Announcing our New Board of Directors

July 19, 2024

Hello Baby Ghosts community! We’ve got some exciting news to share…

Welcome to Our New Board of Directors

First – we’re beyond thrilled to introduce our brand-new board of directors after a nationwide search. These amazing folks are joining us to help expand our reach and support even more devs in building sustainable, cooperative game studios across Canada.

Meet our new dream team:

  • Adaora Ogbue (President and Chair): An absolute powerhouse in nonprofit governance and investment, Adaora’s experience ranges from the Equality Fund to the Foundation for Black Communities and beyond. Her experience around sustainability and inclusivity in games makes her a perfect fit for Baby Ghosts.
  • Edival Oliveira Lago Filho (Vice-President): With 18 years in game development under his belt, Ed brings a wealth of experience from game design to creative direction. He’s even got a D.I.C.E. award winner (Pistol Whip) in his portfolio!
  • Elisabeth Rose Astwood (Treasurer): Elisabeth is a producer, transmedia storyteller, and cultural connector. Their experience spans from playwriting to supporting structurally excluded artists.
  • John Rathiganthan: Need a problem solved? John’s your person. With diverse experience across various fields, John is our go-to for tackling organizational challenges.
  • Kenzie Gordon (Secretary): A social worker and PhD Candidate, Kenzie’s research explores the intersections of gender-based violence and video games and equity issues in the game industry.
  • Nia St Nicolous: A Canadian-Tamil trans woman based in Toronto, Nia brings her experience in social media management and video editing for indie games. She’s focused on making game development more accessible for marginalized communities.
  • Thomas Dang: As the youngest MLA ever elected in Alberta and now an information security professional, Thomas brings a rad blend of political and tech expertise to the table.

We are so excited to welcome our new board members. Their values and expertise are aligned so well with Baby Ghosts’ mission. Their incredible experience supporting underrepresented game developers will help us make an even greater impact in Canada.

But Wait, There’s More!

We’ve got two more pieces of awesome news to share:

Street Uni X hits the streets daffodil and friends, a studio that participated in our Peer Accelerator Program, launched Street Uni X on June 26. We’re so proud! Pick the game up on Steam now.

New support from the Toronto Workforce Collaborative Fund We’ve been awarded a significant grant from the TWCF. We’ll be able to expand our Peer Accelerator program for the next three years, particularly in Toronto.

What’s Next?

With our new board members bringing their expertise from across Canada and our expanded resources, we’re positioned to make a big impact on the way studios are formed and operated in Canada. We’re more committed than ever to our mission of advancing cooperative and worker-centric labour models in the game industry and interactive digital arts sector.

We will be announcing the application dates for our fourth Peer Accelerator cohort soon. Subscribe to our newsletter to hear about it first!