Professional Experience

 LeapFrog                                                                                                     12/2000 to 11/2006

ADVANCED CONCEPTS GROUP  (3/2004 to 11/06)

 

Joined LeapFrog pre-IPO, as Senior Interactive Designer.  Member of team that helped the LeapPad platform become number one toy in America for three years running.

 

As Manager of Content Strategy in LeapFrog’s three person Advanced Concepts Group for the last two years, led game design and next generation idea generation and development for new opportunities in titles, platforms and business partnerships.

Responsibilities included: product ideation and envisioning, prototyping, strategic guidance, market sizing, initial schedules and budgets and ushering concepts through executive review to a well managed hand-off into production teams.

 

• Played integral role in initial ideation and game designs of three of seven major upcoming LeapFrog gaming platforms.
• Writing team for LeapFrog’s number one selling video, “The Letter Factory.”
• Received five game and interaction design patents.  
• Responsible for Inventor Relations: established relationships with outside inventors and institutions like MIT Media Lab.

 SENIOR PRODUCER (3/2003 to 3/2004)

 

• Led new platform development and introduction of LPPW platform which became LeapFrog’s lead selling platform.
• Led game design for all five launch titles for the LeapPad Plus Writing platform.
• Managed team of 12 Producers with budget totaling $2.5 million.

 SENIOR INTERACTIVE DESIGNER (2/2001 to 3/2003)

 

• Founded LeapFrog’s Design Group to pump up game design and engagement on all LeapFrog titles.
• Led game and interaction design for numerous licensed and in-house titles for LeapPad as it became the number one toy in America.
• Developed prototypes for numerous games and technology advancements on LeapFrog platforms.
• Developed LeapFrogs design-training course to facilitate LeapFrog’s explosive growth, and personally taught over 150 new hires and developers both in the US and Japan.
• Co-authored LeapFrog’s Standards and Guidelines for Content Creation Manual, 40 page guide to best practices for increasing engagement and educational efficacy in game play.

 

LEGO                                                                                                             03/2000 to 1/2001

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

 Following LEGO’s purchase of Zowie, led game design and production of LEGO CREATOR real time 3D, a networked PC game controlled though manipulation of a physical, user-created LEGO car.

 

• Worked with Zowie and LEGO staff to merge our corporate cultures, creating cross continent US/ Denmark team that was used as model for future LEGO acquisitions.

 Zowie Entertainment                                                                                  05/1997 to 03/2000

CO-FOUNDER/CREATIVE DIRECTOR

 Member of five-person start-up team that spun-off Zowie from Interval Research in 5/1997 and successfully led creative direction of company until its 03/2000 acquisition by LEGO. 

 

• As Creative Director, led initial concept and developed game play, character sets, animation, and prototypes.
• Helped company attain primary and secondary funding, and grow to fifty-two employees.
• Brought two breakthrough toys to market -- Red Beard’s Pirate Quest, and Ellie’s Enchanted Garden.
• Lead designer on Red Beard’s Network Pirate Battle, a head to head networked multi-player game.
• Zowie was the recipient of many awards, including silver medal from ID Magazine for innovative design.

Interval Research                                                             01/1994 to 05/1997

RESEARCHER

Recruited into Interval Research, Silicon Valley think-tank run by Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen.  Reported directly to, and was trained in interface design by, Joy Montford, former head of Apple Interface Design Group.

 

• Created games, installations and products for a wide variety of applications.
• Created two public exhibits for opening of the Experience Music Project in Seattle.
• Continued prior work with musician Thomas Dolby leading visual design and interface for internet music player Beatnik.
  
  

Even more about me-

Attended Parsons School of design NYC, receiving awards for Illustration and Design

Accredited CPSI brainstorm facilitator

Received training from IDEO and Innovation Focus in their ideation processes

Certified product manager from PMI

Was honored to speak before BAYCHI on “A Kids Media State of the Union”

At age 17 bicycled from San Francisco to Boston and continue to be an avid cyclist

President - SpeakFrog Toastmasters