About

View My ResumeDownload
pro_profile_aviva

I’m a game designer living in the Greater Seattle Area, currently working as a Game Designer at Amazon Game Studios on Crucible.

I graduated from DigiPen Institute of Technology with a Bachelor of Arts in Game Design in 2016; I also have an Associate of Arts in Digital Gaming from Bellevue College from 2012. The first three years after graduating, I worked on some well-known titles with Lone Shark Games as a game developer and editor. In the past, I have held internships at Paizo and Signal Studios.

In addition to gaming, I invest a lot of time in my personal fitness. Recently I’ve been focusing my efforts on Krav Maga and strength training! I love baking with a focus on preparing healthy, tasty treats (sweet potatoes and butternut squash <3). I’m super into reading dystopian romance novels while drinking coffee and hanging out with my fluffy cat named Asher (check him out on my instagram!). I’m also especially passionate when it comes to social justice and allyship, empowering others to make our communities better.

Follow Me
Twitter: @AvivaYalla
Instagram: avivayalla

Professional Avocations:

  • (Current) Instructor of Krav Maga at PNW Krav Maga.
  • (Current) Chair of the IGDA Jewish Developers SIG.
  • Conference Associate for GDC 2016 and GDC 2019.
  • Intel Scholar in Intel’s GDC 2016 mentoring program.
  • President of DigiPen’s Diversity Club where we discuss a variety of social justice issues and how they relate to media, games, and the game industry.
  • Event Coordinator of DigiPen’s Student Activities Board. Through this position, I have organized and supported multiple events at the school, including bi-annual events like the Fall/Spring Soirée, Open Mic Night, and Spirit Week. The Student Activities Board also provides additional support to club events such as the campus LAN party, CampusSAVE week, and Pride Week.
  • Teacher for DigiPen ProjectFUN workshops, teaching all ages of students about game design. I have also helped develop the game design curriculum for grade levels 1-3 and 9-12.
  • Teaching Assistant for multiple game design courses.
  • Student Ambassador at DigiPen; we hosted prospective students and volunteer at Digipen Preview Days.

Public Speaking History:

I really enjoy giving talks and being part of panels since I love teaching and passing on my knowledge to others. Here’s some different talks I’ve done:

  • Speaker, Rules Are Meant to be Played (Evergreen Tabletop Expo 2018 http://etxwa.com/gamedesign/; PAX Dev 2017)
  • Panelist, Playtesting: Making A Good Game Great (Gen Con 2017)
  • Guest, Cheat Codes Podcast Episode 148: Light Gnawing (2017) http://www.cheatcodespodcast.com/2017/09/episode-148-light-gnawing/
  • Speaker, IGDA Jewish Developers SIG Roundtable (GDC 2017, GDC 2019)
  • Guest Lecturer, 2d6 Alternative Facts About Game Design (DigiPen Institute of Technology, Intro to Game Design 2017; Sandpoint High School, Digital Media course, 2017)
  • Alumni Ambassador, Speaking and paneling to prospective students on a monthly basis (DigiPen Institute of Technology 2016 – Current)
  • Student Ambassador, Speaking and paneling to prospective students on a monthly basis (DigiPen Institute of Technology 2013-2016)
  • President, DigiPen Diversity Club, Weekly 30-minute interactive lectures on diversity in games Received DigiPen’s ‘Club of the Year’ Award in 2015

Contact me with the form below:

%d bloggers like this: