Games For Change Speakers
Nicole Cassier-Mason
CEO
Company – Lemonade Day National
Nicole Cassier-Mason
CEO, Lemonade Day National
Location: Houston, Texas
As chief executive officer of Lemonade Day National, Nicole Cassier-Mason is responsible for educational programming, strategic partnerships, fundraising, marketing, and public relations, and community development. For 14 years, Lemonade Day has been committed to helping prepare youth for life through fun, proactive and experiential programs infused with life skills, character education, and entrepreneurship. Through Lemonade Day, children are introduced to entrepreneurship through real-world experiences of starting their own business: a lemonade stand.
With Nicole’s leadership, she and her dynamic team are carrying forward Lemonade Day’s vision of empowering today’s youth to become tomorrow’s entrepreneurs.
Nicole brings with her 18 years of experience in non-profit organization management. Prior to Lemonade Day, Nicole served for nearly 12 years as vice president of fund development and communications for New Hope Housing. New Hope Housing is a provider of affordable apartment housing with supportive social services for individuals and families living on extremely low incomes. Nicole also has experience working in the cultural arts for museums/theatres as well as event planning for the City of Houston.
Rodain Joubert
UX Designer
Company – Sea Monster Entertainment
Rodain is a game designer with 11 years of experience, working on direct to retail and B2B game projects for local and international audiences. They have achieved international recognition and commercial success with their independent work, and have collaborated with practically every major indie developer in South Africa. Before settling down with Sea Monster Entertainment, they also benefited from years of freelancing with a wide variety of teams for serious, educational and art game projects, always hoping to shift minds and move people in new and impactful ways.
Nyambura. M Waruingi
Founder & Creative Director
Company – AKOIA & Company
Nyambura M. Waruingi develops, curates, produces, and collaborates across various artistic expressions, encountering unique ways to imagine through trans-media and immersive storytelling. She focuses on producing extended reality experiences. Gaming is her new frontier.
She is a cultural activist, producer, and disruptor with a 20-year career in film, television, theatre, and visual arts. She has worked with award-winning production companies, renowned public cultural institutions, and innovative film and visual arts collectives in Canada, Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, USA, India, UK, Uganda, and Nigeria. Nyambura is the Founder and Creative Director of Akoia & Company (www.akoia.africa; IG: @akoiaco)
Glenn Gillis
CEO
Company – Sea Monster Entertainment
Glenn is the co-founder and CEO of Sea Monster. He has a Business Science degree from the University of Cape Town, and has been a senior executive, consultant and entrepreneur with growing, knowledge intensive businesses for over 25 years. Prior to Sea Monster, Glenn was the general manager of Clockwork Zoo, then Africa’s largest animation studio, and before that he held a number of senior management roles across various industries. Glenn is also the co-founder and chair of Relate, a social trust that has provided R60m worth of employment opportunities and donations for charities in South Africa.
Glenn is a thought-leader on how serious games, animation and immersive technology (AR & VR) can be used to drive social and business goals at scale. He speaks at conferences globally and is regularly quoted in the media.
Lebo Lekoma
Head of Client Services
Company – Sea Monster Entertainment
Lebogang Lekoma is the current head of client services at Sea Monster. Before deciding to change direction and enroll at AFDA, he studied engineering and spent a year with the Nuclear Energy Corporation of SA. After completing his postgraduate studies, he completed 24 commercials in just 18 months, thereafter joining the business development team at the Waterfront Studios Ngage division. Lebogang joined Sea Monster as production manager before moving into his current role.With more than 10 years’ experience in working with clients he is able to understand and translate their needs in order to deliver solutions, while balancing this against the needs of Sea Monster. He has gained great levels of trust in developing solid business solutions for clients.He has liaised with many of our well known clients and was heavily involved in managing projects for Metropolitan as well as championing Old Mutual’s Moneyversity since it’s inception. Lebogang is also a popular speaker and representative for Sea Monster, having given talks at last year’s Learning Nerdcon as well as other events around South Africa, his bubbly personality and well spoken ways have gone a long way in promoting the Sea Monster brand.
Jade Duckitt
Creative Director
Company – Sea Monster Entertainment
Jade Duckitt – Creative Director and Game Designer at Sea Monster. Jade Duckitt is a shareholder and board member of Sea Monster, South Africa’s prominent producer of games that aim to educate and create social change. In her role as Creative Director, she has designed and delivered multiple games and game-based solutions for many prominent local and international clients. Her work includes using games to promote health education for Cipla, financial literacy for Old Mutual and Alexander Forbes, as well as retail promotions for Shell and Pick n Pay. She is also lead game designer on an upcoming virtual reality game “The Last Maestro” that aims to use music to promote mental health. Apart from designing games. Jade is passionate about telling stories through multiple mediums. She has a bachelor of arts degree in film from AFDA. Her significant contribution in the tech industry has been recognized both locally and internationally. In 2017, Jade was nominated for the ‘Most inspirational women in South Africa working in the technology and innovation fields’ at the Inspiring Fifty Awards. She has also represented Sea Monster at multiple local and international events, sharing her vast knowledge in the use of virtual reality, viable business-based solutions as well as showing the world how South Africa is contributing to the serious gaming genre.
She is a cultural activist, producer, and disruptor with a 20-year career in film, television, theatre, and visual arts. She has worked with award-winning production companies, renowned public cultural institutions, and innovative film and visual arts collectives in Canada, Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, the USA, India, the UK, Uganda, and Nigeria. Nyambura is the Founder and Creative Director of Akoia & Company (www.akoia.africa; IG: @akoiaco)
Eyram Tawia
Co-founder and CEO / Game Developer
Company – Leti Arts
Eyram is the co-founder and CEO of Leti Arts. As a game developer, Eyram believes that Africa can make a salient contribution to the world of game development and preserve culture through this. He has pioneered developing the gaming industry in Africa with Leti Arts. Eyram believes preserving cultural diversity through gaming and entertainment is very important and aims to prove this by creating world-class games and comics using African talent. He’s won several awards for his work in the African video game development space, is a frequent speaker at game conferences globally, and is an author with his book Uncompromising Passion documenting his Journey as an African video game developer.
Lulamile Mohapi
Video Games Developer/ Entrepreneur/ Educator
Company – Fishknife Interactive
Lulamile Mohapi is a Video Games Developer/ Entrepreneur/ Educator, and an Accidental Techno-activist. In 2019, his docu-tribute 2D game on Mrs. Winnie Madikizela Mandela was presented at The NEoN RE@CT Digital Arts Festival in Scotland, where he, and various academics from across the globe demonstrated how video games and immersive techno-Art cultures (VR/ AR/XR, etc) play a role in critical thinking and social change. Between 2018-2019 he taught 2D & 3D Video Game Design at Wits University’s Digital Arts Division.
He is the founder and Managing Director at Fishknife Interactive, a Game Development Studio/ Research Consultancy based in Johannesburg and Amsterdam. Lulamile had consulted extensively on Intellectual Property; Digital Entrepreneurship; and Cultural and Economic Policy for video games. Prior to joining the games sector, he had worked for 16 years in the Film; Television; and Commercials industries.
Melisa Allela
Company – Technical University of Kenya
Melisa Achoko Allela is an Interactive Media designer and Lecturer. She also dabbles as an illustrator, animator, researcher and eLearning specialist. Her creative and research work explores the convergence of experimental animation and emerging technologies in storytelling. Her current focus is on how such technologies can be used to digitize works of African Orature and therefore contribute to the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage. She is the co-founder of LESO Stories, an interactive media startup that seeks to interrogate how new and emerging technologies can be used to digitize works of African Orature and contribute to the safeguarding of intangible cultural heritage. She looks forward to the tipping point moment for women in tech and their increased participation in the fields of Animation and Interactive Media production.
Dean Gichukie
Kunta Content, Founder & Game Developer
Company – Kunta Content
Dean Gichukie is a creative industry professional & CEO of Kunta Content. He specializes in marketing, production, and distribution of creative content like music, games, film, Esports, and TV. Currently working on two titles, HIRU a PC/Console experience, and MAZU, a mobile game.
Elizabeth Jahncke
Senior Learning Strategist
Company – Hubble Studios
Elizabeth Jahncke is an educator with over ten years of experience designing “sticky” learning by experimenting with curriculum and instruction modalities in university and corporate settings. With a background in public health and a passion for problem-solving, She draws from her previous experience as a researcher and lecturer when designing engaging learning activities and compelling course content.
As a Senior Learning Strategist, she consults with key stakeholders to help establish a custom, program-wide learning design strategies, while ensuring that all learning experiences are aligned with sound pedagogical principles. A large part of her role is leading initiatives aimed at innovation. She stays up-to-date with current industry trends and assists the Learning Design team in testing new approaches. Most recently, this has included immersive learning experiences within higher education.
Prof Mmaki Jantjies
Academic, Technology Expert, Researcher, and Advisor
Company – University of the Western Cape
Dr. Mmaki Jantjies is a technology expert, researcher, and advisor. Dr. Jantjies is the Telkom head of Innovation. She holds a PhD in computer science and has held various strategic positions in the innovation, research, and technology fields. Dr. Jantjies is also an adjunct associate professor. She was the 2017 and 2018 South African delegate representative to the W20 digitization group which is a G20 working group looking at the effect of technology on human personality in the digital era. Working with UN Women and Mozilla foundation founded a non-profit organization, Peo Ya Phetogo, which runs various STEM programs to ensure that young South Africans take up technology as a business or career. The foundation went on to start further programs which develop teachers’ skills in digital literacy. She has been recognized for her contribution to the South African technology sector with local and international awards.
Glenn Gillis
CEO
Company – Sea Monster Entertainment
Glenn is the co-founder and CEO of Sea Monster. He has a Business Science degree from the University of Cape Town, and has been a senior executive, consultant and entrepreneur with growing, knowledge intensive businesses for over 25 years. Prior to Sea Monster, Glenn was the general manager of Clockwork Zoo, then Africa’s largest animation studio, and before that he held a number of senior management roles across various industries. Glenn is also the co-founder and chair of Relate, a social trust that has provided R60m worth of employment opportunities and donations for charities in South Africa.
Glenn is a thought-leader on how serious games, animation and immersive technology (AR & VR) can be used to drive social and business goals at scale. He speaks at conferences globally and is regularly quoted in the media.
Lebo Lekoma
Head of Client Services
Company – Sea Monster Entertainment
Lebogang Lekoma is the current head of client services at Sea Monster. Before deciding to change direction and enroll at AFDA, he studied engineering and spent a year with the Nuclear Energy Corporation of SA. After completing his postgraduate studies, he completed 24 commercials in just 18 months, thereafter joining the business development team at the Waterfront Studios Ngage division. Lebogang joined Sea Monster as production manager before moving into his current role.With more than 10 years’ experience in working with clients he is able to understand and translate their needs in order to deliver solutions, while balancing this against the needs of Sea Monster. He has gained great levels of trust in developing solid business solutions for clients.He has liaised with many of our well known clients and was heavily involved in managing projects for Metropolitan as well as championing Old Mutual’s Moneyversity since it’s inception. Lebogang is also a popular speaker and representative for Sea Monster, having given talks at last year’s Learning Nerdcon as well as other events around South Africa, his bubbly personality and well spoken ways have gone a long way in promoting the Sea Monster brand.
Jade Duckitt
Creative Director
Company – Sea Monster Entertainment
Jade Duckitt – Creative Director and Game Designer at Sea Monster. Jade Duckitt is a shareholder and board member of Sea Monster, South Africa’s prominent producer of games that aim to educate and create social change. In her role as Creative Director, she has designed and delivered multiple games and game-based solutions for many prominent local and international clients. Her work includes using games to promote health education for Cipla, financial literacy for Old Mutual and Alexander Forbes, as well as retail promotions for Shell and Pick n Pay. She is also lead game designer on an upcoming virtual reality game “The Last Maestro” that aims to use music to promote mental health. Apart from designing games. Jade is passionate about telling stories through multiple mediums. She has a bachelor of arts degree in film from AFDA. Her significant contribution in the tech industry has been recognized both locally and internationally. In 2017, Jade was nominated for the ‘Most inspirational women in South Africa working in the technology and innovation fields’ at the Inspiring Fifty Awards. She has also represented Sea Monster at multiple local and international events, sharing her vast knowledge in the use of virtual reality, viable business-based solutions as well as showing the world how South Africa is contributing to the serious gaming genre.
She is a cultural activist, producer, and disruptor with a 20-year career in film, television, theatre, and visual arts. She has worked with award-winning production companies, renowned public cultural institutions, and innovative film and visual arts collectives in Canada, Kenya, South Africa, Rwanda, the USA, India, the UK, Uganda, and Nigeria. Nyambura is the Founder and Creative Director of Akoia & Company (www.akoia.africa; IG: @akoiaco)
Pamela Kato
Director
Company – P. M. Kato Consulting
Pamela M. Kato, Ed.M., Ph.D. is an internationally recognized expert on serious games for health. With 20 years of experience, Dr. Kato combines behavioral science with game mechanics to create engaging digital health interventions with impact for industry, academia, NGOs, and startups. Dr. Kato was the co-founding President and CEO of HopeLab where she led the making of Re-Mission, a clinically validated Third Person Shooter (TPS) game for pediatric cancer that had mass appeal (250,000+ copies in 81 countries). Her portfolio now includes the award-winning Air Medic Sky 1 (biosensor game for patient safety), Plan+It Commander (online game for ADHD), Tako Dojo (biosensor companion app for Diabetes), Phosphorus Mission (casual game for Chronic Kidney Disease), and Ready Rufus: Find the Professor (board game for Hemophilia). Dr. Kato received her master’s from Harvard University and her Ph.D. from Stanford University. Dr. Kato is currently innovating games for health in low resource settings as the Director of P. M. Kato Consulting, LLC.
Christina Nemr
International affairs and communications
Company – Park advisors
Christina Nemr is Director at Park Advisors, managing projects at the intersection of counter disinformation and counter extremism, including the application of gaming to impact attitudes and behaviors. Christina has worked on counter extremism policy and programming for the past eleven years in collaboration with governments, civil society, academia, and the private sector, with increasing focus on the dissemination of information to amplify positive outcomes and mitigate the impact of malicious actors.
Gabriel Ramokotjo
CEO / Co-Founder
Company – Ekasi Esports
Gabriel Ramokotjo is the CEO and co-founder of Ekasi Esports which is the first black-managed gaming organization in South Africa and he’s the organizer of the annual Tech Fest Expo which is the only township esports and gaming expo.
Meghan Davis
Research Assistant
Company – Oxford University
Meghan Davis is a global mental health researcher and mental health advocate. She is currently coordinating the Ebikolwa N’empisa research study in Uganda, which tests the acceptability and feasibility of the Kuamsha app, a serious game aimed at improving adolescent mental health. Meghan completed her Masters in Public Health at the University of Edinburgh and her BSc in Behavioural Neuroscience at Northeastern University. Before this role, she supported other mental health research projects in diverse and low-resource settings, including Ethiopia and India, as well as a national policy evaluation in the UK.
Dr Precious Garnett
Marketing manager and Medical advisor
Company – Cipla
Precious currently holds a position as a Marketing Manager and Medical Advisor to Infectious Diseases and Vaccines’ Portfolios at Cipla MedPro, a pharmaceutical company. She is grateful to be part of the engine that brings affordable HIV medicines to South Africa, allowing for access to these life – saving medicines.Precious graduated with an MBCHB from the University of Cape Town in 2011.She started her career in the public sector within the Department of Health in KwaZulu Natal. She later joined the South African Military Health Services stationed at the 9th South African Battalion in the Western Cape as a Senior Medical Officer, where she also started a specialized HIV clinic caring for army personnel and their families living with HIV.After her time in the army, in 2016, she pursued her passion in Infectious diseases by joining the Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation led by Professor Linda-Gail Bekker and Professor Robin Wood. She worked as a Senior Clinical research investigator/medical officer in HIV treatment studies as well as a Principal Investigator in HIV prevention clinical studies in collaboration with the HIV Vaccines Trials Network and HIV Prevention Trials Network.She completed her Masters of Public Health degree from the University of Cape Town in 2019.Achieved a Diploma in Advanced HIV Management from the College of Medicine South Africa in 2020 and a certification as a Travel medicine practitioner in 2021.She joined Cipla in early 2020 and SACRA Executive committee as head of Business Development in 2021She’s passionate about infectious diseases, adolescent health and global public health.
Pat Olvera
Creative Director
Company – Khanga Rue
Pat Olvera (Founder, Creative Director) has over 15 years of experience working in advertising and media, most of it in Sub-saharan Africa, first with WPP Scangroup before becoming a founding member of TBWA\Khanga Rue. Khanga Rue is one of the leading creative agencies in SSA specializing in SBCC. Khanga Rue’s work has been featured in conferences and industry journals, including Contagious, AdAge, Adweek, Devex, LBBOnline, Africom to name a few. He is a member of the Global SBCC Summit 2020 Steering Committee.
Jay Shapiro
Serious/Impact Game creator
Company – Usiku Games
Jay Shapiro is the founder & CEO of Usiku Games, based in Nairobi, Kenya – A 20+ year veteran of building digital industries, Jay started BLUE, a global digital marketing agency in Singapore in 1999, as well as AppMakr the world’s largest mobile app publishing platform with over 3 million customers in 100+ countries. Jay is now building the #GamingForGood movement across Africa.
Arnaud Mukenge Kim Chulu Amina
Serious/Impact Game creator
Company – Kimard Games
Arnaud Mukenge Kim Chulu Amina is an entrepreneur, interactive designer, consultant, & lecturer.
He Founded Kimard Studio in 2014 with a focus on providing meaningful gamified products and interactive solutions. He was born in the DRC, completed his Cum Laude degree in South Africa in Multimedia Design, specializing in Gamification for educational content. In 2020 he launched Static City Maths, a game that rewards learning for practicing maths and assessment.
He has won a few competitions including:
– Mlab Nokia UX design competition in 2014
– 2 Nasa Space Apps Challenge in the people’s choice challenge for South Africa
– The Gamification for social good in Ethiopia in 2015 certified him by GIZ in gamification.
– 3 Times shortlisted and finalist at the MTN App of the year awards
– While CFO at Ambani Africa, the company won the MTN Best app of The Year, Best Gaming solution, & best woman in tech
– He is consulting as a UX specialist for the award-winning start-up: Gradesmatch
Amongst the many things, he has spoken at the Online e-learning Berlin conference, the E-learning Africa, & showcased at the Gamescom
He is currently living in South Africa and running Kimard Studio and sharing knowledge at Tshwane University of Technology as a lecturer