A selection of notable speaking engagements over the years.
- GaymerX2: “Creating Character: Exploring Queer Identities Through Games” – Games allow us to explore and identify what it means to be ourselves. They also create opportunities to explore and appreciate the identities of others. Panelists will examine how our relationships with our in-game personas carry over to the real world, from personal and anecdotal experience. (July 2014)
- GaymerX2: “Hiring in Gaming” – A discussion of experiences, best practices, tips, and advice on how to approach the job search and hiring process in the videogame industry. (July 2014)
- Emerald City Comicon 2014: “Looking Past the Target Audience” – The world is a politicized place and the geek community is no exception. Join us as we look at how gender and race are portrayed in geek culture. Creators, curators, community leaders, and critics on the front lines of this issue examine the fight over geek identity and the barriers to diversity in geek communities and media. The discussion will incluse proposed steps towards a diverse and inclusive geek culture. (March 2014)
- PAX 2013: “Everything We Know Is Sexist. Now What?” – As demand increases for characters as diverse as the new player base, the games industry struggles to catch up. This panel of veteran writers and designers will look beyond blame and gender swapping to share their experiences-good, bad, and hilarious-of trying to break free from cliched thinking. Coverage: Polygon article: “Game Writers Explain How Character Diversity Prevents Boredom and Repetition”; Audience member recording: YouTube; Audience member panel notes: blog post (August 2013)
- Emerald City Comicon 2013: “Looking Past the Target Audience: Gender, Race, and Geek Identity Politics” – Creators, curators, community leaders, and critics on the front lines examine the fight over geek identity and barriers to diversity in geek communities and media; and propose concrete steps toward a diverse and inclusive geek culture. (March 2013)
- GeekGirlCon 2012: “‘Go Make Me a Sandwich’: Barriers to Women’s Participation in Online and Fan Spaces” – Panelists discuss obstacles to women’s participation in online spaces, illustrate places of resistance, and provide tips to combat and improve gender dynamics online. (August 2012)
- Miss Representation Screening and Panel: A panel discussion of the representation of women in the media as it stands and how to change it, presented by Women’s Funding Alliance in partnership with Reel Grrls, GeekGirlCon, and SIFF. (November 2011)
- GeekGirlCon 2011: “Feminism, Race, and Geek Culture: Perspectives from Women of Color” – These feminist and anti-racist cultural commentators take a critical look at the intersection of race, gender, and other facets of personal identity in geek media. (October 2011)
- GeekGirlCon 2011: “You Play Like a Girl: Video Games, Feminism, and The Border House” – The Border House bloggers address the trials and tribulations of starting a feminist blog for gamers. Topics include exploring the ways video game culture can be more inclusive of women, and what’s wrong (and what’s right) with games and gameplay today. (October 2011)
- PAX 2011: “Supporting the Communities within the Community” – NCSOFT community managers discuss how they see to the needs, wants, and expectations of the diverse groups that play online games, and how they take what players love about their games and build it into focused community engagement. (August 2011)
- PAX 2011: “The ArenaNet Community Team” – discussion by the ArenaNet Community Team on what they do on a daily basis as community managers and provide insights into the field of community management from the perspective of managing the Guild Wars and Guild Wars 2 communities. (August 2011)
- PAX East 2011: “One of Us” – a panel on diversity and inclusivity in gaming communities, sponsored by the International Game Developers Association. Coverage: GameSpot video: “PAX East Panel: One of Us”; Gamasutra article: “Diversifying Beyond the ‘Gamer’ Stereotype” (March 2011)
- PAX East 2011: “What the Heck is a Community Manager?” – a discussion with videogame industry community managers, how they got where they are, how they actually “manage” the “community,” and how they influence the games their studios make and the people who play them. Coverage: GameSpot article: “Community managers sound off” (March 2011)