past Featured Speakers

Posts tagged GameDev

Jose Araiza

Jose Araiza

With nearly three decades at the forefront of the video game industry, Jose Araiza has helped shape some of the most iconic experiences in gaming history. His career spans from contributing to the groundbreaking MMO EverQuest to producing content for AAA blockbusters like Assassin's Creed Valhalla. Today, he brings his extensive expertise and visionary leadership to the innovative startup environment at Umanaia in Montreal, continuing to push the boundaries of interactive entertainment.

2014, 2025, 2011Guest UserSeptember 22, 2025Gaming, Keynote, Production, Leadership, GameDev

Yuzhi Zhu

Yuzhi Zhu

Yuzhi Zhu aka Steven is a 3D environment Artist and lighting artist, he has 6+ years of professional experience, has shipped multiple AAA titles such as, Fortnite, Madden NFL, Forza.

2025, 2017Guest UserSeptember 19, 2025Gaming, Modeling, Art, Environment, GameDev, Speaker

Blayde Gilley

Blayde Gilley

Blayde Gilley is a professional 3D Environment Artist at Lost Boys Interactive.

2025, 2024Guest UserSeptember 18, 2025Gaming, Tech Art, Modeling, Art, Environment, GameDev, Speaker

Mark Fitzpatrick

Mark Fitzpatrick

With more than 15 years of high-profile experience across film, gaming, and VR/AR games and simulations, Mark is a seasoned and versatile designer in the 3D space.

2025Guest UserSeptember 18, 2025Gaming, ART, Tech Art, Modeling, GameDev, Speaker

Jaron R. M. Johnson

Jaron R. M. Johnson

Jaron R. M. Johnson is a game designer with a narrative focus experienced in both tabletop and video game design.

2025Guest UserSeptember 18, 2025Gaming, Writing, Design, Table Top, RPG, GameDev, Speaker

Conner Rush

Conner Rush

Conner Rush is a 24-year-old solo game developer from West Virginia and founder of the independent game studio FYRE Games.

2025Guest UserSeptember 18, 2025Gaming, Production, GameDev, Speaker

Allen Barnhart

Allen Barnhart

Allen Barnhart is an adjunct at Shawnee State University, in their third year teaching English composition. Their master’s thesis on identity making in tabletop roleplayers is among the university’s most popular publications.

2025Guest UserSeptember 18, 2025Gaming, Writing, Design, Table Top, RPG, GameDev, Speaker

Kory Byrne

Kory Byrne

Kory is a multilingual developer with a passion for clean code, mathematics, and video game development.

2025, 2011Guest UserSeptember 18, 2025Engineering, Programming, Gaming, GameDev, Speaker

Sam Bushman

Sam Bushman

Sam Bushman has been working in games for over 12 years. After he graduated from SSU he found himself applying his education to research projects, indie game development, online RPGs, and even Magic the Gathering!

2025, 2011Guest UserSeptember 18, 2025Gaming, Production, Leadership, GameDev, Speaker

Zachariah Inks

Zach Inks earned his Masters of Fine Arts in Digital Production Arts from Clemson University and has taught higher education animation and drawing courses.

2025Guest UserSeptember 18, 2025Gaming, Production, Art, GameDev, Speaker

Nicholas Ludowese

Nicholas Ludowese

Nick is a current game programmer at GhostJam Games working to release the game Backseat Drivers and has worked on the titles Scrap Age VR, Scrap Age Survivors, and Vail VR.

2025, 2021Guest UserSeptember 18, 2025Gaming, Production, Leadership, GameDev, Speaker

A.J. Fulco

A.J. Fulco

A.J. Fulco is the founder and creative director of Tastie Games, an indie studio based in the Midwest dedicated to making games you can sink your teeth into.

2025Guest UserSeptember 18, 2025Gaming, Production, GameDev, Speaker

MARCUS CENCI

MARCUS CENCI

Marcus Cenci has spent 17 + years in the games industry where he’s worked on multiple projects as an Art Director and Lead Artist including the Saints Row and Madden NFL franchises. He’s currently working at Lost Boys Interactive as the Studio Art Director.

2021, 2019, 2018, 2022, 2024, 2023, 2025Guest UserSeptember 18, 2025Art, Design, Production, GameDev, Speaker

Nicholas Ratliff

Nicholas Ratliff

Building games since 2007, Nicholas is a dedicated systems programmer working on his own game engine.

2025Guest UserSeptember 18, 2025Gaming, Programming, Engineering, GameDev, Speaker

Nicholas Harris

Nicholas Harris

Nicholas Harris is a fun loving, Game Programming sophomore and Computer Engineering Technology dual major at Shawnee State.

2025Guest UserSeptember 17, 2025Gaming, Programming, Engineering, GameDev, Speaker

Dustin Simpkins

Dustin Simpkins

Dustin Simpkins is a recent graduate from the Digital Simulation and Gaming Engineering Technology program. Now working as a Doctoral Research Assistant for the School of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Ohio University.

2025, 2024Guest UserSeptember 17, 2025Gaming, Production, GameDev, Speaker

Elliot Prince

Elliot Prince

Elliot Prince is a sixth-year Game Design student and design lead for the senior capstone game, 666 Malevolence Lane.

2025Guest UserSeptember 17, 2025Gaming, Art, Environment, GameDev, Speaker

Jonathan Reynolds

Jonathan Reynolds

Jonathan Reynolds is an XR Simulation Developer working for Aptima Inc. He has experience working in the Serious Game industry for about 2 years and has experience working for NASA on MRET (Mixed Reality Engineering Toolkit).

2023, 2022, 2025Guest UserSeptember 9, 2025Gaming, Alumni, GameDev, Speaker

Lily Gresham

Lily Gresham is a 3D character and creature artist who graduated from Shawnee State University in 2022 with a Bachelor's in Game & Simulation Arts and from East Tennessee State University in 2025 with a Master's in Digital Media.

2024, 2025Guest UserSeptember 9, 2025Gaming, Art, Character, GameDev, Speaker