Flex Time Good For Your Health

"Following participants for one year, researchers found that if an employee's job flexibility improved over the course of 365 days, so did their healthy habits..."

Study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine

WIGI at VGXPO - Philadelphia

"Tales from the Trenches: Women Who Know "
Breaking In: The Game Conference, produced by VGXPO
Panel presented by Women in Games International
Sunday, November 4
11am - 12pm

From player to developer to educator to executive, female professionals in the games industry provide personal testimonials on their trials and triumphs, from getting that first job to learning to be a leader. Join our discussion as these women describe what it took for them to get in the door, to establish winning business strategies and partnerships and to build a lasting career in games.

Moderator Fiona Cherbak of Women in Games International chats with panelists Amber Dalton, PMS Clan Leader; Gano Haine, VP of Development for LimeLife; Jennifer MacLean, General Manager of Games for Comcast Interactive Media and Susan Gold, Academic Coordinator at GarageGames, about their experiences as professional women in games.

For more details on Breaking In: The Game Conference and America's VideoGame Expo (VGXPO) visit www.vgxpo.com/breakingin.htm.

A refuge for women in a hostile game space

"The hostile climate has kept many women away from online gaming, she said. Microsoft says it doesn't track the gender of its players, but Phillips estimates that 10% to 20% of Xbox Live's 7 million players are women. The service lets players log into a network of gamers via the Internet to find opponents and teammates, and to chat using instant messaging or headsets...."

WIGI - Austin Seeking Sponors and Donors

Please make a donation in any amount to be added to the recognized donors list! http://www.womeningamesinternational.org/donate.html

2007 GCDC Women in Games Panel coverage

"GCDC Panel Tackles Women In Games A "Women in Games" panel at the 2007 GCDC featured high-profile female game executives discussing how to meet the needs of female gamers and deliver unique experiences for all..."

WIGI Austin Mixer @ AGDC

Women in Games International - Community Mixer
Wednesday, September 5th, 6 pm – 9 pm
Six Lounge
117 W. 4th Street
Austin, Texas 78701
www.sixlounge.com
RSVP Here

New career path: Annoying your way to the top

"NEW YORK - How do people get ahead in the workplace? One way seems to be by making their subordinates miserable, according to a study released Friday...."

Celebrating Female Game Devs of Yesteryear

by Ernest Adams

"As Women in Games International's Austin conference approaches, Next-Gen takes a moment to recognize the outstanding female developers who molded the industry during its early years...."

Angry men get ahead while angry women penalized: study

"NEW YORK (Reuters) - A man who gets angry at work may well be admired for it but a woman who shows anger in the workplace is liable to be seen as "out of control" and incompetent, according to a new study presented on Friday...."

Women and Technology Summit

Thursday, September 27 through Saturday, September 29 2007 in Santa Clara, California.
WITI is the premiere global organization empowering women in business and
technology to attain their professional goals and dreams. With a global
network of smart, tech-savvy women, WITI has powerful programs and
partnerships that provide connections, resources, opportunities and a
supportive environment. Since 1989, WITI has delivered value to
individuals, small businesses, and corporations. For more information on
the event, visit http://www.witi.com .

WIGI Links

WIGI Linked In Group
https://www.linkedin.com/e/gis/2058/393AF421787E/


WIGI Mentoring
http://groups.google.com/group/wigi_mentoring

Theresa Lee Duncan, In Memoriam

Noted Video Game Designer of 'Girl' Games

Theresa Lee Duncan age 40 of Manhattan, New York died July 10, 2007.

Memorials to The Whitney Museum of Art (945 Madison Ave. NY, NY 10021) are greatly appreciated

Casual Gaming Still Dominated by Women Says Report

Casual Games Association
2007 Casual Games Report

Study: Americans not taking time for vacation

Nearly one in five workers responding to a recent survey said it has been three or more years since they took five days off in a row for a vacation.

Pass the Pasta, Please, and Hold the Stress

Washington Post, July 10, 2007

Better quality of life in the workplace increases productivity.

WIGI July Community Mixers

Women in Games International presents WIGI Community Mixer in San Francisco!

Women in Games International - Community Mixer
Thursday, July 12th, 7:00 pm
Art Institute of California‹San Francisco
Lobby Gallery
1170 Market Street
San Francisco, California 94102

Join us for an informal meet' n' greet with appetizers and beverages in San
Francisco, hosted by Robbyn Blumeschein, the Art Institute of California-San
Francisco and Women in Games International.

RSVP Here

This unique industry networking event is proudly sponsored by the Art
Institute of California-San Francisco, Backbone Entertainment, Foundation 9
Entertainment, LeapFrog and Stormfront Studios.
==========


Women in Games International presents WIGI Community Mixer at ComicCon

Women in Games International - Community Mixer
Wednesday, July 25th, 4:00 pm to 7:00 pm
Redfield¹s Lounge
Manchester Grand Hyatt San Diego
1 Market Place
San Diego, CA 92101
General Hotel - 619-232-1234

Join us for an informal meet 'n' greet with appetizers and beverages in San
Diego, right next door to ComicCon, hosted by the Art Institute of
California-San Diego and Women in Games International.

RSVP Here

This unique industry networking event is proudly sponsored by the Art
Institute of California-San Diego, Foundation 9 Entertainment and Sony
Online Entertainment.
==========

Single-Gender Education Gains Ground as Boys Lag

San Francisco Chronicle
Janine DeFao, Chronicle Staff Writer

Experts worry that coed classrooms geared to girls put their counterparts at a disadvantage

Monday, June 18, 2007

Metrac's game about domestic violence

from Metrac:

Announcing a FUN and FREE online video game that challenges gender-based
violence in the lives of children and youth ...
Play RePlay: Finding Zoe on www.metrac.org today!

RePlay: Finding Zoe tells the story of two friends searching for their good
friend Zoe. They have just heard stereotyping rumors about Zoe that lead
them to conclude that she is in an abusive relationship. On their search,
the friends navigate through their neighborhood and are challenged with
situations that encourage them to work together and be respectful, confident
communicators. Success helps strengthen the two friends' resiliency and
better equips them to support Zoe.

RePlay was developed in partnership between the Metropolitan Action
Committee on Violence Against Women and Children (METRAC) and Take Action Games. METRAC is a not-for-profit organization based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada that is dedicated to preventing and ending violence against women, youth, and children. Take Action Games is well-known for creating the popular awareness-raising online game, Darfur is Dying.

METRAC's RePlay Positive Video Gaming Project was funded by the Ontario
Women's Directorate and is one of many initiatives designed as an integrated
package of resources for the education and youth sectors.

Wanted: Girls who make video games

MSNBC, June 12, 2007

Article asks:
* Does diversifying the workforce lead to a broader market?
* Has anything changed within industry?

WIGI-Austin September 8, 2007

WIGI: Women In Games International
WIGI-Austin
She Got Game
Saturday, September 8, 2007
11 am to 5 pm
Austin Convention Center
500 East Cesar Chavez Street, Austin, TX 78701

Women in Games International is teaming up with the Austin Game Developers Conference, presented by CMP Game Group.

WIGI-Austin will explore both the past and present experiences of women working in our industry; with a bigger discussion about the current state of the industry and where it appears to be headed.

Keynote Speaker:

Dona C. Bailey, creator of Centipede, one of the first video games to incorporate AI

Games Now and Then
From her early days on Centipede to her current work with students at the
University of Arkansas—Little Rock, Dona C. Bailey takes a look at where video games have been, where they are now and where she'd like to see them go in the future.

Panels

Diversity Equals Dollars:
Why Having a Diverse Development Team is Good for Your Bottom Line
Industry experts will discuss how workplace diversity and environments have evolved
in the game industry over the last two decades, what the experience is now like for people entering the industry and the reasons that diversity is equivalent to profitability.

Her Virtual Life
With the statistics showing that MMOs are the second largest
market for women gamers, we address how game developers
can utilize this information to expand MMO content and gameplay.

General Attendees - $55, WIGI Members - $40, Students - $30

To Appeal to Women, Too, Gadgets Go Beyond 'Cute' and 'Pink'

To Appeal to Women, Too, Gadgets Go Beyond 'Cute' and 'Pink'
By MICHEL MARRIOTT
Women are embracing consumer electronics just as the
technologies are reaching out to embrace them.

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/07/technology/07women.html?th&emc=th

Quote: "Only a few years ago, feminizing a consumer electronic product meant little more than creating a pink or pastel version of the same black or silvery item coveted by men. And, some retailers note, that kind of marketing still goes on. But feminizing technology is more about a product’s fundamentals, often expressed in its ease of use. It is not always aimed exclusively at women, but it is female friendly."

Women for Hire Magazine Essay Contest

Women For Hire Magazine Essay Contest: “How to Juggle Multiple Priorities…Without Losing Your Cool!”

In 500 words tell us what you do and how you do it. We want to know all the things you manage to fit into your day without sacrificing your sanity, productivity, quality of life, or your sense of humor. Include your tips for time management with all of those among us who suffer from efficiency deficiency.

We will feature the essay and photo of the winning entrant in the upcoming issue of the Women For Hire magazine and showcase additional essays on www.womenforhire.com. So go ahead -- prove to us why you should be the Women For Hire guru of getting things done. We know you can find the time!

To Enter:
The deadline for submissions is May 3. All entries should be submitted in the body of the email to magazine@womenforhire.com. The original essay should be between 500 and 550 words. Also include a high resolution photo that illustrates the point of your essay!

Womengamers.com Scholarships

If you are planning on applying for the WomenGamers.Com - National Computer Camp Scholarship for Girls, your essay must be submitted no later than April 27th, 2007. F

or more information on how to apply, visit http://www.womengamers.com/scholarship

For more information about National Computer Camp, visit http://www.NCCamp.com

DigiPen Scholarship Deadline Coming Up
Don't forget to turn in your scholarship application for the DigiPen Institute of Technology Women's Scholarship!

