Intro to designing and writing for video games

Sonya shares her experience of designing and writing for a published game title using Dungeons and Dragons Online as an example. She’ll also discuss what it’s like to be a game maker as a minority, and share her background and insights to help other people to succeed.

Facilitator: Sonya McCree is a game designer, writer, and hobbyist artist based in Boston, Massachusetts. She holds a M.S. degree in Game Science and Design from Northeastern University. She is also currently employed as a game designer with Standing Stone Games, working on the Dungeons and Dragons Online.

Behind the Scenes of Game Development

In this session, Johnny shares what it’s like to create video games in game studios. He’ll share the team structure, the process, and the business side of game development. He’ll also share his insights of how people can get into the industry, and forecast of where the industry will be heading to.

Facilitator: Johnny Liu is a product manager at Standing Stone Games, with 8 years of game development experience. Some titles he has worked on include Lord of the Rings Online, Dungeons and Dragons Online, Infinite Crisis, and Batman Arkham Underworld.

Second chances: The road to entrepreneurship

Facilitator: Ramon Peralta, Founder and Creative Director of Peralta Design. Ramon brings 20+ years of experience developing corporate identity and creating B2B and B2C marketing material and UI/UX design. He leads a creative team in establishing a unique visual identity for each program, designed to not only complement the client’s brand but also to impact its target demo. Ramon developed a passion for innovation after serving as Senior Art Director on the original start-up team behind Priceline.com. He credits his current success to a series of second chances offered to him early on in life that eventually fed his drive to build a product that reflects his core values.

Financial management

Facilitator: Stephany Reyes-Seri is an advisor who helps small business owners start operate and grow their business. She specializes in funding and business plan writing. 

Resume and Linkedin profile writing

Facilitator: Mary Abrasely is Director off Campus and Early Career Programs at IPG Mediabrands. Previously she was a professional recruiter and staffing manager.

Mock panel interviews

Facilitators:

• Maricar Mabutas is a City Research Scientist at the NYC Department of Finance.

• Mary Abrasely is Director off Campus and Early Career Programs at IPG Mediabrands. Previously she was a professional recruiter and staffing manager.

• Conrad Cantor is Program Manager of Healthcare Growth Services at the NYC Department of Small Business Services.

• Ophelia Gabrino is Executive Director of M/WBE Capacity Building Programs at NYC Department of Small Business Services.

• Anastasia McNeill is currently a supervisor in the NYC Department of Small Business Services. She also has a history of management experience in schools and youth oriented organizations.

Entrepreneurship: A life long passion and journey

Facilitator: Michelle Cadore is the designer and CEO behind YES I AM, Inc, which she established in 2016. From an early age, Michelle has always been passionately involved in entrepreneurship and inspiring others. She was the little girl who set up her parents' picnic table in front of the family's driveway and enlisted her little neighborhood friends to help sell lemonade, old books and toys to passing cars on her childhood block in Brooklyn. As a graduate of the Zicklin School of Business with a degree in Entrepreneurship and Small Business Management, Michelle has built a career around helping others realize their personal, professional and entrepreneurial goals.

Mock Interview 1-1

Facilitators:

• Mario Mendoza arrived in the U.S. at the young age of 7, and eventually earned his M.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine. Dr. Mendoza is the founder of the nonprofit organization, Lifeundocumented.org and currently an independent healthcare and medical affairs biotech consultant.

• Anastasia McNeill is currently a supervisor in the NYC Department of Small Business Services. She also has a history of management experience in schools and youth oriented organizations.

• Risa Navre is a Human Resources specialist with experience with onboarding and employee engagement as well as event planning. She has an MBA from the George Washington University School of Business.

Entrepreneurship: Selling your design and crafts

Guest speaker: Widad Franco is the owner and designer behind About A Cloud, a paper goods and gifts studio that’s all about capturing small moments in the big city. Her products are available for sale across the city, including the New York City airports.

Following your purpose with strategic planning

Facilitator: Mario Mendoza arrived in the U.S. at the young age of 7, and eventually earned his M.D. from the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Medicine. Dr. Mendoza is the founder of the nonprofit organization, Lifeundocumented.org and currently an independent healthcare and medical affairs biotech consultant.

Group dynamics and collaboration

Facilitator: Lydia Mandell is a Breathwork coach, embodiment guide, educator, licensed professional counselor and art therapist. She’s worked with individuals in crisis for 20 years and now Lydia uses all the skills she has acquired to create personalized coaching, healing sessions, talks and workshops to help her clients. Her mission is to help people realize the possibilities that exist when soul and body are brought together.

Overcoming obstacles: Confronting the inner critic

Facilitator: Dave Orloff is a life coach and senior account executive at Intrado with a 20-year history of achieving top sales performance and territory growth across multiple industries and markets. He’s recognized as an exceptional communicator, strategist and facilitator with an uncanny ability to incorporate active listening and personal perspective to find solutions, help others and add value to the organization.

Portfolio development

Facilitator: Julie Adams is a graphic designer at Savills North America, a global commercial real estate firm.  Prior to that, she was also an Interior book designer at Simon & Schuster, and a graduate of Baruch College.

Managing stress, anxiety and limited thinking

Facilitator: Catherine Man is a certified breathwork coach and teacher, and has trained with teachers around the country. She teaches techniques for breathwork and changing thought patterns that help people cope in stressful, often life changing circumstances and be able to move forward.

Relationship building

Facilitator: Claire Igot managed the Project Management Institute NYC Chapter Mentoring Program in 2015. She successfully doubled the number of matched mentor-mentee pairs while organizing activities that further supported the participants. Claire earned her MBA degree from the Zicklin School of Business, Baruch College.

Personal branding

Personal branding is the process of developing and maintaining your reputation. It's about making yourself available to other people—clients, customers, peers, bosses, etc. In this workshop, you’ll define who you are, what you do, and why it matters.

Facilitator: Michelle Ng has a degree in Computer Science from Boston College and for the past 10 years, has worked for companies in different industries including the financial sector (Goldman Sachs), advertising (R/GA), and journalism (The New York Times). She is now running her own business specializing in helping clients build UI/UX design into their apps and websites.

Personal development: From the Bronx to the New York Times

Facilitator: Frank Reneau is the News Designer for the New York Times. He’s also co-captain of the NYT Run Club, and manages their social media presence.