Work Experience

 

Creative Lead/Lead Game Designer, Nix Hydra Games                                                    December 2015 - June 2017

PuzzleScapes: Jigsaw Stories (iOS/Android - Puzzle Game)

• Led development team, driving creative direction and vision

• Managed schedules, priorities, tasks, and identified dependencies for designers, programmers, and artists

• Designed principal systems and provided direction and feedback on additional game systems, UI/UX, art, monetization, audio, content, and writing

• Worked with business strategy team and company founders to ensure design direction and creative vision aligned with overall company brand and goals

• Mentored and helped to grow junior talent

• Prototyped and pitched multiple game ideas to senior leadership

Egg! (iOS/Android – Co-op Pet Sim)

• Managed designers and led overall development team, driving creative direction and vision

• Coordinated with art and tech directors and project manager to set schedules, priorities, tasks, and identify dependencies

• Designed principal systems and provided direction and feedback on additional game systems, UI/UX, art, monetization, content, and writing

• Wire-framed user flows and UI for various features

• Analyzed live data to drive design decisions and monetization strategies

• Directed external audio contractor

The Arcana (iOS/Android - Visual Novel)

• Acted as project manager for team

• Dealt with legal and licensing requirements

• Set schedules and managed shared resources

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Game Designer, Nix Hydra Games                                                                              September 2014 - December 2015

Egg! (iOS/Android – Co-op Pet Sim)

• Designed or co-designed nearly all systems and features, including multiplayer pet adoption

• Designed, implemented, and balanced content and new egg pets

• Designed and balanced minigames and microgames

• Contributed to overall creative direction and branding

Egg Baby (iOS/Android - Pet Sim)

• Designed, implemented, and balanced content and new egg baby pets

• Designed and balanced minigames and microgames

 

Level Designer, Nickelodeon Games Group                                                                          December 2012 - July 2014 

Monkey Quest (PC - MMORPG)

• Designed and implemented levels in Unity 3D including enemies, puzzles, quests, NPCs, cameras, SFX, lights, tutorials, and multiplayer sections

• Designed and implemented new hazards and boosts for platforming sections

• Refactored quest flow, entirely overhauling the lower level quest progression and streamlining the new player experience

• Worked with the creative team to define and integrate an epic overarching story into the game world

• Collaborated with engineers to overhaul and expand level and content creation tools

• Maintained documentation for level and quest design and progression

 

Junior Game Designer, Nickelodeon Games Groups                                                    January 2011 - December 2012

Petpet Park (PC - MMORPG)

• Designed and implemented quests, NPCs, achievements, items and other content

• Contributed to the design and implementation of major game features including player owned pets, friends lists and activities, character leveling, a dynamic quest log, minigames, and more

• Collaborated with engineers to overhaul and expand quest and content creation tools

• Tracked and managed the virtual currency and experience economies

• Participated in designing and running weekly community events

• Maintained documentation for content, game economies, and system designs

 

Designer and Producer,  Carnegie Mellon University                                                                August 2009 - May 2010

SurfaceScapes (Microsoft Surface Table - D&D)

• Worked on student team to create a system for Dungeons & Dragons on the Microsoft Surface Table

• Designed systems to accommodate the improvisational and narrative aspects of D&D

• Acted as producer for the team, maintaining schedules and tasks

• Maintained communication with professional partners, including Microsoft, Penny Arcade, and Wizards of the Coast

• Created sound effects to enhance the immersive nature of the system

• Presented the project at the Game Developers Conference in 2010

• Presented the project at the Penny Arcade Expo East in 2010

 

QA Tester, EA Mobile                                                                                                                 November 2007 - June 2008

Various Projects                                                                                                                                            

• Tested EA Mobile games on a variety of handheld devices

• Wrote detailed bug reports and feature requests

 

Design Intern, Sony Online Entertainment                                                                            January 2007 - August 2007

EverQuest Online Adventures (PS2 - MMORPG)

• Designed and implemented quests, items, and abilities

• Wrote quest documentation and project reports

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Education

 

Carnegie Mellon University, Entertainment Technology Center                                             Pittsburgh, PA - 2010

Master in Entertainment Technology: an interdisciplinary master's degree focused on project groups and rapid prototyping of entertainment experiences

 

University of Califonia, San Diego                                                                                                     San Diego, CA - 2007

Bachelor of Arts, Literatures in English

• Secondary specialization in Italian literature

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