As we start ramping up organisation of the upcoming 2018 festival, we’re proud to introduce the committee that will be helming the next installation of Play by Play. Built up of industry professionals from across New Zealand, this crack team will be doing their best to make Play by Play 2018 an unforgettable event!

Jess Woodward – Media Designer
Jess is a long-time cosplayer, longer-time gamer. When not leading a team of graphic designers at her day job, Jess plays mum to two cats and the population of Cosplay New Zealand. A chronic organiser, she recently micro-managed her own wedding, in which she walked down the aisle to Melodies of Life from Final Fantasy IX.

Joshua Boggs – Judging Coordinator
Joshua Boggs is a multi award-winning designer, and co-founder / director of Loveshack (creator of FRAMED & FRAMED 2). Josh cut his teeth in the industry years ago at EA, and has also worked with Apple where he has assisted them in bringing game demos to life on stage at WWDC. A Kiwi expat, Josh plans to return to home waters very soon.

Cassandra Gray – Volunteer Manager
Currently working as the Studio Coordinator for Weta Workshop Interactive, Cassandra is passionate about Production, Design, and PR & Marketing for games. She helps run a support group on Facebook for Women + NB People Studying Games, and is dedicated to making the Game Industry a more diverse and inclusive place.

Niamh Fitzgerald – Workshops Coordinator
Niamh is a game designer and artist with her indie studio Suntale Games, and a NZGDA board member. She has been responsible for running many of the NZGDA’s community events, including the NZ Game Developers Conference in 2017. She has a a corporate IT project management background, and is now dedicated to building the local game development community in New Zealand.

Ryan Langley – Social Media Manager
Ryan Langley is a Senior Game Designer at PikPok Studios, who’s worked on Doomsday Clicker, Rival Stars College Football and Dungeon Inc! Ask him about Sonic The Hedgehog.

Navi Brouwer – Conference Manager
Navi is the producer at Dinosaur Polo Club (makers of Mini Metro). Previously, she taught primary school in the wilderness of Vancouver, Canada, and then shifted into games as a QA Tester at PikPok. Navi has had the pleasure of organising Global Game Jam Wellington and Kiwi Game Starter, and helped with organising roles for Play by Play 2017. Navi hasn’t quite learned how not to put her hand up, but she’s getting pretty good at herding cats.

Peter Curry, Robert Curry, Lucy Morris – Directors

Thank you to everyone who applied to be part of the committee – we’ll be doing our best for the community heading into 2018!