Shows
Careers in EsportsMeet an Esports Product Manager! Featuring Kevin He an Operations & Strategy Consultant and Product ManagerExploring Product Management and Operations Career Pathways in Esports with Kevin He | Careers in EsportsIn this episode, Rich and Peter from the USAEL talk with Kevin He, an experienced Esports product manager, operations expert, and strategy leader. As a Strategy & Operations Consultant for Rally Cry and Frost Giant, as well as experience as a Product Manager at Blizzard, Kevin's work lies at the intersection of esports, product development, and business operations.Kevin reflects on his journey from founding Triton Gaming, UC San Diego's first all-inclusive gaming student organization to working at Blizzard Entertainment, first...2025-03-0653 min
Careers in EsportsMeet a Collegiate Esports Director! Featuring Ahman Green Director of Esports at University of Nebraska-LincolnExploring Collegiate and Coaching Career Pathways in Esports with Ahman Green | Careers in EsportsIn this episode, Rich and Peter from the USAEL talk with Ahman Green, an all-pro running back, podcast host, gamer, and educator. As the Director of Esports at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and the host of Ahman Green’s Gamers Lounge, Ahman's work lies at the intersection of esports, education, and entertainment. Ahman reflects on his journey from the Pro Bowl to the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame to being an esports lecturer, host, commentator, and head coach of collegiate esports programs. ...2025-02-051h 05
Careers in EsportsMeet an Esports Lawyer! Featuring Justin M. Jacobson Esq. from the Law Office Of Justin M. Jacobson, Esq.Exploring Legal Careers in Esports with Justin M. Jacobson, Esq. | Careers in Esports Series 🎮 In this episode, Rich and Peter from the USAEL sit down with Justin M. Jacobson, Esq., an Entertainment, Sports, & Esports/Video Game Attorney, Professor, and Author of The Essential Guide to the Business & Law of Esports & Professional Video Gaming. As the President of the Law Office of Justin M. Jacobson, Esq., Justin shares his journey into the world of esports law, explaining how he helps individuals and businesses navigate contracts, intellectual property, and more. Whether you're a student aspiring to enter the...2025-01-0840 min
Careers in EsportsMeet a STEM Learning Coach! Featuring Shad Lacefield from Fayette County Public Schools DistrictExploring the Education Career Path with Shad Lacefield | Careers in Esports Series 🎮Join us for an insightful conversation as Rich and Peter from the USAEL sit down with Shad Lacefield, STEM Learning Coach at Fayette County Public Schools. Shad facilitates engaging and real-world activities across more than 30 elementary schools in his district, utilizing a specialized STEM Bus. His outstanding contributions to education have been recognized through several prestigious awards, including being named a 2023 FCPS Equity Champion, the 2022 Kentucky Science Teachers Association Elementary Science Teacher of the Year, a 2020 Amplify Spotlight Science Teacher, and the 2020 Distinguished Service Award fro...2024-12-1142 min
Careers in EsportsMeet a Director of Esports! Featuring James Shilkret from UbisoftExploring the Operations and Event Management Career Paths with James Shilkret | Careers in Esports Webinar 🎮Join us for an insightful conversation as Rich and Peter from the USAEL sit down with James Shilkret, Director of Esports at Ubisoft. With over 20 years of experience in marketing, brand engagement, esports operations, and event management, James shares his journey and the experiences that led him to spearhead major esports initiatives at Ubisoft. He offers a deep dive into the skills and knowledge that have shaped his career, providing valuable guidance for aspiring esports professionals.Whether you're a student asp...2024-11-2749 min
Careers in EsportsMeet a VP of Product Innovation! Featuring Diana Hughes from Age of LearningExploring the Leadership and Game Design Career Paths with Diana Hughes | Careers in Esports Series 🎮Join us for an insightful conversation as Rich and Peter from the USAEL sit down with Diana Hughes, VP of Product Innovation and AI at Age of Learning. With a wealth of experience in building educational games, Diana shares her journey from studying game design at USC to developing mixed-media digital experiences, starting at Age of Learning as a game designer and growing to the position of VP of Product Innovation and AI.Whether you're a student aspiring to enter the...2024-11-1358 min
Careers in EsportsMeet a Product Marketing Manager! Featuring Robert Oles from KabamExploring the Esports Product Marketing Manager Career Path with Robert Oles | Careers in Esports Series 🎮In this edition, we explore the Marketing career pathway with Robert Oles, a Product Marketing Manager at Kabam. Robert graduated from Carleton University, where he founded Carleton Esports and was a Tespa coordinator. Later, after working with various esports and gaming organizations, including EA, Robert began working with Kabam, a Canadian video game developer and publisher.The podcast is a must-listen for students and educators alike, providing a unique perspective on the expanding realm of esports careers far beyond the mor...2024-10-3037 min
