, VentureBeat
Dean Takahashi is lead writer for GamesBeat at VentureBeat. He has been a tech journalist since 1988, and he has covered games as a beat since 1996. He has been at VentureBeat since 2008. Prior to that, he wrote for the San Jose Mercury News, the Red Herring, the Wall Street Journal... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Avi Bar-Zeev

Avi Bar-Zeev

Founder, RealityPrime
Avi Bar-Zeev is an XR Pioneer with 30 years experience in AR/VR and Metaverse technology and design. Avi Bar-Zeev has helped Disney, Microsoft, Amazon, and Apple with consulting, advising, and many more.
avatar for Erin Hawley

Erin Hawley

Digital Content Producer, Easterseals
Erin Hawley is a content creator with Muscular Dystrophy, with her work focusing on accessibility and disability representation in media. She has worked with companies like Microsoft, Logitech, Adobe, and Electronic Arts to ensure accessibility and inclusivity is not an afterthought... Read More →
avatar for Jasmine Roberts

Jasmine Roberts

Researcher, Microsoft Research / Founder, Black in XR
Jasmine Roberts is a researcher, software engineer and lecturer in the field of virtual and augmented reality. Currently, she is building A.I.-driven tooling at Microsoft Research. Jasmine has worked at PlayStation on PlayStation VR, Unity on Unity M.A.R.S., and at Google on ARCore.Jasmine... Read More →
avatar for Tony Parisi

Tony Parisi

Chief Strategy Officer, Lamina1
Tony Parisi is a metaverse and virtual reality pioneer, entrepreneur, investor, and musician. He co-created 3D graphics industry standards, including VRML, X3D, and glTF, and is the author of several books on WebGL and virtual reality. Tony is now an independent consultant and an... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Health & Wellness, Roundtable

2:00pm EDT

Keynote - Empowering Active Citizens with Minecraft Education
The next generation of global leaders is already here. How do we equip them with the tools, resources, and inspiration to build peace and bring about positive change in the world? The Nobel Peace Center, Minecraft Education, and Games for Change recently teamed up to create a unique game-based learning experience focused on active citizenship. With a new interactive world and set of educational resources for Minecraft: Education Edition, Active Citizen reaches millions of students and teachers in 112 different countries. In this fireside chat, leaders from the Nobel Peace Center and Minecraft Education share insights from this collaboration — including lessons learned for game creators and social innovators working together to drive real-world change and strategies for educators to encourage collective and creative problem-solving around the major issues of our time.
Speakers
avatar for Susanna Pollack

Susanna Pollack

President, Games for Change
As President of Games for Change, Susanna leads the organization best know for the annual Games for Change Festival, dubbed by national media as "the Sundance of video games." Under Susanna's leadership, G4C has significantly expanded its programs and impact⁠—including G4C Learn... Read More →
avatar for Allison Matthews

Allison Matthews

Head of Minecraft Education, Mojang Studios, Microsoft
As Head of Minecraft Education, Allison leads the vision and strategy for Minecraft: Education Edition, inspired by Mojang Studios' mission to build a better world through the power of play. Allison is invested in cultivating game-changing experiences that empower young people with... Read More →
avatar for Kjersti Fløgstad

Kjersti Fløgstad

Executive Director, Nobel Peace Center
Kjersti Fløgstad is Executive Director of the Nobel Peace Center. She is former secretary general of UNICEF Norway and has served on several boards, including a four-year stint as chair of the aid organization Care Norway. From 2012, Fløgstad worked as a business consultant and... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 2:00pm - 2:30pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Keynote

2:00pm EDT

Well-Played: Chicory
How does a game about painting a coloring-book world also manage to delve into challenging themes like anxiety, depression, supporting your friends, social pressure, popularity, impostor syndrome, and creative disconnection? Naomi Clark will examine Chicory, the indie game from Greg Lobanov, and crew (Celeste, Wandersong), and discuss how experiential feel and story combine to create a moving experience.
Speakers
avatar for Naomi Clark

Naomi Clark

Chair, NYU Game Center
Naomi Clark is an independent game designer who lives and works in New York City. The three dozen games she's worked on include games and building toys for LEGO, mass-market casual games, educational and impact games, tabletop roleplaying games and Consentacle, a two-player card game... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Health & Wellness, Talk and Play

2:30pm EDT

An Introduction to The Generation Google Women in Games Scholarship
Join us as we walk through the Generation Google Scholarship opportunity.  We will share advice for students applying for scholarships, recap other industry programs offered to our scholars, the impact these scholarships and programs could have on your academic and professional journey, and advice for students hoping to land an internship or full-time role in the games industry.
Speakers
avatar for Careen Yapp

Careen Yapp

Strategic Partnerships Stadia & Immersive Stream for Games, Google
Careen Yapp is a member of Stadia’s Strategic Partnerships team.  Prior to joining Google, Yapp led the strategic direction and pursuit of new business development opportunities in key roles at Mixed Dimensions, Gaikai, a division of Sony Computer Entertainment, Konami Digital... Read More →
avatar for Sope Olusegun-Lartey

Sope Olusegun-Lartey

Student, Drexel University
Sope Olusegun-Lartey is a gaming enthusiast and an Animation and Visual Effects major at Drexel University. She enjoys writing fiction and poetry. She hopes to become a game producer upon graduation.
avatar for Marianick Benoit

Marianick Benoit

Tools Programmer, EA
I have recently graduated from McGill in Computer Science (Games) with a minor in Music. I will be working as a Tools Programmer for EA starting late August. Currently, I am traveling most of the summer before I start my career!

Friday July 15, 2022 2:30pm - 2:50pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Talk

2:30pm EDT

XR for GLAM: Join Us in Public
Creating compelling XR storytelling for the GLAM sector (Galleries, Libraries Archives and Museums) requires careful consideration for how visitors will engage with the experience as well as understanding the practicalities and logistics of operations. Through prototyping and testing with museum visitors, Chris, Kate, and Jacques will present their experiments and process of research and development.
Speakers
avatar for Kate Stevenson

Kate Stevenson

Co-Founder, DOTDOT
Chris, Kate & Jacques are the founders of DOTDOT, a creative studio based in New York CIty, USA and Auckland, New Zealand. DOTDOT is an alumni of the New Museum’s NEW INC Museum Track programme. Their award winning work can be found in galleries, museums, online and at festivals... Read More →
avatar for Jacques Foottit

Jacques Foottit

CTO, DOTDOT
Jacques Foottit is an experienced creative technologist who invented his own haptic glove to enable touch inside virtual experiences. His knack for explaining complex problems in simple ways is invaluable for collaborating with artists and filmmakers and overseeing complex interactive... Read More →
avatar for Chris White

Chris White

CEO, DOTDOT
Chris White is co-founder and Creative Director of DOTDOT, an award-winning digital studio that designs games to educate and inspire people in public spaces (museums, galleries, online). Prior to DOTDOT Chris founded game studio Drumleaf (2009) with the goal of improving mental health... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 2:30pm - 2:50pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  XR for Change, Talk

2:50pm EDT

Cat Park: A Noir Adventure to Inoculate Players Against Disinformation
Learn about a new online game where you play the role of a recruit to a shadowy disinformation campaign, aimed at bringing down...the Cat Park! Developed by leading international experts on disinformation, this seriously fun game will help inoculate players against online manipulation. A collaboration between the U.S. Department of State's Global Engagement Center, the University of Cambridge, and the Dutch game developer, DROG/Bad News.
Speakers
avatar for Davor Devcic

Davor Devcic

Counter Disinformation Technology Advisor, U.S. Department of State, Global Engagement Center
Davor Devcic is a contractor at the U.S. Department of State, Global Engagement Center (GEC). The GEC leads USG efforts to understand & counter foreign adversarial influence operations. As part of the mission, GEC's Technology Engagement Team (TET) has developed seriously fun games... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 2:50pm - 3:00pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Civics & Social Issues, Project Brief

3:00pm EDT

Mental Fitness Through Play
Improv isn’t just a tool for laughs – it’s a tool for life. The ability to strategically problem-solve in novel situations, or “improvise”, supports the mental wellness and performance of individuals at every “stage" of life and work. What's more, it's a set of skills you can learn, practice, and master over time.
Speakers
avatar for Anthony Veneziale

Anthony Veneziale

Co-Founder, Freestyle Love Supreme / Co-CEO, FLS+
Anthony Veneziale (Two-Touch) is a Tony award-winning and Grammy-nominated conceiver and co-creator of Freestyle Love Supreme and FLS+. Founding member of American Immigrants (San Francisco). He has used improv techniques to create endeavors for television (Cartoon Network, Sesame... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 3:00pm - 4:00pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Talk and Play

4:00pm EDT

Games from the Favelas
Teenagers from the favelas of Brazil present their insights and learnings from enrolling in a month of serious games development. Together with Dutch designers and Brazilian devs, these teenagers created games to improve their living conditions, learn a language or develop mathematical skills. The results of this educational (and fun!) month will be presented by the teenagers themselves. The talk will give a unique insight into the Brazilian perspective on interactive edutainment.
Moderators
avatar for Menno Deen

Menno Deen

Social Impact Game Designer, Super Menno Monster & Lapp
Dr. Menno van Pelt-Deen makes social impact games. He playfully tackles issues like loneliness, sexual abuse, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity and others. As chairmen of Games [4Diversity], he has organised various gamejams on less represented perspectives.

Speakers
avatar for Henrique Gabriel

Henrique Gabriel

Vice President, EduMais
Henrique Gabriel is a 20 years old student of Mechanical Engineering in Brazil. He likes biking and playing video games in his free time and has a dream to change his, and others, life through education.
avatar for Izabely Albuquerque

Izabely Albuquerque

Teacher, EduMais
Izabely is a 17 year-old teacher from Brazil.
avatar for Wesley Ferreira

Wesley Ferreira

Student, EduMais
Wesley Ferreira is a 21 year-old student in Brazil that loves to play video games and motorsport.

Friday July 15, 2022 4:00pm - 4:20pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Talk

4:00pm EDT

The Risks and Rewards of Games as Spaces of Social Connection
The explosive expansion of customizable platforms like Discord, Minecraft, and Roblox has offered many youth the opportunity to experiment with the design, management, and governance of their own online communities. Given this growth we need to do more to support youth in understanding the specific affordances of games and online game platforms as sites for social bonding and social recruitment, including recruitment within extremist networks.
Moderators
avatar for Katie Salen Tekinbaş

Katie Salen Tekinbaş

Professor, UC Irvine
Katie Salen Tekinbaş  is a Professor in the Department of Informatics at UC Irvine, a member of the Connected Learning Lab, and Chief Designer and co-founder of Connected Camps. She has expertise in the design of play-based learning environments and loves to collaborate with youth... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Constance Steinkuehler

Constance Steinkuehler

Professor, University of California, Irvine
Constance Steinkuehler is a Professor of Informatics at University of California, Irvine where she researches culture, cognition and learning in multiplayer online games. She is an ADL Belfer Fellow, Chair of UCI's Game Design & Interactive Media Program, Co-Director of the Games+Learning+Society... Read More →
avatar for Weszt Hart

Weszt Hart

Head of Player Dynamics, Riot Games
Weszt specializes in Player Dynamics design, an emerging discipline focused on making it safe to be social online - and more rewarding.As the Head of Player Dynamics at Riot Games, Weszt leads a company-wide collective of designers and developers to develop multi-minded thinking... Read More →
avatar for Rachel Kowert

Rachel Kowert

Research Director, Take This
Rachel Kowert, Ph.D is a research psychologist and the Research Director of Take This. She is a world-renowned researcher on the uses and effects of digital games, including their impact on physical, social, and psychological well-being. An award-winning author, she has published... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Roundtable

4:00pm EDT

Healthy Investments: The New Role of Venture Capital in XR Funding
The last few years have brought about a series of unique challenges and opportunities in the health & wellness investment environment. Join a group of investors as they discuss the paths to democratized venture capital funding within the current landscape of XR, games, and technology. We will also explore the unique opportunities and challenges to scaling tech solutions to improve individual and community health.
Moderators
avatar for Martina Welkhoff

Martina Welkhoff

Founding Partner, WXR Fund
Martina is the Co-founder and Managing Partner at the WXR Fund, an early-stage venture fund investing in women-led spatial computing (AR/VR/AI) companies. Prior to starting WXR, Martina founded a mobile gaming startup and a VR studio. Martina has been recognized as a World Economic... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Faye Sahai

Faye Sahai

Partner, Telosity Ventures
Faye Sahai is currently Partner at Telosity by Vinaj Ventures, investing in digital wellness and behavioral health startups with the www.Telosity.co. Prior, she has 25+ year experience in healthcare, financial institutions, and insurance innovation and investment executive at Kaiser... Read More →
avatar for Shana Lawlor

Shana Lawlor

Founding Managing Partner, 2raze / Angel Investor, Digital Health Angels
Shana Lawlor is a 3x Founder, the Founding Partner of 2Raze and Digital Health Angels, the President of the Board of Health Tech X and a 'Trending 40 Power Woman in DC Tech.' She is digital health thought leader with expertise in, IT, strategy, operations and innovation and also a... Read More →
avatar for Yohei Nakajima

Yohei Nakajima

General Partner, Untapped Capital / PixelBeasts
Yohei Nakajima is the General Partner of Untapped Capital, a pre-seed VC firm investing in unexpected founders, and founder of PixelBeasts, a 10k NFT collection for VCs and founders exploring web3. His past experience includes Techstars, Disney Accelerator, Scrum Ventures, and Nintendo... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Health & Wellness, Roundtable

4:20pm EDT

Receptivity and Empathy to Ill-Mental Health in Games with a Purpose
This project brief is about Christopher's PhD research, which is aiming to investigate the impact of playing digital games with a purpose (games explicitly about ill-mental health). This is tapping specifically into looking at what makes players receptive, if at all, to this content and if it can impact empathy towards/knowledge of ill-mental health. The PhD can be broken down into two studies that are investigating this, looking at the narrative rhetoric, and the procedural rhetoric respectively.
Speakers
avatar for Christopher Leech

Christopher Leech

Graduate Teaching Assistant, Edge Hill University
Leech is a PhD researcher in Psychology looking at Video games and student mental health, currently halfway through his PhD and obviously passionate about the subjects involved. He is also a person with Albinism so he is visually impaired/legally blind. In his non-work time Leech... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 4:20pm - 4:30pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Health & Wellness, Project Brief

4:30pm EDT

Looking Like Me: Inducing Positive Attitudes Through Virtual Avatars
We designed a VR simulation for players to interact with a racially different virtual character. The goal is to facilitate positive interaction and perception toward racially-different others. The session will cover three main objectives: (1) briefly cover the theoretical background behind player-avatar similarity (2) demonstrate avatars and the virtual interaction in VR and (3) summarize results from our research on how similarity in VR influences empathy and closeness with a racial outgroup.
Speakers
avatar for Vivian Hsueh Hua Chen

Vivian Hsueh Hua Chen

Associate Professor, Nanyang Technological University Singapore
Dr. Vivian H.H. Chen is an associate professor at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information. Her research interests include how interactive technology, which includes video games, virtual reality, and social media, brings changes in societies and facilitates both negative... Read More →
avatar for Dominic Koek

Dominic Koek

PhD Student, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
Dominic is a PhD student at the Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information who is interested in examining how digital technologies such as virtual reality and video games can be utilized to achieve prosocial outcomes and improved self-perceptions.

