2026 TrailblazeHERs in Gaming Nominees

I’ve been a gamer my whole life, and growing up in a family that celebrated gaming gave me the confidence to turn my passion into a career. Early on, I realized that being a girl in gaming and esports comes with challenges, but instead of letting that stop me, I decided to push boundaries and show that women belong at every level of this industry. My Mexican heritage has shaped who I am and how I connect with others, giving me a perspective and strength that I carry into everything I do. In a time when representation matters more than ever, I’m proud to stand as a visible example that talent and passion know no gender or nationality. As an Esports Presenter, interviewer, and content creator, I travel the world connecting with pro players and fans, creating inclusive, fun, and engaging spaces that celebrate gaming for everyone. Speaking five languages allows me to bridge cultures and make every interaction personal and authentic. I’m proud to be paving the way for the next generation of women in esports, showing them they can chase their dreams, break barriers, and make their voices heard, regardless of gender, culture, or background. I’ll keep blazing the trail, inspiring others, and proving that passion, resilience, and authenticity can change the game.

Alia Jones-Harvey is advancing a more inclusive, globally competitive future for the game industry in New York City. At the NYC Mayor’s Office of Media & Entertainment, she champions the growing indie developer community and builds pipelines for underrepresented talent. She commissioned a landmark digital games economic impact study, formed NYC’s first Digital Games Industry Council, helped create an affordable public bachelor’s degree in game design at City College, launched the NYC Video Game Festival, and supports initiatives like the NYC Summer of Games—positioning one of the nation’s most diverse cities as a global hub for game design.

A journalist turned community manager - I have been in the gaming industry in 5 years and during that, my focus have always been on the community, on diversity and to make the bar lower for women and non.binaries to get into the gaming industry. That passion for that games should be inclusive, the work fun and that we all should have fun gaming is the core of my work.

Celeste is the CEO and Co-Founder of Digital Sports Administration Inc., supporting esports tournaments and creative gaming activations across North America. She also serves as Director of Business Operations and Chief Strategy Officer for Women of Halo, helping shape strategy and inclusive competitive opportunities for women. With professional roots in the Halo Championship Series that expanded into broader leadership and operational roles across the esports industry, Celeste has overseen 250+ online and LAN events, contributing to tournament operations and community stage activations grounded in care for the communities she serves and a commitment to raising the standard of what gaming experiences can be.

I am a game and audiovisual professional dedicated to creating inclusive, accessible, and meaningful spaces within the gaming industry. My work sits at the intersection of game design, education, and cultural production, where I develop programs, mentor creators, and lead initiatives that expand opportunities for women and underrepresented voices. By connecting creative practice with social impact, I contribute to innovation, collaboration, and the transformation of how games are taught, developed, and experienced across diverse communities.

I have been blazing the trail for women in competitive gaming, esports, streaming and content creation for 25 years! I am proud to have paved the path for women like myself and thousands of others to feel confident, accepted and comfortable in the competitive gaming and live streaming spaces. It is my goal to continue to prove that women belong here and encourage future generations of females to follow their dreams in the gaming sphere.

Hi, I’m Dooshima Anger, Co-Founder of Games in Africa, an Adjunct Lecturer in Game Design and Game Development, and a Gameplay Programmer. I spend my time building games, teaching others how to make them, and helping grow game communities across Africa. I’m passionate about creating meaningful play experiences, mentoring upcoming developers, and making sure more women and African creators have a real voice and presence in the global games industry.

I am honored to be recognized as a Trailblazehers in Gaming Award nominee. As a PhD researcher, I am breaking new ground by establishing gendered toxicity as a critical area of study within gaming. Through published research, I highlight how harmful behaviors disproportionately affect women and marginalized genders, driving the need for more inclusive and equitable play spaces. I’ve shared this work with leading esports organizations and game user researchers, ensuring industry professionals understand both the human impact and the responsibility to enact change. My goal is to inspire progress, elevate marginalized voices, and help shape a safer, more inclusive future for gaming.

Moon is a silly creator with a big heart who indulges in cosplay, gaming, and creating a fun atmosphere for their peers and community. They compete in gaming tournaments that promote inclusivity and fundraise for great causes. They also have lead teams competing in tournaments in the past and want to continue to push for women and femmes to be uplifted and supported fairly in competitive scenes.

India Alanis Browne, known in esports as “Alanis”, is not only a champion on the competitive stage but also a dedicated advocate for safeguarding young people in gaming and esports. As an advisory member for YGAM (Young Gamers and Gamblers Education Trust), she plays a vital role in shaping initiatives that protect children and young players, promoting education, harm prevention, and digital wellbeing across the industry. Beyond competition, Alanis has established herself as a young content creator committed to sharing her personal journey to promote gaming for good. Using her platform, she amplifies messages of equity, inclusion, and wellness, encouraging safer spaces and inspiring the next generation to see gaming as a force for positive change. Her leadership, advocacy and creative influence redefine what it means to be an esports professional, proving that true excellence lies not only in winning titles but in building a safer, more inclusive future for gaming.

Joanie is the CEO of Women in Games International, a global nonprofit dedicated to advancing gender equity across the games industry. Over the past six years, she has led WIGI’s evolution by developing programs that support career growth, advance leadership development, and create meaningful, welcoming spaces where women and marginalized professionals can thrive. She serves on the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media’s Gaming Advisory Council and is an angel investor and founding member of PlayCap, the first angel investment network for women in the games industry. In addition to her nonprofit leadership, Joanie advises studios and startups on financial and operational sustainability, helping teams build resilient businesses while shaping a more inclusive future for games.

As cofounder of Jamsesh, Julie is a lawyer turned gaming studio leader, redefining the intersection of gaming and entertainment. Since starting in September 2025, she has led the Jamsesh team to unprecedented milestones, including negotiations with major music labels, proving that gaming's future lies in breaking down industry barriers. Julie aims to set new standards. By forging partnerships others deemed impossible, she's creating an entirely new space where gaming and entertainment amplify each other. Her work inspires a generation of founders to think bigger and refuse limitations.

Hi, I’m KarebearXP—a variety streamer, community builder, and chaos curator who believes gaming is better when everyone belongs. I’m passionate about creating welcoming, inclusive spaces where people feel safe to show up as themselves, whether they’re playing, learning, or just hanging out. Through collaboration, innovation, and a lot of heart, I work to uplift others, amplify underrepresented voices, and turn my community into something bigger than a stream. Trailblazing, to me, means leading with authenticity, kindness, and action—turning streams into platforms for connection, representation, and real impact. And that's exactly what I strive to do.

Lia Fuziy is a Brazilian game developer and educator who works to make the games industry more welcoming and accessible. As Chair of IGDA São Paulo and Coordinator of Game Dev Toolkit, she supports initiatives focused on community building, professional growth, and inclusion. Lia organizes events, game jams, and learning programs that help emerging developers, especially women and underrepresented creators, build skills, confidence, and meaningful connections. Her work brings together industry and education while contributing to a stronger and more supportive game development community in Brazil.

I’m a solo creator building Awaken 8 one piece at a time learning as I go, making mistakes, and growing through every part of the process. I never set out to stand out; I simply created something and fell in love with 3D CGI anime realism, and it helped me through a difficult chapter in my life. Awaken 8 is about connection, rebuilding yourself, and remembering who you truly are. If my journey resonates with someone or helps them believe they can start even without a team, that means everything to me. I’m grateful to be considered, and I hope my work encourages others to take their first step, even if it’s small.

I loved when the internet felt human (AIM, old-school Tumblr), so after my dad died I sold my house to go build a place where perpetually-online introverts could easily connect with each other again. Pulling from my years working with Hinge, OkCupid, and other dating apps, I architected a platform that doesn’t ever need to commercialize loneliness to survive. Goblins now helps people meet new friends (or even go on dates) inside their favorite video games while voice chatting. The journey hasn't been easy but gosh it's been so worthwhile to build something making the internet a little kinder. P.S.🚫🧊

I am the founder of the first female-focused esports organization in the Arab world, created to provide a safe and supportive environment for women to thrive in a traditionally male-dominated industry. Before founding Valar Club, I was a professional Call of Duty player, competing at a high level and experiencing firsthand the challenges women face in gaming. Those experiences shaped my mission. Today, my focus is on empowering women, building opportunities, and ensuring that no female gamer has to feel excluded, unheard, or unsupported the way many of us once did.

Mandy Wong is an indie game creator, narrative designer, and educator whose work explores psychological horror, social pressure, and moral choice through hand-drawn interactive storytelling. As the co-founder of Zeitgeist Studio, she leads the development of NAME OF THE WILL, a daylight horror narrative game that challenges players through ethical dilemmas rather than jump scares. Bridging fine art, games, and education, Mandy is committed to expanding representation, fostering inclusive creative communities, and pushing the expressive potential of narrative games.

I'm the founder and CEO of Geo AR Games, where we're proving games can change legislation and policy for the better of our planet. We partner with leading scientists to use games as a megaphone - translating fact-checked research into playable experiences that help millions understand climate complexity and long-term policy consequences. We've built a platform enabling governments and universities globally to collaborate on gamified research, stretching budgets through app-recycling and code repurposing. Our scientist-to-society pipeline makes invisible threats visible, empowers advocacy for better policies, and gives researchers the tools to reach the masses. I'm redefining games as transformative change agents for humanity's future.

Melissa Phillips is the Founder and Director of Games Leadership® supporting developers and Studios with bespoke Leadership pathways that reflect the realities of Game Development.

NolaQueenRell is a passionate gamer, community leader, and advocate dedicated to creating inclusive, welcoming spaces within the gaming industry. Her love for gaming drives everything she does, from streaming and community building to supporting creators and amplifying underrepresented voices. Through collaboration, mentorship, and authentic engagement, she works to make gaming more accessible and empowering for all. With a strong focus on representation, creativity, and connection, NolaQueenRell continues to inspire positive change and redefine what leadership looks like in gaming.

Pauliina Tornqvist is a Finnish video game producer known for her work at Activision, Ubisoft, Oculus, and other publishers on gaming franchises such as Call of Duty, Watchdogs, and Angry Birds. Tornqvist started her career by founding her own mobile game studio at the age of 20, before continuing to work across Europe and US on multiple AAA productions and advocating for diversity in the video game industry in podcasts, industry panels, and schools.

I'm a casual sweat as i like to say i have always had an obsession with fps games and even though i say i don't like competition (it's a lie) what i really hate is losing. I have done a few different tournaments and I have always placed. I recently will be doing more competitive gaming and hoping to enter some tourneys to put more black women on the map. Women are the most overlooked and mistreated in competitive gaming and with recent situations i hope to share a more positive pov that you can have fun and be kind while also being competitive. But also don't ever let someone play you, don't be afraid to trash talk back queens! We do it better anyways!!!

Riris Marpaung is the CEO and Co-Founder of GameChanger Studio, a visionary leader championing Indonesian indie games on the global stage. Blending strategic business acumen with a deep commitment to narrative, Riris spearheaded 1998: The Toll Keeper Story, drawing from her personal survival during the 1998 Indonesian crisis to ensure historical authenticity. Beyond studio leadership, she is a fierce advocate for equity, mentoring the next generation through Indonesian Women in Game (IWIG). Her work bridge-builds between commercial success and social impact, proving that diverse, localized stories possess the power to resonate with a global audience.

Hi! I'm Sol, a Peruvian game developer passionate about supporting the local industry through different initiatives. In 2018, I co-founded FemDevs Peru, a nonprofit that organizes meetups, game jams, and scholarships to encourage women’s participation in games. Over seven years, I helped build this community while growing as a leader alongside my team. Together, we’ve created a space where women can learn, create, and connect, generating meaningful impact. It’s an honor to be nominated in this category, especially now that I’ve transitioned into a board role. Today, I pass this experience on to the next FemDevs leadership and carry it into my studio, Somber Pixel, where I hope to keep growing as a leader.

I work at the intersection of games, community, and change - helping build spaces where people & ideas can thrive. Through emphatic leadership, partnerships, and advocacy, I focus on accessibility, inclusion, and sustainable growth in the games industry. I’m driven by curiosity, collaboration, and the belief that bold ideas and brave people collaborating together are what move this industry forward. I want to help open doors, and challenge outdated norms.

Jana "AKA" xLegendaryDollx, is literally a Doll. The sweetheart & community mom of her Legendary Fam. Known for her infectious laugh, high energy, bubbly personality, her streams are like a boost of seratonin where its feels like you're being hugged through the screen. (She also has an insane Pokemon & Sanrio plushie collection). Doll is a full-time content creator & partnered streamer on Twitch. She is a tourney organizer & caster for her "Legendary Series" where she hosts Apex Duos, Scrims, Random Royales & Marvel Rivals events. In a span of 3 years, Doll has spread positivity & recognition by bringing all parts of the casual & competitive community together, allowing them to network over the 400 events shes organized & held.

Age 30 i'm an black female ADHD Content creator beenonyoutube for 11 years if you like Tribute vids, Gameplays, Live streams, co streams, Adult audiences only🔞