• 15 January: Begin call for nominations.
  
• 1 February: End call for nominations; all nominations must be received by this date. All voting eligible members of record as of this date may vote.
• 3 February: All submitted candidates are reviewed and confirmed they meet requirements by the Executive Director and those passing requirements are sent to the Nomination Committee.
• 4 February: Nomination Committee begins review process of candidates to help determine a recommended final slate.
• 17 February: Final recommended slate provided to the Board by the Nomination Committee for ratification.
• 20 February: Board meets and approves final slate of candidates to present to membership for voting.
• 21 February: Election materials are emailed to all voting eligible members on record. Voting commences.
• 10 March: End of voting; e-ballots are counted.
• 13 March: Board meets and either certifies election results or appoints directors if quorum is not met.
• 14 March: Board Candidates contacted and informed of the election results.
• 21 March: Election results - formal public announcement. (IGDA Annual Meeting at GDC)
• 1 April: Newly elected Directors take their seats.

All members eligible to vote will will receive an email with voting instructions starting 21 February 2014. Please note: student members are not eligible to vote.

If you have any questions please contact Kate Edwards, Executive Director, at kate@igda.org. If you believe you are a voting eligible member and did not receive ballot information to the primary email address on your IGDA account, please contact ops@igda.org.

Candidate Information (in alphabetical order by last name)

Justin Berenbaum
I am running for the IGDA Board of Directors because I can help the organization, here’s a few of the key areas:

1. Strategic Partnerships – Bring together the IGDA and companies in and around our fantastic industry to provide membership benefits and resources to organization members (i.e. software and technology providers, platform holders, etc.)
2. Business Planning and Support – The world of gaming is changing at an accelerated rate. My goal is to contribute significantly to the planning process to ensure that all of us can thrive in the face of future challenges by leveraging my vast network of contacts and personal knowledge.

I love games. I am an adamant supporter of the mission of the IGDA and its ultimate goals of making the industry better for developers. I have a unique set of experiences in the game industry. Having experience at the Publisher, Developer, and consultant levels, including internationally, provides me with the ability to work on big picture initiatives as well as day-in and day-out administrative priorities. In addition, I enjoy being a resource for others in the industry. My relevant work experience can be found at http://www.linkedin.com/in/jberenbaum.

I believe that extending our memberships’ access to research, technology and resources can help us all better negotiate the path ahead. I’d like to see us partner with more Universities, technology and middleware companies, and even State and Local governments to broaden the scope of influence and relevance of the IGDA. The examples shown by many local chapters throughout the world can act as a guide for this on an organization wide level.

I continue to volunteer to be a mentor at events and for students at USC. I also have direct experience with non-profits as a Management Committee Member and Music Director for KZSC, USCS’s Public Radio station where I was also on on-air DJ for several years. More recently as a long-time volunteer for the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Los Angeles and a committee member for one of their largest fundraisers for almost ten-years. It is this diverse background that will help make my contribution to the IGDA Board valuable for our members.

Jon Grande
My name is Jon Grande. I’ve been in the game industry since 1993 and have had the pleasure of working on games for almost every platform (PC, online, console, canvas, mobile, etc). I started my career as a core gamer and had the early pleasure of working with some of my gaming idols – managing Microsoft’s publishing relationships with Chris Taylor & Gas Powered Games (for the Dungeon Siege franchise), and Ray & Greg and the BioWare team (for the Jade Empire and Mass Effect franchises), and many others.

During my tenure at Microsoft, I was fortunate to join the games group when it was <25 people (circa 1993) and was involved in managing and growing several of its most popular studios (AAS, RAT & the Zone), working with great people (Stuart Moulder, Ed Fries, Phil Spencer, et. al) as well as giving several influential people their first opportunities in games (Shannon Loftis, Laura Fryer, etc.). I left Microsoft in 2005 to pursue the developer/start-up side of the business and had the opportunity to work with great people doing everything from MMO development (with Sigil) to developer tools (with Digini/Blade3D) to Hollywood themed social games (Exponential Entertainment) to gesture based technology (Omek Interactive) to top-shelf mobile & social games with PopCap/EA.