Friday July 15, 2022 4:30pm - 4:40pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  XR for Change, Project Brief

4:40pm EDT

Neurodiversity and Games
Hosted by a neurodiverse designer, this talk covers what it means to be neurodiverse, designing for accessibility, and creating a neurodiverse-friendly workplace.
Speakers
avatar for Aris Bricker

Aris Bricker

Game Designer, Ubisoft Red Storm
Aris Bricker (they/them) is a game designer, instructor, and student mentor who specializes in neurodiverse and queer issues. Aris lives in North Carolina with their partners, pets, and plants.

Friday July 15, 2022 4:40pm - 4:50pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Civics & Social Issues, Project Brief

5:00pm EDT

Finding Common Ground: Resolving Conflict in Games
Sure, you can swing your sword at the dragon, but have you tried talking instead? Come hear from a group of game designers and publishers about alternative pathways for conflict resolution in games. This panel's speakers will cover alternative models used in digital, board, card, and tabletop roleplaying games with an emphasis on how conflict resolution mechanics appeal to and impact different players in different ways.
Moderators
avatar for T Caires

T Caires

COO & Co-Founder, Snowbright Studio
T leads game publishing and development at Snowbright Studio, a game studio dedicated to creating heartwarming games for people of all ages and backgrounds. Prior to Snowbright, T led the North American game division for global toy and game manufacturer, HABA.

Speakers
avatar for Lily Lauben

Lily Lauben

Interactive Developer, Night Kitchen Interactive
Lily attended Drexel University's Custom Design Major Program, majoring in Serious Game Design, which combined computer science and digital media with sociology, psychology and social justice. For her capstone project, she worked as producer on Resilience, a socially-conscious city-building... Read More →
avatar for Paul Darvasi

Paul Darvasi

CEO, Gold Bug Interactive / Lecturer, University of Toronto
Dr. Paul Darvasi is the CEO of Gold Bug Interactive, and he lectures at the University of Toronto, where he is a founding member of the Play Lab. Darvasi is a writer, consultant, researcher and game designer who explores the diverse ways game systems and mechanics can be used to support... Read More →
avatar for Sen-Foong Lim

Sen-Foong Lim

Game Designer, Developer & Pediatric Therapist, Meeple Syrup
Sen is constantly dreaming, even when awake. He's passionate about helping others lose track of time through meaningful play. When not working on games, Sen teaches the next generation of support professionals how to assist people with developmental disabilities. Discover more about... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 5:00pm - 5:45pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Panel

5:00pm EDT

Academic and Industry Investing in Under-Represented Communities
Educators from the top STEAM, game design, and computer science collegiate programs across the US, and Games Industry Executives and HR leaders, discuss their shared responsibility in building a pipeline of diverse talent through university STEAM programs that will lead to jobs and result in a more inclusive interactive industry.  The discussion will focus on the challenges these schools have in reaching and attracting students from at-risk communities, building an environment in college where they can thrive, then connecting them to industry mentorship, internship, and employment opportunities in order for them to have long, prosperous careers.
Moderators
avatar for Jim Huntley

Jim Huntley

Professor of Practice & Head of Marketing, USC Games
Jim Huntley is a Marketing and Brand Management Executive with 20+ years of experience leading teams across multiple industries.  After graduating with an MS from Northwestern University, he has held senior marketing roles in multiple Fortune 500 companies, including General Mills... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Naomi Clark

Naomi Clark

Chair, NYU Game Center
Naomi Clark is an independent game designer who lives and works in New York City. The three dozen games she's worked on include games and building toys for LEGO, mass-market casual games, educational and impact games, tabletop roleplaying games and Consentacle, a two-player card game... Read More →
avatar for Christi Rae

Christi Rae

Director of Production, The Coalition / XBox Microsoft
With her computer science background and time spent cheffing on the yachts of Monaco, Christi Rae has spent her career bringing together the artistically minded and technically savvy to create something from nothing. This has manifested itself in a string of AAA franchises for the... Read More →
avatar for Alan Lewis

Alan Lewis

Vice President, Corporate Communications and Public Affairs, Take-Two Interactive
Alan Lewis is a communications professional with more than 25 years of expertise working within the interactive entertainment industry. Since 2008, Mr. Lewis has served as Vice President of Corporate Communications and Public Affairs for Take-Two Interactive. In this role, he is responsible... Read More →
avatar for Ava Volandes

Ava Volandes

Director, Social Impact, Minecraft Franchise, Mojang Studios
Ava Volandes is a social impact marketing executive with extensive experience in developing and implementing cause related strategic partnerships. In her current role as Director, Social Impact, Minecraft at Microsoft. Ava leads Minecraft’s Social Impact team to build a better world... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 5:00pm - 5:50pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Roundtable

5:00pm EDT

Deafverse: How a Game Teaches Deaf Teens to Level Up in Life
**This session will be presented in ASL with a live voice interpreter**

Deafverse is a web-based, full-motion video game that invites players to navigate tough situations that deaf people typically encounter in school, the workplace, and other aspects of "adulting". Inspired by classic choose-your-own-adventure books and text-based computer games—the narrative is experienced in American Sign Language!

Deafverse was developed by an all-deaf team at the National Deaf Center on Postsecondary Outcomes (NDC) with existing evidence-based research.
Speakers
avatar for Kent Turner

Kent Turner

Game Designer, National Deaf Center
Kent Turner is a former classroom teacher with over a decade of experience in curriculum design. Gamification, the process of adding game-design elements to school curriculums, is his passion and he wrote his thesis on this approach at University of California, San Diego, where he... Read More →
avatar for William Albright

William Albright

Senior Software Engineer, National Deaf Center
William Albright believes that the point of life is to live without unnecessary struggle. With a software development background, William uses computers to solve problems at scale but is also eager for human solutions. He found this balance in a National Deaf Center approach to postsecondary... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 5:00pm - 5:50pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Roundtable

6:00pm EDT

Keynote - Simulating the Future
What if we could experience the future before it happens? Would that change our behavior and decisions we make in the present-day? XR technology presents a unique opportunity to make a tangible and visceral connection to our future. From climate change to the future of democracy, XR might help us prepare for the challenges that are coming next, enable the futures we want, and prevent the future we don't.
Speakers
avatar for Leah Zaidi

Leah Zaidi

Futurist, Multiverse Design
Leah Zaidi is an award-winning futurist and the founder of Multiverse Design, a foresight consultancy based in Toronto, ON, Canada. She specializes in strategic worldbuilding which includes everything from designing experiences from the futures to corporate scenario planning to statecrafting... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 6:00pm - 6:20pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  XR for Change, Keynote

