Header image for the News & Inspiring Stories page, showing host Mascha Camino and interviewee Sophie Walker talking to each other

Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

In our weekly interview series, we feature inspirational, diverse people who work in the games and tech industry. They share their experiences, give valuable advice and talk about their projects.

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Hanna Steinhauer – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

October 2, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition we talked Hanna Steinhauer, Co-Founder & CEO of Spoonful Games. She speaks about the challenges of founding Spoonful Games, the importance of sustainable work, and how her musical background influences game design, while offering advice to aspiring developers on self-care, focus, and networking. Read more about Hanna here:

Clara Dietrich – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

September 25, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition, we collaborated with ESBD - eSport-Bund Deutschland e.V. and talked to Clara Dietrich, Team Lead Marketing & Communication at esports player foundation. She speaks about her role in marketing and communications, her transition from performance marketing to esports, and her passion for creating equal opportunities in the esports industry through initiatives like the Equal eSports Initiative. Read more about Clara in this interview:

Melanie Hauser – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

September 18, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Melanie Hauser, Game Developer at Aesir Interactive GmbH. She speaks about how persistence, continuous learning, and authentic communication helped her overcome early career rejections and thrive in game development, while her work has deepened her appreciation for games. Read more about Melanie here:

Rongfang Zhao – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

September 11, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition, we we talked to Rongfang Zhao, Lead Game Designer at Kolibri Games. She speaks about balancing her role as Lead Game Designer with her personal life, the importance of cultural diversity in game design, and key skills like collaboration, creativity, and self-reflection for aspiring game designers. Read more about Rongfang here:

Audrey Gravier – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

September 4, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Audrey Gravier,  Co-Founder at Outsiders. She speaks about how her varied education and volunteer work have shaped her game development and leadership skills, her approach to incorporating Cairo's culture into "Lost in Cairo," and offers advice for young women entering the gaming industry. Read more about Audrey here: 

Marilena Cassetta – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

August 28, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Marliena Cassetta, Producer at Crytek. She speaks about the importance of team success and trust for motivation, the minimal impact of her early experiences on her current role, and the value of networking, volunteering, and continuous learning for aspiring game producers. Read more about Marilena here:

Emese-Anna Hoppa – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

August 21, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Emese-Anna Hoppa, Game Designer at Ubisoft Mainz. She speaks about how her career in game design evolved from an initial focus on art, with her university experiences ultimately leading her to discover and pursue a passion for game design. Read more about Anna here:

Lara Lunardi – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

August 14, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition, we collaborated with ESBD - eSport-Bund Deutschland e.V. and talked to Lara Lunardi, Head of Creative at SK Gaming. She speaks about how her roles at SK Gaming and as a cosplayer complement each other, highlights the value of her game design background in creating immersive esports content, and advises aspiring women in the industry to seek support networks. Read more about Lara in this interview:

Astrid Refstrup– Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

August 7, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition we talked Astrid Refstrup, Developer Relations & Business Development at WINGS Interactive. She speaks about the ongoing importance of her education, the lessons learned from closing her own studio, and her efforts at WINGS to support under represented voices in the gaming, industry through transparency, and targeted initiatives.  Read more about Astrid here:

Romy Halfweeg – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

July 31, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Romy Halfweeg, Business Development Manager at Poki. She speaks about the value of openness in networking, learning from event management, and balancing creative and business aspects in game development. Read more about Romy here:

Coline Sauvand – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

July 24, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Coline Sauvand,  Co-Founder & Artistic Director at Ram Ram Studio. She speaks about how moving to Brussels, art school, a competition win, and quitting her job were key steps in her journey to becoming an illustrator and artistic director. Read more about Coline here: 

Sandra Bloy – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

July 17, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Sandra Bloy, President of E-Sport Verband Bayern. She speaks about how her diverse experiences in legal administration and Japanese studies have shaped her approach to her current roles, emphasizing the importance of cultural sensitivity, strategic thinking, and promoting diversity and inclusion within the gaming industry. Read more about Sandra in this interview:

Elizabeth LaPensée – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

July 10, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Elizabeth LaPensée, Narrative Director at Twin Suns Corp. She speaks about how her education in Liberal Studies and a Ph.D. in Interactive Arts & Technology shaped her diverse skill set, leading to her role as Narrative Director at Twin Suns Corp. where she values continuous prototyping and collaboration. Read more about Beth here:

Julie Kane – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

July 3, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Julie Kane, Founder of Midori Animation. She speaks about balancing creative and administrative tasks, the inspiration and ecological focus of her project "Vesturia: The Scarlet Bloodline," and the rewarding impact of promoting environmental awareness through her start-up..  Read more about Julie here:

Freyja Melhorn – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

June 19, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Freyja Melhorn, Director Marketing Communication at BXDXO GmbH. She speaks about her work on the "EVERSPACE" series and the Gaming Zone at The CCON | COMIC CON Stuttgart, her transition to a Director of Marketing Communications role, and the importance of passion and communication skills in game PR. Read more about Freyja here:

Svenja Anhut – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

May 29, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Svenja Anhut, Freelance Designer and Media Educator. She speaks about her journey from aspiring fashion designer to her current career in game design, where she combines her interests in games, culture, and education to create engaging public gaming experiences, workshops, and events, highlighting her work on the EZRA project that promotes political participation among youth.  Read more about Svenja in this interview:

Charly Harbord – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

May 22, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Charly Harbord, CEO/Founder of Outwith Reality. She speaks about the importance of diverse creators in gaming, grassroots educational initiatives, and the role of games in implicit learning and preserving Indigenous cultures. Read more about Charly in this interview:

Marie Mejerwall – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

May 15, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational women from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Marie Mejerwall, Games Consultant. She shares her evolution from programmer to system designer, advises aspiring developers on teamwork and success, discusses her efforts to promote women in gaming, and reflects on her eye-opening experience at the Tokyo Game Show. Read more about Marie in this interview:

Ulrike Küchler – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

May 8, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational women from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Ulrike Küchler, CEO & Founder of Gamebook Studio. She speaks about how her diverse roles in the entertainment industry shaped her approach to interactive entertainment, emphasizing the importance of aligning various components for success. Read more about Ulrike here:

Simona-Groosa (Simpson) – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

May 1, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational women from games and tech. For this edition we talked to For this edition we talked to Simona Groosa, Creative Director at KING CLOUD. Simona talks about balancing creative integrity and adaptability in digital art, highlighting ethical concerns and the importance of fostering respectful environments in the gaming industry.

Dr. Tabea Widmann – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

April 24, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Dr. Tabea Widmann, Project Lead "Let's Remember" at Stiftung Digitale Spielekultur. She speaks about the intersection of digital games and memory culture, driven by curiosity about how traumatic pasts are remembered in today's digital landscape, influencing her career path in shaping memory cultures and fostering diversity. Read more about Tabea in this interview:

Franziska Elsaesser – Womenize! – Inspiring Stories

April 17, 2024|Womenize! - Inspiring Stories|

Womenize! - Inspiring Stories is our weekly series featuring inspirational individuals from games and tech. For this edition we talked to Franziska Elsaesser, Strategic Partnerships Development Manager & Sustainability/DEI Gaming Lead at Google. She speaks about how she followed her interests and instincts, seizing opportunities that felt right, leading her to her current role and advocating for diversity and inclusion in gaming. Read more about Franziska in this interview: