Shiraz Akmal Video Game Industry Advisor
Shiraz Akmal is a renowned game industry executive actively involved in startups and established companies in the video game industry focused on expanding their overall business and revenue worldwide. As video game industry advisor for LA Scholars, Shiraz is connecting the key leaders and organizations in the video game industry to LA Scholars. As Vice President of THQ, Shiraz ran the worldwide product development-operation teams for mega game publisher, spearheaded the companies global product development capabilities and business development including establishing product development operations and headquarters in Shanghai, China. During his 9 years at THQ - Shiraz was the executive director and founding member of Heavy Iron Studios, THQ's award winning and highly successful game studio based in Los Angeles. There, he directed a string of multi-million selling video game titles including Disney/Pixar’s The Incredibles, Nickelodeon’s SpongeBob SquarePants, and Warner’s Scooby-Doo! Early on in his career, he was involved in developing the technology and game play for several genre-defining products such as, You Don't Know Jack The Netshow and the After Dark screen saver. His first game was published on the Apple IIGS when he was 18. Shiraz Akmal represents the “total package” in the video game industry where it’s rare to find someone with creative, management, technical, investment and entrepreneurial skills and industry relationships worldwide. Colin Walter Video Game Industry Advisor
Colin is an experienced Operations Director from the video game industry, who managed the human resources, IT, studio management, purchasing, and recruiting functions for THQ's Los Angeles Studio, Heavy Iron. He brings strong communication skills with teams, peers, executives and local area partners relationships to LA Scholars program.
Christopher Erhardt Video Game Industry Advisor
22 years experience in all aspects of game software design and production specifically focused on finishing projects and shipping dependable content. Experience on multiple platforms (console, PC, hand held) along with a proven track record designing and producing licensed character properties as well as original franchises.
Producer or Designer for all major players including Electronic Arts, SEGA of America, Infocom, GT Interactive and Infogrammes. Experience managing teams of up to 40 people at multiple international locations for simultaneous SKU shipments. Successfully managed and shipped over 20 retail titles with development teams in Lebanon, France, England and the United States. Has over 11 years experience teaching Game Software Design and Production in the Middle East, India and United States.
|  | Jonathan Mooney New Program Development
Jonathan Mooney is a graduate of Brown University’s class of 2000 and holds an honors degree in English Literature. Jonathan is creator, co-founder, and President of Project Eye-To-Eye, a mentoring and advocacy non-profit organization for students with learning differences. Project Eye-To-Eye currently has 28 chapters, in 18 states working with over 3,000 students, parents and educators nationwide. Jonathan founded the Urban Teacher Fellowship at the South Bay Center for Community Development (SBCC) and developed the Energy Pathway Program, a nationally recognized job training program. A winner of the prestigious Truman Scholarship for graduate studies in social change, Jonathan was also a finalist for the Rhodes Scholarship. With the publication of Learning Outside The Lines (now in its 18th printing) when he was 23, Jonathan has established himself as one of the foremost leaders in LD/ADHD, disabilities, and alternative education. His second book, The Short Bus: A Journey Beyond Normal was published in the spring of 2007 to outstanding reviews in The New York Times Book Review, The Los Angeles Times, The Chicago Tribune and many other national publications. Jonathan is a highly sought after speaker and has lectured in 43 states and three countries. He has lectured at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, Brown University, the University of Wisconsin School of Education, New York University Medical School’s Grand Rounds, Teachers College Columbia University, the University of Pennsylvania, Vassar College and many other institutions of higher education. Jonathan has also given keynote addresses at most major national education conferences and speaks frequently to students of all ages. He has been featured and quoted in The New York Times, USA Today, NPR, ABC News, New York Magazine, The Washington Post, The Boston Globe and numerous other local and regional papers in the cities, states, and countries where Jonathan has traveled. Jonathan currently consults for SBCC developing new program for the Career & Workforce Development department. Rebecca Goldberg Co-Director, Career & Workforce Development
Rebecca Goldberg is Co-Director of the Career & Workforce Development department at the South Bay Center for Community Development (SBCC). At SBCC, Rebecca is responsible for new program development, employer engagement, and the LA Scholars youth employment program. She also oversees the programming for SBCC’s Energy Pathways Program and Urban Teacher Fellowship.
Prior to joining SBCC in the spring of 2009, Rebecca was Regional Strategies Director for the California School-Age Consortium (CalSAC), a statewide non-profit organization that supports afterschool programs and the professionals who work in them. At CalSAC, Rebecca created and led several workforce development initiatives aimed at building the pipeline of entry-level afterschool workers and creating pre-employment programs for those workers. She also opened CalSAC’s first satellite office (outside of the San Francisco headquarters) in Los Angeles County. Outside of work, Rebecca volunteered for five years as an Executive Committee member of the Bay Area Youth Development Peer Network, a volunteer-run non-profit organization created by and for youth workers (individuals who work with or on behalf of youth). She also served for two years on the Board of Directors for Growth & Learning Opportunities, a non-profit afterschool program in San Francisco. Rebecca is a 2003 graduate of Colgate University, and prior to moving to the west coast and starting her career in youth development and workforce development, she interned at Sesame Workshop doing international marketing for Sesame Street and other Sesame Workshop productions.
|
