Women in Games International is collaborating with Savannah College of Art and Design to present their next regional conference, “Advancing Your Career in Game Development.” Located at the Savannah College of Art and Design campus, the WIGI conference will be held on Thursday, April 26, 1-7:30 p.m., at The River Club, 3 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. The event will coincide with the college’s annual Game Developers eXchange conference.

WIGI, a nonprofit organization in the interactive entertainment industry, created their conference series to serve as a forum to discuss a wide range of issues pertaining to women in the gaming industry. This half-day conference will provide useful information for women and men, as well as new and veteran game developers. The conference consists of an opening keynote address, panels and roundtable discussions with top experts in the field, and a post-conference networking reception.

The conference kicks off with keynote speaker Jennifer MacLean, General Manager of Games, Comcast Interactive. In her keynote address titled “Everything I Need to Know, I Learned by Playing Games,” MacLean will discuss everything from the importance of communication to the value of diversity and the need to understand your priorities. MacLean will explain how games like Halo, Everquest, and Civilization teach attendees everything they need to know for personal and professional success. MacLean’s responsibilities as General Manager, Games at Comcast include management of all games products, strategy, and business development for the United States' largest cable company.

MacLean offers, “As a games enthusiast and former game developer, I’ve had the opportunity to experience games from the perspective of both creator and player. Professional women with that viewpoint have the ability to make a significant, lasting impact on the current and future development of games, as well as drive and shape growing sectors of the media and entertainment industries. Speaking at WIGI-Savannah is a great chance to demonstrate how men and women in the games industry can achieve greater professional results from this combined experience, and direct their career choices accordingly.”

"There are few things better than making games for a living," said Brenda Brathwaite, a veteran industry game designer and professor at the Savannah College of Art and Design, "and I understand precisely and personally why our students want to enter this field. Bringing Women in Games International to SCAD is a huge step for us and also a great benefit to our students."

Panel and roundtable topics include “Breaking In: How to Acquire The Skills and Get That First Job, focusing on the necessary skills for an entry level development job in the game industry; “An Array of Career Options,” designed to address the variety of careers available in the game industry, and, “The Ultimate Challenge: Balancing Work and Personal Life,” a timely discussion on challenges facing people in the game industry in achieving a work/live balance, and resolving quality of life issues.

Registration begins online March 1. Student registration is $20, and general registration before March 30 is a discounted price of $30. After March 30, the price for registration is $50. The registration fee also includes admission to GDX 2007 on Friday, April 27, an all-day event where game development experts share behind-the-scenes knowledge about the gaming industry, located at the Trustees Theater. To register for WIGI and GDX, visit www.scad.edu/gdx.