WIG SIG Roundtable Session
Thursday, March 3rd, 10:30am-11:30 am
Room 114, North Hall
This roundtable is a great opportunity to discuss industry issues and SIG goals in depth. Please email wigsig(at)igda.org with topic suggestions/requests by or before February 25th .
WIG SIG Social Gathering
Thursday, March 3rd, 12pm-1pm
IGDA Booth, Lobby South Hall
The IGDA Booth is a great place to meet up, catch up, and better know your peers.
If you'd like to exchange contact info with other WIG SIG attendees, please email wigsig(at)igda.org with your name and the best way to reach you. Cat Wendt, SIG Co-Chair, will share the list amongst those who respond.
]]>If you are interested, please visit and complete the IGDA Women in Games Special Interest Group Speakers Bureau Submission Form. Feel free to share it with other women, too!
Thank you.
]]>IN THIS ISSUE
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Past issues of the newsletter
A big, special thanks to the exiting WIG SIG Chair, Fiona Cherbak, and steering committee/newsletter editor, Tina Tyndal, for working with the new steering committee to finalize content and get the newsletter out while the new leadership ramps up.
If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to contact wigsig @ igda.org
]]>A big thank you to everyone who voted and thank you also to the tremendously qualified individuals who ran; Ernest Adams, Brenda Brathwaite, Norma Jean Crippen, Tristin Hightower, Sheri Graner Ray, Sheri Rubin, Mary-Margaret Walker, and Cat Wendt.
We're excited to announce that the new Steering Committee is comprised of:
Congratulations to all of you!
Because the WIG SIG membership voted to have the new Steering Committee select a chair, the new crew got together and decided that your Co-Chairs will be Brenda Brathwaite and Cat Wendt. Congratulations to each of them!
We would also like to take a moment to recognize the previous Steering Committee - Fiona Cherbak, Amanda d'Adesky, Tristin Hightower, Alex Raymond, Anne Toole and Tina Tyndal - thank you so much for everything you have done for the WIG SIG. The generous contribution of your time and effort has, if we don't say so ourselves, helped make the WIG SIG one of the most vibrant, active communities in the IGDA. We wish you the best of luck with all of your future endeavors.
]]>Please take a moment to review all candidate bios then head over to the election poll to cast your vote!
Voting concludes on Wednesday, June 30. Case your votes today!
Please remember that only IGDA Members are eligible to vote and you must enter a valid group Member account to participate. If you encounter any issues in voting, or have any questions regarding the elections, please email wigsig.elections(at)gmail.com and someone from the WIGSIG Election Committee will respond within 48 hours.
Best of luck to the candidates!
]]>IGDA WIGSIG is heading towards its first big milestone, SELECTING THE ELECTIONS FORMAT, which ends tomorrow, Thursday (June 10). If you have not already participated, please do so NOW.
Selection of Elections Format
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/33BW8SLThis survey will take less than 5 minutes to complete and will determine:
You have three options to select from, they include:
- election format and
- structure of the future leadership team for the IGDA WIGSIG.
- The SIG elects a chair. Chair then appoints the Steering Committee Members
- The SIG elects a minimum of 3 Steering Committee Members. The Chair is appointed by Steering Committee Members
- The SIG elects the Chair and Steeting Committee Members are comprised of runners up.
PLEASE participate in the survey by close of business, Thursday, June 10, and many thanks to the individuals who have already cast their vote. Survey results will be provided on Monday, June 14.
Next, we have been collecting self-nominations and nominees for Chair/Steering Committee Members. The next block of information reviews eligibility criteria and the process for submitting self nominations and nominating others.
Tina and Erin will follow up with you directly to collect information. Many thanks to those who have already self-nominated!
Make sure you send your nominations directly to wigsig.elections@gmail.com so that we can organize and officially confirm the candidate's interest and eligibility prior to the release of the final ballot. Private nominations are welcome!
Nomination/Nominee process will close on FRIDAY, JUNE 11 and the IGDA WIGSIG Election Committee will work to collect candidate information and post candidate information on the IGDA website. An alert once it is available for everyone to review as well as additional instructions for the voting process.
Thanks much for your patience and if you have any questions or concerns, please contact wigsig.elections(at)gmail.com.
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This potentially historic photo is a reprise of the Frag Dolls invitation in 2006 to all females in the gaming industry for the first annual group photo of women at E3. Along with our partners and sponsors, we will be gathering together as many industry and gamer females as possible for this event to demonstrate the significant presence of women in gaming. Spread the word to every woman you know in games, student or professional... we want to see you there!
