Professional Experience

Defined studio business goals in line with shifting financial requirements, championed process efficiency improvements, and ensured smooth and predictable program execution in a quickly evolving environment that supported a remote team of 115+. Projects included The Sims and a large-scale sports-centric mobile game from concept to live services. 

• Directed development of Code Name: Super Score Soccer (~30 cross-functional developers, $12M budget) from early stage (prototype) to market validation launch. 

• Significantly renovated internal processes and workflows, championed automated testing, established KPIs, scope, milestones, product roadmaps, timelines, optimized team budget and resource use, and shifted studio priorities, successfully reducing QA headcount from 25 to 12 people and saving $56k per month while maintaining quality standards.

• Influential participant of a cross-functional studio-wide Leadership Steering Group, collaboratively defining both annual studio business objectives and product priorities.

• Developed a studio-wide program management framework that leveraged Agile, Kanban, Waterfall, and more, depending on the needs of each stage, from concept phase through launch and beyond.

• Pitched and implemented a The Sims-wide adoption of Agile, used a “Storming, Forming, Norming” change management method that drove full adoption within 5 sprints.

• Used data analysis to translate Super Score Soccer Story Points to duration estimates, increasing 6-month milestone prediction accuracy from ±8 weeks to ±2 weeks, modernized project tracking, created a real-time project status view for team and stakeholders, and implemented dashboards that reduced reporting time from days to hours (80% reduction).

• Implemented a dual-roadmap system that balanced short term deliverables and business objectives with long-term software development, optimized team budget and resources, prioritized technical dependencies, and successfully minimized setbacks and kept both initiatives on track, increasing creative sprint completion rates by 40%.

• Initiated a Unity Game Jam to reactivate a demoralized team and prepare for projects using a different tech environment; became a studio-wide practice for preparing teams for new projects.

• Managed, mentored, and advocated for 11 direct reports as lead of a globally distributed team. Accomplished improved performance, team satisfaction scores, staff retention, and successfully advocated for the promotion of several team members from mid-level to senior staff. 

• Designed and implemented a talent identification program to assess and train high-potential employees for management roles, enhancing the internal leadership pipeline.

• Created and implemented team-bonding programs aimed at enhancing team cohesion and fostering cultural awareness and sensitivity to diverse viewpoints.

• Drove cross-organizational transformation by building consensus between previously adversarial departments.