6:20pm EDT

Keynote - XR and VA: Defining a New Reality
Experiencing the world through XR can redefine reality. VA is working to thread XR into the core fabric of how we think about healthcare. Leveraging feedback from frontline staff and Veterans, VA is able to co-design and co-develop XR solutions that redefine how we think about the healthcare experience.
Speakers
avatar for Anne Lord Bailey

Anne Lord Bailey

Director, Clinical Tech Innovation, Veterans Health Administration
Anne Lord Bailey, PharmD, BCPS, is the Director for Clinical Tech Innovation for the VHA Innovation Ecosystem (VHA IE) and serves as the VA lead for Immersive Technology. Since joining VHA IE, Anne has worked to expand the use of XR across VHA in part by co-creating and co-leading... Read More →

Friday July 15, 2022 6:20pm - 6:50pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Health & Wellness, Keynote

7:00pm EDT

Games for Change Awards Ceremony
Each year, the Games for Change Awards recognize new games in the space that have the potential to enact social change through play. This year’s awards are the most competitive and global in the Festival’s history – with over 400 submissions across nine categories. Game entries came from established AAA studios, indie developers, and university-level students, exemplifying this year’s Games for Change Festival themes of imagining, igniting, and inspiring the future of social impact.
The 2022 Games for Change Award Categories include:
  • Best Learning Game
  • *NEW* Best Civics Game
  • *NEW* Best Health Game
  • Best XR for Change Experience
  • Most Significant Impact
  • Most Innovative
  • Best Gameplay
  • *NEW* Best Narrative
  • Best Student Game
  • People's Choice Award
  • *NEW* G4C Accessibility Award
  • Vanguard Award
  • Industry Leadership Award
  • Game of the Year
Friday July 15, 2022 7:00pm - 8:30pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Special Sessions & Events, Special Event
 
Saturday, July 16
 

9:50am EDT

G4C Virtual Welcome with President Susanna Pollack
Speakers
avatar for Susanna Pollack

Susanna Pollack

President, Games for Change
As President of Games for Change, Susanna leads the organization best know for the annual Games for Change Festival, dubbed by national media as "the Sundance of video games." Under Susanna's leadership, G4C has significantly expanded its programs and impact⁠—including G4C Learn... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 9:50am - 10:00am EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Special Sessions & Events, Special Event

10:00am EDT

Diversity is Good for Business
Explore how diversity and inclusion within an organization are good for a company's bottom line. Joanie will take a deeper dive into how diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts can affect profitability for organizations worldwide.
Speakers
avatar for Joanie Kraut

Joanie Kraut

CEO, Women in Games International
Joanie Kraut is the CEO of Women in Games International (WIGI), a nonprofit with a mission to advance economic equality and diversity in the global games industry. For over fifteen years, Joanie has operated in the tech and gaming space within different verticals throughout her career... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 10:00am - 10:20am EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Civics & Social Issues, Talk

10:00am EDT

Game-Based Courses to Build Social and Emotional Skills
In this round-table session, academics, game & instructional designers will explore the power of digital game-based courses in building social and emotional competencies. The discussion will start from the design of the game Bury me, my Love, its relevance to learning & society, which led to the development of a game-based course, and finally a research study to test its efficacy. The session will generate interest & action towards designing game-based courses for active behavioral change.
Moderators
avatar for Nandini Chatterjee Singh

Nandini Chatterjee Singh

Senior Education Specialist, UNESCO MGIEP
Nandini Chatterjee Singh is a cognitive neuroscientist and leads Rethinking Learning at UNESCO MGIEP. She seeks to reimagine education for whole-brain learning and holistic development in children. She integrates evidence from the science of learning into digital instructional design... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Vignesh Mukund

Vignesh Mukund

Associate National Programme Officer, UNESCO MGIEP, Games for Learning
Vignesh Mukund is a learning experience designer with the Games for Learning team at UNESCO MGIEP where he applies his multidisciplinary background to design innovative pedagogical solutions that leverage the best of video-games and technology to help cultivate critical-thinking and... Read More →
avatar for Florent Maurin

Florent Maurin

President, The Pixel Hunt
Florent Maurin graduated from Lille's journalism school (France) in 2002, and worked as a journalist for ten years. He then founded The Pixel Hunt, a gamedev studio with a focus on reality-inspired games. Before working on Inua, a Story in Ice and Time (co-produced with IKO and Arte... Read More →
avatar for Mayank Sharma

Mayank Sharma

Associate National Project Officer, Data Science, UNESCO MGIEP
Mayank Sharma is a data analyst and SEL researcher at UNESCO MGIEP, where he conducts impact evaluations of digital courses intended to promote SDG 4.7 in the Asia-Pacific region. Passionate about social justice and the SDGs, Mayank has volunteered with several UN organizations such... Read More →
avatar for Matthew Farber

Matthew Farber

Associate Professor, University of Northern Colorado
Matthew Farber, Ed.D., is an associate professor at the University of Northern Colorado, where he founded the Gaming SEL Lab. He has been invited to the White House, authored several books and papers, and is a collaborator with UNESCO MGIEP, Noggin, and Games for Change. His latest... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 10:00am - 10:50am EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Civics & Social Issues, Roundtable

10:00am EDT

Mission-Driven Creation: How Next-Gen Developers Redefine the Industry
UGC platforms like Roblox are raising the next generation of developers. Given tools to create and publish their own immersive content, this global community of creators is redefining the approach to game development with new genres, unexpected mechanics, and mission-driven concepts. They realize their work’s global impact and are using this power for good. This roundtable will discuss how developers are propelling change and helping co-create a more inclusive, meaningful metaverse for all.
Moderators
avatar for Laura Higgins

Laura Higgins

Director of Community Safety and Digital Civility, Roblox
Laura Higgins is Director of Community Safety and Civility at Roblox with more than two decades of experience building proven safeguarding, online safety and civility programs. Roblox’s groundbreaking digital civility initiative is focused on providing the community with the skills... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Sigmund Bjørnhaug

Sigmund Bjørnhaug

Project Manager, Untamed Planet
Growing up with games and creative tools at his hands, Sigmund early found a passion for storytelling. Combined with his wish to leave a positive impact on the world, Untamed Planet was the perfect company for him. Sigmund leads the startups’ Roblox development team, creating nature... Read More →
avatar for Bryan Lee

Bryan Lee

Chief Executive Officer, Aquatica Studios LLC
Bryan Lee is the Chief Executive Officer at Aquatica Studios, currently working on an open world scuba diving game with The Hydrous 501c3 that surrounds ocean conservation and education with on the Roblox platform. Lee attends the University of Tampa majoring in animation and specializes... Read More →
avatar for Jennifer Towne

Jennifer Towne

Environment & 3D Artist, Untamed Planet
20 year old based in Chicago, IL. Jenny has been a self-taught Environment & 3D Artist on the Roblox Platform for over 8+ years. She is a Roblox Game Jam Winner, Former Roblox Accelerator (Intern), and aspires to make a difference with her game development endeavors.

Saturday July 16, 2022 10:00am - 10:50am EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Roundtable

10:20am EDT

The Neglected Role of Reflection in Digital Educational Games
Games and play have been a constant throughout history, taking form in a variety of different technologies. However, some gaming technologies naturally lend themselves to reflection, while others simply do not. This talk will explore a tension that is constantly being negotiated with digital educational games: for games that have been designed with educational intent, does design optimized for “flow” preclude the possibility of reflection, and therefore of good learning?
Speakers
avatar for Adeeb Syed

Adeeb Syed

Technical Instructional Designer, Springboard
Adeeb Syed is a deeply interdisciplinary Educational Technology Consultant through Human First Learning and his expertise is in constructivist approaches to learning through and with games. He is a strong advocate of doing Philosophy with/for Children and believes that learning how... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 10:20am - 10:40am EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Talk

10:40am EDT

Impact with Urgency: Gaming Bootcamps to Change the World
TechCamp Istanbul is a promising gaming bootcamp meant to prove that games can create a common, prejudice-free language to discuss serious problems and start new solutions even in desperate times. Hosted by BUG Lab, in partnership with the Bureau of Educational & Cultural Affairs at the U.S. Department of State and U.S. Consulate General Istanbul, the talk is focused on women empowerment, climate change, and disinformation, which are critical issues for Turkey as it is for the rest of the world.
Speakers
avatar for Güven Çatak

Güven Çatak

Academic Director, Bahçeşehir University Game Lab
Dr. Güven Çatak started to write in video games magazines and make short films while studying architecture. His media network and academic studies empowered him to found "BUG Lab" which kickstarted İstanbul indie game scene and eventually became an education platform including... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 10:40am - 10:50am EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Civics & Social Issues, Project Brief

11:00am EDT

Crafting Meaningful Gaming with Minecraft
How do you build worlds that are not only fun but authentic? Hear from the educators and game designers who teamed up to create a groundbreaking Minecraft learning experience that tells the story of Nobel Peace Prize laureates. Learn how this project came to be, from concept to launch, and why good gameplay matters.
Moderators
avatar for Arana Shapiro

Arana Shapiro

Managing Director & Chief Learning Officer, Games for Change

Speakers
avatar for Kiki Fallet

Kiki Fallet

Creative & Content Advisor, Nobel Peace Center
Kiki is currently working as creative/content advisor on exhibitions for the Nobel Peace Center, with a special focus on digital Exhibitions. Kiki was Nobel Peace Center's lead on the Minecraft Education game, Active Citizen. She is a sociologist and has worked as a teacher in upper... Read More →
avatar for Colton Phillips

Colton Phillips

Designer, Microsoft, Minecraft Education Edition
Colton Phillips has over 20 years of experience serving as a game designer. His design credits include work on dozens of titles and award-winning game franchises such as Scribblenauts, Toy Soldiers, and Minecraft. Colton is currently working at Microsoft as a game designer on Minecraft... Read More →
avatar for Justin Edwards

Justin Edwards

Director of Learning Programmes, Minecraft: Education Edition, Mojang Studios, Microsoft
Justin Edwards is the Director of Learning Programmes at Mojang, Microsoft. He leads all curriculum, education policy, assessment, and community for the education edition of the world's most popular computer game - Minecraft. In his role at Microsoft, he has worked with global organizations... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 11:00am - 11:45am EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Panel

11:00am EDT

Fake or Break: The Current Landscape of Fake News Games
This roundtable presents research from a wide variety of research that has examined games centered on disinformation or 'fake news'. The panelists will explore perspectives related to health, politics, culture, class, and more, while also examining the design of these games, and why so many of them follow similar design patterns, ending with a call to action for new explorations of this area using new and different designs and styles of play to reach new audiences.
Moderators
avatar for Andrew Phelps

Andrew Phelps

Professor, American University / University of Canterbury
Andrew "Andy" Phelps is an artist, designer , and professor with over 25 years experience in the field at @HITLabNZ at the University of Canterbury, @AUGameCenter at American University, and at the Uppsala University Transformative Play Initiative. His latest games are The Witch’s... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Lindsay Grace

Lindsay Grace

Knight Chair in Interactive Media, MFA Degree, University of Miami / Director & Vice President, HEVGA
Lindsay is Knight Chair in Interactive Media and director of the MFA in Interactive Media at the University of Miami School of Communication , the Vice President for the Higher Education Video Game Alliance and the 2019 recipient of the Games for Change Vanguard award. Lindsay's recent... Read More →
avatar for Jocelyn Wagner

Jocelyn Wagner

Narrative Designer, Ascend Learning
Jocelyn Wagner is a game & narrative designer and a recent graduate of American University's MFA in Games and Interactive Media. They also have a BA in English from UC Berkeley, and consider themselves a storyteller above all else. Jocelyn's research interests lie at the intersection... Read More →
avatar for Roger Altizer

Roger Altizer

Associate Professor & Director, University of Utah, Center for Digital Health
Dr. Altizer is the co-founder of the Entertainment Arts and Engineering Program, founder of the Therapeutic Games and Apps Lab, and new co-founder of the Center for Digital Health at the University of Utah. Creator of the design box, a participatory design method, he believes people... Read More →
avatar for Andrew Moger

Andrew Moger

Graduate Assistant, American University
Andrew "Drew" Moger is a game designer and narrative designer. His academic and design interests are centered around satire, storytelling, and implicit learning in games. Drew's background is in film studies and creative writing.
avatar for Mia Consalvo

Mia Consalvo

Professor, Concordia University
Mia Consalvo is Professor and Canada Research Chair in Game Studies and Design at Concordia University in Montreal. She is the co-author of Real Games: What's Legitimate and What's Not in Contemporary Videogames (2019) and Players and their Pets: Gaming Communities from Beta to Sunset... Read More →
avatar for Songyi Liang

Songyi Liang

PhD Student, University of Miami
Songyi Liang is currently a second-year Ph.D. student at the School of Communication at the University of Miami. Her research interests focus on mass communication, social media, and media effects. She examines how interactive media change the way we communicate and interact in our... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Civics & Social Issues, Roundtable

11:00am EDT

Tending and Befriending: Designing For Equity and Inclusion
Understanding the needs of vulnerable player populations can positively shape the design of in-game social systems for all players. Female players and young adolescents represent two populations of players whose social motivations, needs, and strategies for friendship formation shape the quality of their play online. Understanding what to look out for can lead to the design of more equitable and inclusive environments that are also fun, social, and safe.
Moderators
avatar for Tom Grace

Tom Grace

PhD Researcher, University of California, Irvine
I am a Ph.D. student in Informatics working with Professor Katie Salen Tekinbaş in the Made With Play lab at the Donald Bren School of Information and Computer Sciences (ICS) at the University of California Irvine (UCI). My research explores the complexity behind the design of online... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Gabriela Richard

Gabriela Richard

Assistant Professor of Learning, Design and Technology, Pennsylvania State University
Gabriela T. Richard is an Assistant Professor of Learning, Design and Technology at Penn State University. She investigates the relationships between design, and people’s interests, engagement and collaborative learning with media and technologies, often employing intersectionality... Read More →
avatar for Jennifer Pierre

Jennifer Pierre

User Experience Researcher, Google and YouTube
Jennifer Pierre, Ph.D., is a human-computer interaction researcher with expertise in social media, games, critical data studies, and social informatics. Her research explores how people, especially underrepresented and minoritized groups, use various forms of media and data to form... Read More →
avatar for Ian Larson

Ian Larson

PhD Candidate, University of California, Irvine
Ian R Larson is a Ph.D candidate in the Informatics department at the University of California, Irvine. His current work investigates issues of cultural reproduction in the video game community and how game companies can promote positive social interaction between players. His dissertation... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 11:00am - 11:50am EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Roundtable

12:00pm EDT

Keynote - Leveraging Virtual Reality to Understand and Promote Child Development
In immersive VR, the external world is blocked out and provides rich sensory feedback to make the experience feel “real.” How are these experiences and interactions with larger-than-life characters interpreted by developing minds? Join as Dr. Jakki Bailey discusses the effects of immersive VR on young children’s cognitive skills and social responses, as well as design implications for VR as it relates to children’s lives.
Speakers
avatar for Jakki Bailey

