Women in Games Conference SF Announced

Representatives from non-profit organization Women in Games International have announced a new conference to take place in San Francisco on February 18th. The conference will be entitled “Games for Women, Games by Women” and address a variety of issues related to women working in the video games industry. Topics at the seminar will include marketing to women and designing games that appeal to both genders. Round-table discussions will include: how to break in and advance your game industry career, mid-career strategies, achieving a work/life balance and resolving quality of life issues. There will also be a recruiter Q&A session with resume and portfolio reviews. Confirmed speakers include Brenley Brotman, Senior Recruiting Manager, Lucasfilm; Gina Centoni, SVP of Product Marketing; (M)forma; Don Daglow, CEO, Stormfront; Nicole Lazzaro, President, XEO Design; Mitzi McGilvray, General Manager for Casual Games, Slam Dunk Productions; Elisabeth Marty, HR Director, Linden Lab; Heidi Perry, Vice President of Marketing, PlayFirst; Nicky Robinson, Technical Director, Limelife; Jessica Tams, Director of Partner Development, Trymedia Systems; and Margaret Wallace, CEO, Skunk Studios. Conference sponsors are Microsoft Game Studios, Game Developers Conference (GDC), International Games Developers Association (IGDA), Mary-Margaret.com, Girls in Games, ThemePark Studios, WomenGamers.com and BusinessWire. The event is presented in cooperation with the Women in Games Conference in the UK. Sheri Graner Ray, Steering Committee Chair for Women in Games International, states “As the games industry continues to grow, the interest in attracting women into the industry has also grown. Women in Games International is a place for people to work together to identify and address the issues of women in the industry. Through Women In Games International, we continue to work to further grow the games industry into an economically strong, diverse, and exciting place to be for everyone.” The Women In Games International Conference – San Francisco will be held at the Fort Mason Conference Center, Landmark Building A, located at the Presidio in San Francisco, California. Attendance is $45 for general attendees, $35 for WIGI members and $30 for students with ID. Further information can be found at the organization’s official website.