TORONTO – April 05, 2023 – The International Game Developers Association (IGDA) has appointed Margaret Krohn as the next Chair following Natasha Skult, whose Chair term concludes at the end of March. For the past 15 years, Krohn has helped businesses and individuals create and market their brand presence to achieve their goals and grow their communities. She currently serves as the Director of Communications for Intrepid Studios, the creator behind the much anticipated MMORPG Ashes of Creation. Additionally, Krohn serves as the CMO of Roll4It®, a tabletop role play broadcast production studio.

The IGDA is pleased to welcome four new members to its board, Zak Whaley (appointed), Valentina Birke (appointed), Limpho Moeti (appointed), and Nazih Fares (elected). The new board members bring a wealth of experience and expertise from the game development industry and will play a crucial role in guiding the IGDA’s strategic direction over the coming years. In addition to these new board members, the IGDA has re-appointed Rami Ismail for a two-year term.

Zak Whaley is a seasoned technology leader and the Director of Engineering at PlayEveryWare, a co-development studio which supports titles like Among Us and Fall Guys and partners like Epic Games and Riot Games. He previously helped build an XR platform team at Magic Leap and is known for his stewardship leadership style. Whaley also chairs the Engineering SIG of the IGDA, providing support to engineers from various disciplines. He is a passionate technologist committed to developing best practices and tools for teams using cutting-edge technology.

Valentina Birke works at Super Crowd Entertainment as the Director of Indie Arena Booth, the renowned showcase for independent video games. In addition to her work at Indie Arena Booth, Birke is a valued member of the gaming community, serving as a jury member for esteemed awards such as the German Video Game Awards, the German Developer Awards, and the Gamecity Hamburgs Prototype Fund.

Limpho Moeti is a business developer who has been involved in the gaming industry for seven years. She has worked with two of the biggest Studios in South Africa – Free Lives (Gorn, Broforce) and Nyamakop (Semblence). She is now a business development manager at RocketRide Games, a consulting agency in the video games space. She helped create and run indie and interactive media festival Playtopia. Moeti has a deep passion for the gaming industry and has spoken at various events about representation, inclusivity, business development and how to minimize crunch. 

Nazih Fares is an award-winning gaming professional with more than 14 years of experience in the game industry. He is The 4 Winds Entertainment’s current Head of Communications & Localization, overseeing a large team of localization and communication experts. Fares is actively involved in the IGDA’s Game Credits Special Interest Group and serves as the group’s Vice Chair. 

“We are delighted to welcome Zak, Valentina, Limpho, and Nazih to the IGDA Board of Directors,” said Dr. Jakin Vela, Executive Director of the IGDA. “Their expertise and experience will be invaluable in bringing the IGDA closer to its strategic vision in supporting developers around the world and democratizing career opportunities and resources for our global community.”

In other news, as of December 2022, Renee Gittins has stepped down from the IGDA Board of Directors to Chair the IGDA’s Alumni Board, a new advisory council created to support future initiatives of the organization with insights from all previous generations of IGDA leadership. In addition to Gittins’s departure from the board, IGDA will also be saying farewell to Sonia Michaels and Tarja Porkka-Kontturi.

About the IGDA:

The International Game Developers Association is the largest nonprofit membership organization serving game developers worldwide. The IGDA is committed to advancing the careers and enhancing the lives of game developers by connecting members with their peers, promoting professional development, and advocating on issues that affect the developer community.

For more information, please visit www.igda.org.

Media Contacts

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press@igda.org