Jakki Bailey

Founder & Director, Immersive Human Development Lab, The University of Texas at Austin
Dr. Jakki Bailey is the founder and director of the Immersive Human Development Lab. She specializes in immersive and interactive technology across different ages, as it relates to cognition, behavior, and learning. Her research currently examines the implications of immersive virtual... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 12:00pm - 12:30pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  XR for Change, Keynote

12:30pm EDT

Research for the Health and Wellness of Gamers
A conversation with leaders in esports research and player performance. Take a deeper dive into the ways that academic research is striving to help gamers, especially esports athletes, compete safely and sustainably - improving accuracy, attention, and performance in the game, and also the length of time for which they can compete! We will share sources for research studies, ponder what future gaming and esports research looks like, and hear personal experiences of researchers.
Moderators
avatar for Danielle Rourke

Danielle Rourke

Senior Higher Education Strategist, Dell Technologies
Danielle Rourke is a Dell Technologies Senior Higher Education Strategist. Danielle now brings her passion for games and immersive technology to speaking with schools, clubs, and universities about the ways esports can facilitate social and emotional learning, diversity, equity, and... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Caitlin McGee

Caitlin McGee

Co-Owner & Physical Therapist, 1HP
Dr. Caitlin McGee, PT, DPT, MS has been working in esports and orthopedic medicine since 2015. She is the co-owner and Performance and Esports Medicine Director of 1HP, a company that provides health and performance services to players, teams, and school esports programs. She is an... Read More →
avatar for Joanne Donoghue

Joanne Donoghue

Director of Clinical Research & Associate Professor, New York Institute of Technology
Dr. Donoghue's expertise is in exercise physiology and nutrition, which has been the focus of her clinical research for the past 24 years. She has published over 7 peer reviewed articles on the health of esport athletes and has spoken at multiple international conferences on health... Read More →
avatar for Seth Jenny

Seth Jenny

Assistant Professor, Dept. of Exercise Science and Athletic Training, Slippery Rock University
Dr. Seth Jenny teaches esports courses within the Department of Exercise Science and Athletic Training at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (SRU). He is SRU's Esports Club faculty advisor, performance advisor to KovaaK 2.0: The Meta FPS aim trainer, founding member of the Esports... Read More →
avatar for Stephen Hebard

Stephen Hebard

Chief Innovation Officer, Prevention Strategies / The Esports Research and Innovation Lab
Dr. Stephen Hebard is the Chief Innovation Officer at Prevention Strategies and Director of the Esports Research and Innovation Lab in Greensboro, NC focused on public health research and prevention and translational science. Stephen's current contributions to esports research include... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 12:30pm - 12:50pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Health & Wellness, Panel

1:00pm EDT

Why Some Future Teachers Don’t Want to Use Games in the Classroom
Why do some preservice teachers not wish to incorporate video games into their classroom curricula? This talk will explore some of these perspectives, collected during a multi-year research study, and investigate how both universities and the gaming community can actively work to address teachers' concerns.
Speakers
avatar for Darnel Degand

Darnel Degand

Assistant Professor, University of California, Davis
Darnel Degand is an Assistant Professor of instructional technology and media at the University of California, Davis. He has two decades of media production experience. A sampling of his resume includes roles as a multimedia designer at the City University of New York, game designer/developer... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 1:00pm - 1:20pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Talk

1:00pm EDT

Well-Played: Unpacking
Tracy Fullerton unpacks the gameplay and emergent experience of “Unpacking,” a deceptively simple game that tells the powerful story of a life as seen through the objects we collect, arrange, and share over time. Well-played sessions are in-depth, close readings of video games that parse out the meanings to be found in the experience of playing a game.
Speakers
avatar for Tracy Fullerton

Tracy Fullerton

Director, USC Game Innovation Lab
Tracy Fullerton is an experimental game designer, professor, author and founding director (emeritus) of the USC Games program. Her research center, the Game Innovation Lab, has produced a number of influential independent games, including Cloud, flOw, Darfur is Dying, The Night Journey... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 1:00pm - 1:50pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Talk and Play

1:20pm EDT

Connecting Humanity: XR’s Accessibility as a Feature
Vantage Point creates experiences that transform the way you think. Morgan, the CEO, discusses Accessibility as a feature of XR, and what this means in both practical and relevant applications within the aspects of designing with the technology. She discusses how XR’s accessibility has helped drive new learning outcomes in education and training, and what accessibility as a feature means in helping learners gain access to various opportunities to learn and practice new skills, and experience what they otherwise never could. Morgan discusses product design considerations for creators to take into account to ensure all learners can access a program, and highlights the fundamental shifts in what this could mean for the future of learning. Morgan proposes how to handle the delicate and powerful scale of “what level of access (in experience), for what learning objectives” when designing curriculum around sensitive topics, and how to maximize the impact of programs, and creating a 1:Many impact.
Speakers
avatar for Morgan Mercer

Morgan Mercer

CEO & Founder, Vantage Point
Morgan is a sought-after thought leader, public speaker, founder, startup advisor, accelerator judge, and global visionary in the field of immersive technology. She is a BIPOC female founder, and is amongst the .06% of Black Women who have achieved the feat of raising VC. A fixture... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 1:20pm - 1:40pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Health & Wellness, Talk

2:00pm EDT

What Do Our Machines Know About Mental Health Disparities That We Don’t?
This talk will focus on the use of passive sensing technology and ecological momentary assessments to objectively assess mood and cognition. Olu will also discuss how this type of data may be integrated with XR to create novel interventions that address mental health disparities.
Speakers
avatar for Olu Ajilore

Olu Ajilore

Professor, University of Illinois Chicago
Dr. Ajilore is the University of Illinois Center for Depression and Resilience Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois-Chicago. His lab currently uses computational neuroimaging techniques and digital biomarkers to better track and treat neuropsychiatric... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 2:00pm - 2:20pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Health & Wellness, Talk

2:00pm EDT

Playful Resilience
An intimate conversation with digital health and well-being immersive creators Deirdre V. Lyons, Ines Said, Austin Stanbury, and Dr. Gabe Pappalardo all about building resilience, educating, and supporting our communities through immersive play. Whether through interactive XR, digital games, immersive theatre, these creators are engaging audiences in fresh conversations around mental and public health and making change beyond the screen.
Moderators
avatar for Paisley Smith

Paisley Smith

The Unity for Humanity Program Producer, Unity Technologies
Paisley Smith is a Canadian filmmaker & virtual reality creator. Paisley leads the Unity for Humanity Program at Unity Technologies, which supports social impact RT3D creators. Paisley and Lawrence Paul Yuxweluptun's VR film, Unceded Territories received 'Best XR for Change' at Games... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Deirdre V. Lyons

Deirdre V. Lyons

Producer & Performer, Ferryman Collective
Deirdre V. Lyons is a Los Angeles actor and producer, specializing in live VR experiences. She is a co-founder of Ferryman Collective whose productions have been seen at the some of the most prestigious festivals in the world and garnered many awards. She is a sought-after speaker... Read More →
avatar for Ines Said

Ines Said

Software Engineer VR/AR, University of Florida Digital Worlds Institute
Ines is a software engineer working at the University of Florida's Digital Worlds Institute. Her research work has been featured in venues including the ACM VRST conference in Osaka, Japan. Ines's software engineering skills landed her eight top hackathon wins, securing awards from... Read More →
avatar for Austin Stanbury

