Genevieve Lord 2010 Board Statement
Candidate Position Statement:
Genevieve Lord: Director of the Champlain College Montreal branch.
I have always believed that games can be much more than what many people still perceive them to be.
Upon joining the IGDA board of directors, my aim would be to help the gaming industry develop in all its diversity including:
- Increased representation of different cultures, genders and life styles
- Increased genre and content variety
- Increased visibility for all the disciplines involved.
I have the conviction that this flourishing of varieties will help develop untapped opportunities that our industry is presently so much in need of. My primary focus would therefore be to reach out for you, ensure that your voices are heard and especially structure your requests so that they may be addressed.
A strong believer of incremental commitments, action and delivery, I have very little patience with personal agendas coming in the way of common achievements. I also have a strong ethical sense that pushes me to fight for my beliefs which include making great games while still maintaining a quality lifestyle.
When playing WOW, I am always a healer. This corresponds to my profound nature which is to assist people reaching their full potential and goals. It is what I strive to achieve as producer as well as College director, and I would approach my mandate in the same spirit: That of support for your achievements as industry members.
After all, we always need an organized healer in a group.
Feel free to question, challenge and propose at lordg@videotron.ca
Candidate Bio:
With a background in programming and International Business, I have been IT consultant, manager and director for 11 years, while living in five countries (Belgium, Canada, Sweden, Spain, Trinidad & Tobago). I then became Producer and Senior Game director for Ubisoft and A2M in Montréal. I had there the opportunity to work with amazing people while learning a lot about myself and the industry. Since 2007, I have been industry liaison, then director of the Montreal Champlain College branch, which offers university level degrees in game art, design and programming (amongst others).
I am also one of the founders of the Positive Impact Games SIG, a fairly new group informing the public on the positive aspects of many of the traditional games, while at the same time challenging the game developing community to include more meaningful content into their games. Until now, we have focused on insuring thought provoking presentations at major events such as GDC and MIGS.
Board Interview Q and A:
1. What do you see as the biggest challenge facing game developers today? What should the IGDA's role be in addressing that challenge?
Our industry as an entertainment media has strong effects on our society in terms of culture, education and values. Such a media has the possibility to touch people all over the world, yet gaming is still very much limited in matters of content, culture, game types and gender appeal. In my opinion, it is crucial to continue exploring these many different avenues if we are to continue growing and developing as an industry, therefore creating all sorts of opportunities.
2. How do you expect to contribute to the IGDA Board? What qualifications or skills do you possess that will enhance your contributions?
Due to my triple background in international management, game production and education; my multi-cultural references and the fact that I represent the fast growing group of what are still atypical players, I feel that I can bring in many different and relevant perspectives into our future discussions. I am also result oriented and structured; and like laying down the foundations of tools that can be later utilized by other people. Furthermore, having always been a passionate gamer, I have a personal interest in getting involved in helping the industry mature and progress: Getting ever better games to play!
3. How much time do you expect to volunteer to the IGDA? How will you manage this commitment?
As far as time spent, I would tend to say that it isn’t really an issue for me when it comes to working for something that I love doing. However, it has been quite a while that I have learned to manage my personal time, my interests and my work. Fortunately, all these aspects of my life are interrelated and therefore build on one another.
4. As an IGDA board member, you're often asked to get things done on a short timeframe and tight budget. What do you think a reasonable expectation of a board member's contribution is? How will you accomplish your goals as a board member?
Having worked in the game and IT industry I have learned a lot about the management of time and demands. My goal would be to help the board keep a long term vision while focusing on precise, discrete and incremental achievements. I believe that the role of the IGDA’s board of directors is to facilitate communication amongst its members and put in place a structure enabling the development of the industry. Ultimately, if we propose useful initiatives, they should take a life of their own as people would see the advantage in getting involved. As I see it, board members are visionaries, facilitators and initiators. Any projects that do not cause our existing member’s community and/or new members to be involved within a specific period should be considered as not useful to them and therefore not worth the time investment.
Post to Twitter