Again, details are:
Then contact Tina Tyndal with IGDA Women in Games SIG and Erin Hoffman, member, IGDA Board of Directors, no later than end of day on Thursday, June 10 at: wigsig.elections@gmail.com.
In order to be elected to SIG leadership, a candidate must meet the following requirements:
If you are truly motivated to participate in supporting the women in games community, then nominate now or soon!
If you want to make a difference, make sure your vote is counted during the pending election period, starting Monday, June 14!
Additionally, be sure to take the IGDA Women in Games SIG Election Survey located at http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/33BW8SL to voice how you'd like to see the SIG structure. More information can be found in the first election update.
]]>These formats were developed by IGDA and are intended to provide fair but flexible methods of SIG governance. To provide some perspective, in general, smaller SIGs elect the Chair directly, and the SIG appoints SCMs. In larger SIGs, Members may wish to elect the entire SCM, and have the committee elect a Chair.
SIGs desiring the flattest democratic process possible can select format #3, where the Member with the most votes is designated as Chair and runners-up are appointed SCMs.
2. SIG Nomination Overview and Eligibility
In order to be elected to SIG leadership, a candidate must meet the following requirements:
As a reminder, we request your participation in the survey, and/or election nominations no later than THURSDAY, JUNE 10.
Finally, many thanks to our Members for your participation as well as Erin Hoffman, Fiona Cherbak and current Steering Committee Members for their assistance in this process.
With the expert help of IGDA board member Jane Pinckard, we have the opportunity to submit a panel to PAX Prime later this summer. Submissions can be on any topic you feel passionate about, but keep the following points in mind to ensure the strongest possible chance of acceptance!
Deadline to submit your panel proposal is Saturday, June 12. Please send to wigsig@igda.org.
With Jane Pinckard's assistance, the IGDA Women in Games SIG steering committee will select several finalists, then Jane will advance these proposals to her contacts at PAX for review.
]]>If you would like to participate please contact us @ wigsignewsletter(at)igda.org.
Previous newsletters can be found here:
Please remember that we can't do it without you! We look forward to hearing from you and thank you to everyone for your continued support.
]]>In order to be nominated or to vote in a SIG election, it is mandatory that you are a current, paid IGDA member. Whether you are a student or pro, IGDA membership is a good idea and offer many other benefits: www.igda.org/join.
So sign up or renew your membership now or soon, and you will have a voice in the upcoming IGDA WIGSIG election this June. Watch for more details on the nomination opportunity in our May newsletter.
]]>Scheduled for Monday, 7/19, the Leadership & Professional Development Forum will be held at Fairmont Olympic Hotel in Seattle. This debut pre-Casual Connect conference was a big hit last year!
Casual Connect is asking for your panel proposal focused on either professional development (career advice, empowerment, training) or on the benefits to employers of women in working in games (product diversity, increased market share).
If your panel session is accepted, you will receive the following:
Please send your panel title, 50-75 word session description and list of suggested speakers to wigsig@igda.org no later than end of day on Monday, 4/12. Finalist panel session will be selected and announced by Friday, 4/16.
IGDA Women in Games is also partnering with Casual Connect to promote their Leadership & Professional Development Forum. Watch for more event info in the coming weeks, plus in our 2nd quarter newsletter.
]]>Art: Amy Beth Christianson, Principal Artist at LucasArts
Design: Jenna Chalmers, Creative Director for Zynga
Engineering: Corrinne Yu, Principal Engine Programmer at Microsoft Game Studios
Production: Megan Gaiser, President/CEO at Her Interactive
Lifetime Achievement Award: Amy Hennig, Creative Director for Naughty Dog
On Friday, March 12, the following twenty women will receive acknowledgment for their contributions in the games industry as nominees for the Microsoft Women in Gaming Awards:
Nominees for Top Woman in Art include
Nominees for Top Woman in Design include
Nominees for Top Woman in Engineering include
Nominees for Top Woman in Production include
Nominees for Lifetime Achievement Award include
One award will be presented in each of five categories. Final judging for the awards was provided by sixteen members of the global women in games community, primarily members of the IGDA Women in Games advisory board. Final awards winners will be announced after March 15, 2010.
On behalf of the entire games community, IGDA Women in Games congratulates the nominees of this year's Microsoft Women in Gaming Awards!
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