<p>Gordon is a Visiting Scholar at the USC Games and head of the USC Bridge incubator program, helping to cultivate the next generation of leaders in our craft. He has played key business and product leadership roles at Tencent, Electronic Arts, as a designer on Madden NFL Football, and MTV, and consulted for numerous companies in the industry.</p><p>He received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2018 at GDC and was featured on Nickelodeon for Black History Month for his 25 years of contributions to game industry and culture. </p><p>Gordon serves as the president / CEO of the Gay Gaming Professionals and on the Board of Directors of TheWaveVR and has served as Executive Director of both the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences and the International Game Developers Association. He is a graduate of Harvard College with a BA in Engineering, and resides with his husband Joe Heally, and their dog, Colby Janet, in Los Angeles, California.</p>
USC professor and game designer for Madden NFL Football
<ul><li><strong>History and Future of eSports and Gaming</strong></li><li>eSports has seen exponential growth from an unknown commodity to a billion dollar industry. Nobody could have imagined just a few years ago that major eSports events would be filling the likes of Madison Square Garden. Now, investors are jumping on board any way they can and universities are catering to the industry through courses and the development of competitive teams. Where did this growth come from, and how far can it go? Come learn more about the history and future of this growing sensation and how gaming is not just for kids.</li><li><strong>Diversity in eSports and STEM</strong></li><li>As President and CEO of the Gay Gaming Professionals and with over 25 years of experience, Gordon strives to create an inclusive environment for those working in the gaming industry. But inclusivity also needs to extend beyond the creators – to the players, the sponsors, and even characters within games. As the viewing audience continues to grow, more challenges are being faced and new ideas and solutions need to be brought to the table. Drawing from personal experiences and those seen through different businesses, Gordon will show how diversity leads to success and creates stronger values not only in gaming, but in all STEM fields.</li></ul>