Agenda

Join us for a curated panel discussion featuring four mothers from different sectors of the gaming industry, moderated by Nahir Fajardo (Social Worker and CEO of Dreams of Heaven Games). This session will explore the profound sacrifice and unwavering love behind balancing a professional career with motherhood. Through a structured conversation on specific topics—ranging from professional growth to community support—our panelists will share their personal journeys and insights. The event aims to bring visibility to the challenges we face while fostering a supportive network for all attendees. Following the discussion, we will open the floor for community connection and mutual support.

Panelists:

- Ashley Conley works in Business Development and Account Management at UX Is Fine (UXIF), helping game studios access world-class UX/UI design and implementation support. She guides clients from first conversation through delivery, building partnerships that last beyond a single project.

- Christina-Marie Drake is the founder of Moms in Gaming and a senior recruiting and talent operations leader in the video game industry. As both a working mom and a hiring decision-maker, she brings a dual lens: lived experience and behind-the-scenes insight into how studios actually evaluate, promote and retain talent.

- Jesenia Vargas: Currently a Producer on the popular card-guessing “Heads Up!” mobile game, Jesenia brings more than a decade of experience leading projects and teams across tech and games. Outside of globally recognized AAA franchises (Madden NFL, NBA Live, UFC), mobile, and indie games, Jesenia has also worked on Princess Cruise Line’s Medallion Class IoT project and played a key role in helping scale Orlando’s first Fintech Unicorn startup.

- Shaina Grade is a game production leader based in California. She has spent her career doing everything from AAA PC/Console games at Blizzard to educational games at Filament Games, where she led studio operations/production leadership. She currently works at Obsidian Entertainment as a Senior Producer shipping The Outer Worlds 2.

Moderator:

Nahir Fajardo Hernández: CEO and Creative Producer at Dreams of Heaven Games. A professional social worker, rural woman, mother, and autistic person. She has participated in international game events such as GDC, Gamescom, and Tokyo Game Show, both in person and virtually. Currently organizer of the Chile Game Showcase, she advocates for inclusion, interactive storytelling, and game development from non-central regions.