Game On: Kellee Santiago’s Blueprint for Inclusive Gaming

Join host Brenda Darden Wilkerson for a “Game On” conversation with Kellee Santiago, a video game creative director, consultant and a builder of worlds. Kellee knows first-hand that games are more than entertainment – they are powerful engines for empathy. And in this episode, Kellee takes us through her remarkable journey from making indie games, at a time when women made up only 4-5% of the gaming workforce, to her successful work with industry giants like Google and Niantic. Together, Brenda and Kellee explore why games are such an important cornerstone of our culture and even our global conversation. This wide ranging discussion looks at the industry’s evolution, ongoing challenges, and Kellee’s approach to fostering inclusive and innovative game development. Plus, tune in for some myth-busting facts about gaming history, including the stories of some women who were actually at the forefront of building original games. So press play and learn the transformative power of gaming and how you can be part of creating empathetic, engaging worlds that resonate with diverse audiences.

“The immersion into a different world and a different perspective, is just such a cool capacity of games that I would love to continue to see more of, and more people engaging with.”

For more of Kellee Santiago check out…

LinkedIn – /kelleesantiago/

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At AnitaB.org, we envision a future where the people who imagine and build technology mirror the people and societies for whom they build it. Find out more about how we support women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups in computing, as well as the organizations that employ them and the academic institutions training the next generations.

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B The Way Forward Is…

Produced by Dominique Ferrari and Paige Hymson

Sound design and editing by Neil Innes and Ryan Hammond 

Mixing and mastering by Julian Kwasneski 

Associate Producer is Faith Krogulecki

Executive Produced by Dominique Ferrari, Stacey Book, and Avi Glijansky for Riveter Studios and Frequency Machine 

Executive Produced by Arlan Hamilton for Arlan Was Here

Executive Produced by Brenda Darden Wilkerson for AnitaB.org

  Podcast Marketing from Lauren Passell and Arielle Nissenblatt with Riveter Studios and Tink Media in partnership with Carolyn Schneller and Coley Bouschet at AnitaB.org

Photo of Brenda Darden Wilkerson by Mandisa Media Productions

For more ways to be the way forward, visit AnitaB.org