That career trajectory, as well as my current role as GM at Tap Slots, has given me a broad base of experience and the ability to identify with people from across the industry – regardless of discipline, level, or experience. I have been tremendously fortunate throughout my career and realize the unique opportunities afforded me by the mentors I have had the opportunity to work with. I strive to "pay it forward” in a similar fashion, mentoring individuals from across the industry and providing advice to teams as they forge new concepts across a range of platforms.

I have been active with the Seattle chapter of the IGDA and hope to contribute to the broader success of the IGDA through a combination of education, outreach and evangelism within the industry as well as the larger entertainment eco-system. Our industry provides one of the most dynamic platforms for artistic expression and pure entertainment; and that needs to be not only defended, but championed as digital entertainment continues to evolve.

I would sincerely appreciate the opportunity to represent the IGDA membership and take the responsibility quite seriously.

Anne Toole
As IGDA members, we're invested in making the IGDA the best it can be. But how do we get there? The IGDA lives and breathes by its members, but we will only grow if people see a benefit to membership. Many primarily experience the IGDA through local chapters, but the chapters themselves are often left to go it on their own. For those not involved in a SIG who live too far from a current chapter, whether that's in Minnesota or Milan, the IGDA practically doesn't exist. But it doesn't have to be that way.

Over the past several years, I've become increasingly involved with the IGDA. A lifetime member, I currently serve as an elected board member of the IGDA Los Angeles chapter and as co-chair of the Women in Games SIG, where I started the monthly Women in Games profiles. I previously served as the Mentorship Chair for the WIG SIG and have contributed to IGDA Perspectives on the topics of diversity and chapter engagement. On top of that, I have visited IGDA chapters all over the world, from Singapore to Chicago. Most tellingly, I have visited countries where few have heard of the IGDA. I'm running for board to help the IGDA live up to its promise as an international organization dedicated to connecting professionals with their peers and promoting professional development.

If elected, I will work to:

• increase member benefits that can be seen and felt regardless of location;
• implement online opportunities to connect and offer services to all members;
• increase support for chapters;
• promote local chapter events and educational events to the entire IGDA so that all can benefit;
• advocate on the Board for greater international presence, support, and programs;
• increase the cachet and profile of the IGDA worldwide

After speaking to chapter leaders throughout the world, I’ve discovered that what chapters need varies by location. A one-size-fits-all approach just won’t work, even if the IGDA were only a US organization. One chapter might need money, while another might need speakers. Therefore, membership benefits should go where members see it, where they are. At a chapter level, members will see their benefits in terms of better-funded and supported events. For those beyond the reach of chapters, members will be able to see benefits through online programs that increase connection and professional development. The more these programs benefit the members, the more will join, and the entire organization will benefit from it. As a board member, I can work to make all this a reality.

An EU and US citizen, I have worked on-site in the US, Canada, and the EU, and I've seen first-hand how mobile we are as an industry. We can't afford to focus on one country or one continent anymore. I will work to increase the role of the IGDA both in North America and internationally. If my experience is any indication, we will need it.

Brief Biography
Anne Toole is a writer of games, television, webseries, and short fiction. Her credits include the Emmy-winning webseries THE LIZZIE BENNET DIARES and the WGA-nominated dark fantasy game THE WITCHER. Due to her transmedia experience, Anne has spoken at the inaugural Nokia OpenLab 2008 as well as about game design at GDC Europe, GDC Online, South by Southwest, the Login Game Conference, and Comic-con International. In addition to her work with the IGDA, she was appointed by the West Hollywood City Council to serve on the city's Women's Advisory Board. Anne graduated from Harvard with an ever-so-useful degree in Archaeology and suffers a minor zombie obsession.
More info on Anne at writingiswriting.wordpress.com/about

IGDA Contributions

• Co-Chair, IGDA Women in Games SIG
• Board Member, IGDA Los Angeles
• Mentorship Chair, IGDA Women in Games SIG (2009-2010)
• Speaker. IGDA Summit SF 2013
• Member, IGDA Writers SIG Contributor, IGDA Perspectives