Austin Stanbury

Human Computer Interaction Scholar, University of Florida Digital Worlds Institute
Austin Stanbury is a Human - Computer Interaction scholar graduating from UF's Digital Worlds Institute. His work in extended reality has been published in ACM's VRST, covered by CBS and ABC, awarded at numerous University events internationally, and installed publicly on UF's campus... Read More →
avatar for Gabriel Pappalardo

Gabriel Pappalardo

CEO & Game Director, Six Wing Studios, Inc
Dr. Gabe Pappalardo is the Founder and Creative Director of Six Wing Studios, a Raleigh-based creative studio making video-games and immersive experiences that entertain players while empowering them with real-world, well-being skills. Dr. Gabe is a lifelong gamer, PhD in Industrial/Organizational... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 2:00pm - 2:50pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Health & Wellness, Roundtable

2:20pm EDT

HACKOUT BL4CKOUT: A Student Engagement Game Changer
Southern California was hosting its annual STEM event virtually due to COVID. With thousands of students expected to attend, engagement was a concern, along with meaningful career awareness and pathways to support their key industry sectors, cybersecurity. To support this initiative, skillsgapp customized a mobile-friendly video game designed to simulate real-world cybersecurity scenarios during the event. Meet BL4CKOUT, a notorious hacker threatening the privacy and security of the world.
Speakers
avatar for Cynthia Jenkins

Cynthia Jenkins

Co-Founder & CMO, skillsgapp
Cynthia Jenkins is Co-Founder and CMO of skillsgapp, customized mobile video games focused on helping Generation Z gain the soft and middle skills necessary to participate in the massive skills-based jobs sector that includes manufacturing and other technical industries. The mobile... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 2:20pm - 2:30pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Project Brief

2:30pm EDT

Designing Games for Essential Civics Skills: The Power of Co-Creation
Games can be designed to use the connective and reflection-prompting power of play so that players develop and strengthen their social and emotional skills, and this is especially powerful when teens are involved throughout the design process. This talk shares the Game Design Studio approach where, through design and in gameplay, teens practice regulating emotions, exercising curiosity, understanding systems thinking, and engaging in social change actions to benefit their community.
Speakers
avatar for Susan Rivers

Susan Rivers

Executive Director & Chief Scientist, iThrive Games Foundation
Susan Rivers, PhD, Executive Director and Chief Scientist of iThrive Games, is an expert in emotional intelligence and designs responsive environments and experiences that facilitate deep learning about themselves and the world. Susan believes that games, game design, and play are... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 2:30pm - 2:50pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Civics & Social Issues, Talk

3:00pm EDT

Breaking Barriers: Expanding Health Equity Through Games and XR
In a world with health equity, every person would attain their full health potential, regardless of who they are or where they live. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted how far we are from a world with health equity, but XR and games are increasingly providing new approaches to level the playing field. Our panelists will discuss emerging ways in which XR and games are helping overcome systemic and societal barriers to health equity, and to ensure everyone can live their healthiest possible life.
Moderators
avatar for Allison Sekuler

Allison Sekuler

President, Baycrest Academy for Research and Innovation / Chief Scientist, Centre for Aging, Brain Health Innovation
Dr. Allison Sekuler is President & Chief Scientist at the Centre for Aging + Brain Health Innovation and the Baycrest Academy for Research & Education; Sandra Rotman Chair in Cognitive Neuroscience; and Professor at the University of Toronto and McMaster University. An internationally... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Cassandra Walker

Cassandra Walker

Owner, Intersections Center for Complex Healing / Psychotherapist & Clinical Contributor, Take This
Cassie is a Black Queer Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Therapist, Activist, Writer, and Gamer. They’re the owner of Intersections Center for Complex Healing, host of the Woke Mental Wellness Podcast, and a clinical contributor with Take This. Cassie is a liberatory decolonial... Read More →
avatar for Olu Ajilore

Olu Ajilore

Professor, University of Illinois Chicago
Dr. Ajilore is the University of Illinois Center for Depression and Resilience Professor in the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Illinois-Chicago. His lab currently uses computational neuroimaging techniques and digital biomarkers to better track and treat neuropsychiatric... Read More →
avatar for Sarah Adler

Sarah Adler

CEO, Wave
Dr. Sarah Adler is a the Founder/CEO of Wave, a digital ecosystem that uses brain science, technology and human connection to improve emotional well-being for all. Dr. Adler is a clinical psychologist and Professor of Psychiatry at Stanford Medical School. She is obsessed with using... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 3:00pm - 3:45pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Health & Wellness, Panel

3:00pm EDT

Lessons Learned from the STEM Your Game Challenge
Supported by Endless, the STEM Your Game Challenge aimed to inspire developers to bring their talent and creativity to the Edtech community and help raise the bar on the quality of STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) games. Hear from the two winning teams, who received a combined $150,000 and spent the last year redesigning their existing games for a new audience: Middle school STEM learners.
Moderators
avatar for Margaret Wallace

Margaret Wallace

Associate Professor of Practice, Boston University
Margaret Wallace is an award-winning video game executive and creator of games, apps, and other experiences that span a variety of industry sectors: interactive entertainment, mobile games, health tech, education, and Metaverse. Wallace is currently Associate Professor of Practice... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Vicky Wei

Vicky Wei

Director, Redstart Interactive
Vicky Wei and Jon Lawitts are the founder of Redstart Interactive and the lead developers on Get-A-Grip Chip and the Body Bugs. Vicky and Jon founded Redstart Interactive on Halloween of 2019,  with the mission of giving players the experience of immersive worlds through wacky and... Read More →
avatar for Jon Lawitts

Jon Lawitts

Director, Redstart Interactive
As a co-founder of Redstart Interactive, Jon is dedicated to creating engaging, educational, and accessible games for all audiences.
avatar for Oleg Chumakov

Oleg Chumakov

CEO, Luden.io
Served as a Lead Programmer and head of R&D in Nival. CEO of Luden.io since 2014.

Saturday July 16, 2022 3:00pm - 3:50pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Roundtable

4:00pm EDT

Developing and Evaluating a VR Wheelchair Locomotion Interface
Manual wheelchairs represent the pinnacle of efficient and inclusive human locomotion devices and are therefore excellent exemplars for VR locomotion. For both seated and ambulant people, a stationary wheelchair-based interface for VR permits exploration of limitless virtual worlds in small physical spaces. Learn about the development of a wheelchair VR interface as Veronica takes you through the team's design and evaluation process.
Speakers
avatar for Veronica Weser

Veronica Weser

Associate Research Scientist, Yale School of Medicine
Veronica Weser received her PhD in Cognitive Psychology from the University of Virginia in 2018 with a focus on human perception in VR. In her current position, Veronica uses XR technology to create experiences that positively impact health and wellbeing. Veronica is currently collaborating... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 4:00pm - 4:10pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  XR for Change, Project Brief

4:00pm EDT

The Future of Consciousness: Ethics in Neuro-Tech, Interactive Brain Augmentation, and the Hive Mind
Join us in a discourse around advancements of neurotech, with the goal of defining a set of design principles towards an ethical, safe, and inclusive transition towards singularity. As more applications and technologies are developed to read our brain signals and stimulate our experience, we step into another world of widened possibilities. We will be discussing the emotional/psychological issues of reality & perception, the power of the medium as far as it distributes capital & governance, privacy & data rights issues, as well as the transhumanist, evolutionary and philosophical implications of the medium.
Moderators
avatar for Kaixi Yang

