Speakers
Ella Vance, Director of Production, Games, The New York Times
Ella Vance is a digital production leader and filmmaker specializing in interactive media, platform optimization, and cross-platform storytelling. As Director of Production at The New York Times, Vance leads multiple cross-functional teams to improve platform performance and enhance user experiences across NYT Games. Starting at the times just before the acquisition of Wordle, Vance contributed to migrating Wordle into the NYT Games ecosystem and has played a pivotal role in the redesign and optimization of the NYT Games App, which garnered both an Apple Design Award and an App Store Award for Culture & Impact in 2024. With a career spanning technology and storytelling, Vance has extensive experience in interactive and immersive content production. At Cortina Productions, she managed the development of augmented reality games, educational experiences, and large-scale digital exhibits for institutions like the Smithsonian Institute, the Royal Alberta Museum, and the FBI. Vance has also worked on award-winning narrative and documentary projects, collaborated with major brands, and fostered creative communities as an independent film director and producer.