Careers in EsportsMeet a Video Game Designer! Featuring Matt Makuch from Sony Bend StudioExploring the Video Game Designer Career Path with Matt Makuch | Careers in Esports Series 🎮With a wealth of experience in the gaming industry, Matt shares his journey from his college days to his current role, offering valuable insights and advice along the way.Early Aspirations: From discovering the world of video game development early on to solidifying his passion for game design in high school, Matt outlines the major milestones that shaped his career path.College Years: Matt delves into his college experience, detailing how each year contributed to his growth as a des...2024-10-1644 min
Careers in EsportsMeet a Game Production Engineer! Featuring Jordan Runyan from BungieExploring the Esports Game Production Engineer Career Path with Jordan Runyan | Careers in Esports Series 🎮In this edition, we explore the production engineer career pathway with Jordan Runyan, a Senior Production Engineer from Bungie. Having worked on Destiny 2 and with former experience as a test analyst for Blizzard's World of Warcraft, Jordan has a Bachelor's degree in Game Development and was the head coach and co-founder of the University of Utah's competitive esports program.While the specific role of a Production Engineer is somewhat unique to Bungie, demand is growing for similar roles at software and...2024-10-0246 min
Careers in EsportsSpecial Edition - Meet the Team Behind the US Academic Esports League!Meet the USAEL team! Featuring Steven Cooper, Martin So, Sabrina Spadafino and our hosts, Rich Conti and Peter Polygalov | Careers in Esports Series 🎮This insightful episode features the dynamic team members behind the USA Esports League (USAEL) team! Meet our talented team members as they share their diverse backgrounds and educational journeys in esports, academics, and gaming. Discover the unique paths that led them to the exciting world of USAEL, how their experiences shaped their careers, and the role they play in fostering esports excellence. Don't miss this opportunity to connect with the minds driving innovation in the...2024-09-1819 min
Careers in EsportsMeet an Esports Director! Featuring Sky Kauweloa, Ph.D. from the University of Hawaii and Jay DeShong from Grand Canyon UniversityExploring the Esports Director Career Path with Jay Deshong and Sky Kauweloa | Careers in Esports Series 🎮In this edition, we explore the collegiate esports director career pathways with Nyle Sky Kauweloa, Ph.D. from the University of Hawaii at Manoa, and Jay DeShong from Grand Canyon University. Esports directors in postsecondary education institutions are responsible for managing and overseeing all aspects of the esports program on campus. This includes registering teams/players for competition, recruiting players for all supported titles, scheduling practice and match times, managing coaches for each title, and assisting with events as needed.T...2024-08-211h 07
Careers in EsportsMeet an Esports Physical Therapist! Featuring Dr. Matt Hwu, CEO and Founder of 1HPExploring the Esports Physical Therapist Career Path with Dr. Matt Hwu | Careers in Esports Series 🎮Dr. Hwu has extensively contributed to the esports community by supporting athletes in optimizing their physical condition for gaming. He is also an Orthopedic Clinical Specialist with a deep-rooted interest in biomechanics and physical health.Dr. Hwu’s journey is a testament to the diverse career paths within esports. After completing his Physical Therapy education and an Orthopedic Residency, he embarked on a unique path that combined his love for gaming and healthcare, including launching the innovative 1HP - a platf...2024-08-071h 00
Careers in EsportsMeet a Game Developer! Featuring Andrew Sabri from Frost GiantExploring the Game Developer Career Path with Andrew Sabri | Careers in Esports Series 🎮Esports has rapidly grown in popularity in recent years and has become an integral part of many educational institutions. However, many students still have questions about how to pursue a career in esports and what jobs are available outside of being a pro player.In this episode, Andrew Sabri will share his experiences and expertise on how to pursue a career in game development and design, including various connected career pathways, the roles of developers, directors, and engineers, and how gaming can be...2024-08-0756 min
Careers in EsportsMeet a Pro Player! Featuring Jake Lyon from OWLExploring the Professional Esports Player Career Paths with Jake Lyon | Careers in Esports Series 🎮Join us for an insightful conversation as Rich and Peter from the USAEL sit down with Jake Lyon, a former Overwatch League Pro Player and current OWL analyst for Activision-Blizzard. Esports has rapidly grown in popularity in recent years and has become an integral part of many educational institutions. However, many students still have questions about how to pursue a career in esports.In this podcast, Jake will share his experiences and expertise on how to pursue a c...2024-07-3044 min
Reshaping Learning with SchoolDayAcademic eSports: A Gateway to Diverse Careers and Enhanced Academic PerformanceDive deep into the exciting universe of Academic eSports with our distinguished guest, Dr. Katrina Adkins. Leveraging her vast experience as an educator and a passionate gamer, Dr. Adkins enlightens us about the significant role eSports can play in reshaping K-12 education.
The three key principals of eSports - curriculum, competition, and careers - underscore the transformative potential of a competitive, yet cooperative gaming environment. Dr. Adkins offers a fresh perspective on how eSports can boost learning experiences and pave the way for a myriad of career opportunities in the booming industry.
Redressing common misconceptions...2024-03-0731 min