Kaixi Yang

Artist / Climate Design Strategist
Kaixi, pronounced Kai-Shee, is a polymathic artist from Auckland, New Zealand. Technically adept, and spiritually abundant, her practice is one of getting out of her own way of infinity. Her joy is to flow; radically connecting with concepts & form, and composing them in a way that... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Michelle Huang

Michelle Huang

Experience Architect, Atomic Form
Michelle is a creative coder and interdisciplinary artist-scientist focusing on mixing software and hardware modalities to shorten the feedback loops between research and creation through immersive storytelling. These days, she is building ecovillages in Japan through AkiyaDAO, experimenting... Read More →
avatar for Julia Bossmann

Julia Bossmann

Co-Founder, A-23
neuroscientist, technologist, founder, futurist
avatar for Sophia Batchelor

Sophia Batchelor

Researcher, The Alan Turing Institute
Sophia is a researcher who bridges the gap between academia and industry and supports several medical and health projects in her role at The Alan Turing Institute. Interested in the intersection between human-computer interaction and neuroscience, Sophia uses her background as a neuroscientist... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Health & Wellness

4:00pm EDT

Games for Change Around the World
As the Games for Change community grows internationally, hear from our G4C Chapter leads on the plans for 2022 and 2023. Representatives from G4C Africa, G4C Latin America, G4C Asia-Pacific, And G4C Europe will join President Susanna Pollack for a discussion on the opportunities and challenges in each region.
Moderators
avatar for Susanna Pollack

Susanna Pollack

President, Games for Change
As President of Games for Change, Susanna leads the organization best know for the annual Games for Change Festival, dubbed by national media as "the Sundance of video games." Under Susanna's leadership, G4C has significantly expanded its programs and impact⁠—including G4C Learn... Read More →

Speakers
avatar for Gilson Schwartz

Gilson Schwartz

Director, Games for Change Latin America
Gilson Schwartz is the President of Games for Change Latin America as well as an Associate Professor at the University of São Paulo, School of Communications and Arts and Faculty of Philosophy, Literature and Human Sciences.
avatar for Dale Linegar

Dale Linegar

Director, Games for Change Asia-Pacific
Dale Linegar is the Managing Director of Games for Change Asia-Pacific, and has over 17 years experience creating award-winning serious games and simulations for education and training. Dale is a Solution Architect at Real Response, and a PhD candidate at RMIT examining how values... Read More →
avatar for Glenn Gillis

Glenn Gillis

Director, Games for Change Africa / CEO, Sea Monster
Glenn is the co-founder and CEO of Sea Monster. He has a Business Science degree from the University of Cape Town, and has been a senior executive and entrepreneur with growing, knowledge intensive businesses for over 25 years. Prior to Sea Monster that Glenn was the general manager... Read More →
avatar for Jean-Michel Blottiere

Jean-Michel Blottiere

Director, Games for Change Europe
Jean-Michel created Tilt, the very first magazine devoted to video games in Europe in 1982, and Pixifoly, the first TV show devoted to Multimedia Contents in 1983 for TF1. He started developing the European chapter of Games for Change in 2010 with his colleague and dear friends Katharina... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 4:00pm - 4:50pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Special Sessions & Events, Roundtable

4:10pm EDT

Find the Birds: A Mobile Game's Positive Conservation Education Impact
Thought Generation Society is a new Canadian non-profit organization, doing things in a new way. Learn about their first educational mobile game, Find the Birds, and its unique purpose and production methods.
Speakers
avatar for A.J. Dhalla

A.J. Dhalla

Executive Director & Producer, Thought Generation Society
A.J. Dhalla is Founder and Executive Director of Thought Generation Society, a new Canadian non-profit organization (www.thoughtgeneration.org). Thought Generation's mission is to produce free-to-download & play educational mobile games for children about important issues, such as... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 4:10pm - 4:20pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Project Brief

4:20pm EDT

Keynote - Sparkle and Joy: Transformative Design to Combat Burnout and Burden
Kelly and Carrie will reflect on how the trauma that nurses, caregivers, and providers experience can translate into opportunities to do good, reduce burden, leverage joy, and make forward progress by bringing the values of joy and sparkle into the game design process and into the healthcare ecosystem. Kelly will reflect on her experiences working across industry, non-profits, government, academia, and corporations to share examples of how sparkle and joy are evident in the work she does today.
Speakers
avatar for Kelly Aldrich

Kelly Aldrich

Chief Clinical Transformation Officer, C4MI / Vanderbilt University School of Nursing
Dr. Aldrich is a board-certified Informatics Nurse Specialist and has served for over 35 years in clinical, academic and leadership roles. She is an Associate Professor and Director of Informatics Innovation for Vanderbilt University School of Nursing with a secondary appointment... Read More →
avatar for Carrie Shaw

Carrie Shaw

CEO, Embodied Labs
Carrie Shaw is a medical illustrator, public health educator, and the CEO & Founder of Embodied Labs - an immersive experience learning platform, starting with the healthcare workforce and caregivers. Her vision is to see healthier & connected lives through shared immersive experiences... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 4:20pm - 4:40pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Health & Wellness, Keynote

4:50pm EDT

Keynote - Tilting Games for Change: Tiltfactor Lab at 19
Founded the same year as Games for Change, the Tiltfactor research lab has pursued countless research studies and projects in creating and researching games for change. In this retrospective, founder Mary Flanagan will highlight some of the most significant findings in nearly two decades of game research to help us all make pro-social games that matter. Using a social psychology approach, the research and games related to the research show the surprising and sometimes counterintuitive ways.
Speakers
avatar for Mary Flanagan

Mary Flanagan

Director, Tiltfactor Lab / Professor, Dartmouth College
Mary Flanagan is an award-winning game designer, artist, and theorist. She has held numerous fellowships, has published seven books including Critical Play (MIT Press, 2009), with Playing Oppression (with Mikael Jakobsson) forthcoming from MIT Press. She is distinguished professor... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 4:50pm - 5:20pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Civics & Social Issues, Talk

5:20pm EDT

Keynote - The Future of Education
Nolan Bushnell, The Godfather of the video game industry will talk with his co-author of his upcoming book The Future of Education, Dr. Leah Hanes about what Video Game creators know about keeping kids in a state of flow as described by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi in his book called Flow. We will discuss the positive impact the video game world could have on education. Gamifying what we want students to learn about is the ultimate in meeting students where they want to be met.
Speakers
avatar for Nolan Bushnell

Nolan Bushnell

Entrepreneur, Atari / Chuck E. Cheese / ExoDexa / Moxy
In 1972, Nolan Bushnell created an industry when he founded Atari and gave the world Pong, the first blockbuster video game. Today his design credo—that games should be “easy to learn and difficult to master”— is inspiring a new generation of developers. A prolific entrepreneur... Read More →
avatar for Leah Hanes

Leah Hanes

CEO, Two Bit Circus Foundation
Dr. Leah Hanes leads the Two Bit Circus Foundation (2BCF) and has done so since 2013 when she joined their predecessor T4T.org. During her tenure first as Executive Director and now as CEO 2BCF has grown into a strong voice in the current STEAM education discourse.Her organizational... Read More →

Saturday July 16, 2022 5:20pm - 5:40pm EDT
Hopin Virtual Platform festival.gamesforchange.org
  Games for Learning, Keynote
 
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