The deadline is May 1st, 2007. For more information on how to apply, visit
http://www.womengamers.com/scholarship

Women in Games International Announces 2007 Conference Series

WIGI has announced their 2007 regional conference series, which includes
WIGI-San Francisco, "From Production to Profit: Creating and Marketing Games
for Women.² Held on Tuesday, March 6 at the Electronic Arts campus in
Redwood City, keynote speakers include Lucy Bradshaw, VP/Head of Production
and Development at Maxis/EA, and Ernest Adams, renowned book author and game
designer. This half-day conference will introduce ways developers can
specifically address the female consumer market. Industry insiders will
look at game structure, genre, content, the question of sex and violence,
stereotypes and other hot-button topics on developing and marketing game
titles for women. Register online today:
http://www.womeningamesinternational.org/register.html.

Thanks to the generous support of ECD Systems (www.ecdsystems.com
<http://www.ecdsystems.com/ > ), WIGI will have its first experience as a GDC
exhibitor this year! We¹re setting up an impromptu lounge area where you
can meet your WIGI colleagues. Visit us at Booth #238 on the main show
floor and grab a WIGI button, courtesy of Mary-Margaret.com!

The next conference of 2007 is WIGI-Savannah, ³Advancing Your Career in Game
Development,² on Thursday, April 26. Located at Savannah College of Art &
Design in Georgia, the keynote speaker is Jennifer MacLean, General Manager
of Games at Comcast Interactive Media. Attendees will learn how to break in
and advance their game industry career through panel discussions and
roundtables with top experts in the field. This seminar provides useful
information for women and men alike, new and veteran game developers.
Registration will be available online as of February 15, 2007. Registered
attendees will also be able to attend GDX on April 27. GDX brings together
game developers, educators and students with game development experts who
share their behind-the-scenes knowledge. More info: www.scad.edu/gdx
<http://www.scad.edu/gdx >
==========



-----------------------------------------------------
WIGI sponsors include Microsoft Game Studios, Microsoft Casual Games,
Ubisoft, DigiPen, Game Developers Conference (GDC), International Games
Developers Association (IGDA), Mary-Margaret.com, Girls in Games, ThemePark
Studios, WomenGamers.com and BusinessWire. This event is presented in
cooperation with the Women in Games Conference in the U.K.
-----------------------------------------------------

Closing Keynote added to Women in Games International Conference

Game Designer Ernest Adams Addresses Women in the Workplace

Tuesday, January 16, 2007---San Francisco, CA---Women in Games International announced today the addition of recognized game designer and author Ernestt Adams as keynote speaker at the Women in Games International-San Francisco conference. The conference is titled "From Production to Profit: Creating and Marketing Games for Women," and will be held at Electronic Arts in Redwood City, CA on Tuesday, March 6.

At this half-day conference, WIGI will discuss the future of game design and game marketing as the female player marketplace matures and expands. Ernest Adams, an accomplished game designer and published authority on a wide range of games industry topics, will close the conference with a keynote speech entitled, “Developing Backwards and in High Heels,” a phrase coined from the fact that actress and dancer Ginger Rogers did everything that Fred Astaire did, only backwards and in high heels.

Adams will explore at the past and future of women in gaming: what they contributed to the early development of the medium and how they will change it in the 21st century. He will examine several different aspects of the question, including the way women are portrayed in games; women as designers and developers; and the wants and needs of the female player.

Adams offers, “Everyone knows that the game industry has ignored the female market for far too long, but many developers don't have any idea what to do about it. My keynote discusses how the roles of female characters, players, and game developers all relate to each other in gaming culture, and how this knowledge can be used to attract more women players. WIGI is the ideal organization to spread the message, as well as working to help women get ahead in the business. I'm honored to have been asked to speak at their conference.”

A game industry veteran, Ernest Adams is well-known as a freelance game designer, writer, and teacher, working with the International Hobo Design Group. He has long been interested in issues related to women and gaming. A widely-published journalist, Ernest has also published several significant books on the game design and working tin the games industry, including “Break into the Game Industry: How to get a job making video games” and “Game Design and Development: Fundamentals of Game Design.” Ernest is also the founder and first chairman of the IGDA, and established as one of its major tasks the goal attracting more women to the industry. His website is www.designersnotebook.com.

Sheri Graner Ray, Executive Chair of the WIGI steering committee states, “Through his writings and talks, Ernest Adams has served as the voice of vision for the game industry for many years. He has always been a strong advocate for women in games and celebrates their contributions to the industry. We know that the audience at our San Francisco conference will benefit greatly from his expertise and vision on these topics.”

Conference sponsors include platinum sponsor Electronic Arts, and series sponsors Game Developers Conference (GDC), International Games Developers Association (IGDA), Mary-Margaret.com, Girls in Games, ThemePark Studios, WomenGamers.com and BusinessWire.

The Women In Games International Conference–San Francisco will be held at the Electronic Arts campus, Milestone Auditorium, which is located at 250 Shoreline Drive in Redwood City, CA. Attendance is $45 for general attendees, $35 for WIGI members and $30 for students with I.D. Space is limited, so interested attendees are encouraged to secure their spot by registering online today at www.womeningamesinternational.org.