Board game industry professionals from Asmodee, Brotherwise Games, The Op among nominees in this year’s Wonder Women Awards
A cluster of board game industry professionals have picked up nominations in this year’s Wonder Women Awards, which aim to shine a light on women helping to shape the future of toys and games, consumer products, licensing and entertainment.
A total of nine employees from board game giant Asmodee and its Exploding Kittens subsidiary have been nominated in this year’s awards – which are run by industry group Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WiT) – alongside individual designers, retailer and marketing executives, and publisher owners.
Asmodee USA country manager Julien Sharp is in the running for the WiT Champion award, which looks to celebrate a woman “who exemplifies the spirit of WiT through volunteerism, leadership, and unwavering commitment to advancing the community and mission”.
The Op’s digital content specialist Ray Billings, who has spearheaded the company’s successful push into TikTok marketing, is up for the Digital Innovator award, as is Exploding Kittens VP of marketing Daisy Ritz.
Brotherwise Games marketing manager Jillian Schumacher is rewarded for her work on, among other things, the record-breaking $15m Kickstarter campaign for Brandon Sanderson’s Cosmere RPG, with a nomination as Marketing Visionary.
Asmodee global VP of real-time marketing Estelle Vareilles is also up for that award, while the company’s global legal director Céline Bucki is nominated for the Unsung Hero award for businesses of more than 500 employees.
British board game designer Ellie Dix, the owner of family board game publisher The Dark Imp, has picked up a nomination in the Designer/Inventor – Small Business/Entrepreneur category – a year after it emerged she was developing a board game with Hasbro in the wake of her being named a winner of the company’s inaugural Women Innovators of Play challenge.
Elaine Chase, the head of category for trading card games at Ravensburger North America, is in line for the Rising Leader (over 500 employees) award for her work on the hugely successful Disney Lorcana TCG, while Exploding Kittens VP of creative operations Kellee Vopelak is nominated in the same category for companies of under 500 employees.
Heather O’Neill, the owner and lead designer at 9th Level Games, picked up a nomination for Small Business Entrepreneur of the Year, while Exploding Kittens senior director of people Lisa Boatman is up for the Catalyst for Change award, recognising a woman “driving systemic change in the industry by promoting ethical practices and inspiring positive change in their organizations and beyond”.
Asmodee chief people officer and EVP of sustainability Arianna Ryan was nominated for the same category for larger organisations.
Bree Woodward, the creative director of Asmodee studios Office Dog and Z-Man Games, received a nomination in the Designer/Inventor – Corporate category, while the Unsung Hero (under 500 employees) award could be won by Exploding Kittens VP of finance and accounting Amy Baker or long-time Miniature Market purchasing, marketing and customer experience senior exec Christine Smith.
A statement from WiT said, “Our finalists represent the very best of our industry, from powerhouse executives and inspiring entrepreneurs to behind-the-scenes champions making a lasting impact.
“The Wonder Women Awards is where their stories are honored, their contributions recognized, and their communities elevated.”
Board game industry professionals nominated in last year’s awards included Danni Loe, who recently left Flat River Group to help revive distributor Luma Imports as part of ACD Distribution.
Voting for this year’s awards is open to WiT members from July 14 through August 1, with the winners set to be announced at the Wonder Women Awards Gala on September 11.
