Team Pets
#TheFam
Bernard Yee
@ CEO / Executive Producer
{ Co-Founder } I started playing and writing games on a TRS-80, and despite a detour into other professions, made it back into game development. I've helped launch genres like MMOs and rhythm games, saw two radically different approaches to high quality at Bungie and PopCap, which I brought to shipping a new medium at Oculus. Windup Minds is the place where I want to make games, with people I want to make games with.
Bernie's Pets
Roxy
Stefani Swiatkowski
@ CDO / UX Designer
{ Co-Founder } I spent my childhood drawing, writing stories, and playing games. Little did younger me realize she could turn those things into an amazing career. In the past ten years, I've worked on many projects across different platforms and genres, but none were quite so rewarding (and challenging) as Bogo and First Steps. I love making games that take risks and defy expectations– with smart and creative people.
Stef's Pets
Thisbe
Sabine
Ben Vance
@ CTO / Game Director
{ Co-Founder } I started patrolling the moon at around 4 years old, shortly after picking up a pencil, and haven’t looked back. My lifelong interest in art and computing led me through DOOM mods, into early VR labs, and into the professional world with Electronic Arts. I’ve always loved games, yet felt they were just the tip of the iceberg. I’ve explored the medium in many ways, as programmer, designer, artist, and director, and in many kinds of productions, including independent game studios, AR & VR startups, museums, and pop-up shows. I love the dance of excitement, expectations, and constraints while innovating in interactive experiences and creating unexpected joy.
Ben's Pets
Dr. Zoidberg
Jones
Midge
Hela
Loki
Tia
Jay Faulkner
@ Gameplay Engineer
Since discovering the debug menu in Sonic the Hedgehog, I've wanted to build experiences that surprise and delight players. I've built mods, indie games, and tools in various game engines and been a professional engineer for over a decade. I fell in love with VR the day I got my hands on a Vive and somehow found myself at my dream job with incredible people building something special - I intend to make the most of it!
Jay's Pets
Lenny
Ant
Austin Grossman
@ Lead Game Designer
Author, game designer, narrative designer, teacher. I started designing games in 1992 at the very beginning of real-time 3D, went on to work on classic immersives like System Shock, Deus Ex, and Dishonored. I moved into XR design as Director of Design at Magic Leap, finding the new paradigms mixed reality offers in game design and storytelling. I’m always looking for the next big new technology - and how to make it sing. In my other life I’m a novelist. My published books include Soon I Will Be Invincible, YOU, and Crooked, with more forthcoming. I like to put my own spin on different styles of genre fiction, to tell new sides of old stories.
Austin's Pets
Truby
Henry
Zelda
Emily Borjon
@ Animator
From the very beginning I've had the pleasure of being raised in a family full of creatives. My life has been centered around the art of animation and from a very early age, I knew there was nothing else I wanted to do. Not long after finishing Animschool, I joined a wonderful group of game artists during the initial exploration phase of Niantic's newest game, Peridot. I fell in love with interactive games while on this project and now I have the opportunity to dive headfirst into VR games with a group of insanely great artists. When I'm not animating, you'll find me at a coffee shop with a mocha and book in hand... or perhaps while I'm bringing characters to life.
Emily's Pets
Marty Boy
Ah Young Joo
@ Game Designer
As far as I can remember, I've been obsessed with crafting, designing, and making things. I earned my Bachelor's at the University of Southern California's Games program, where I led and designed several small-to-large-scale projects. Upon graduation, I spent a year working with game designers and shipping Niantic's first AR pet simulation game Peridot. I am passionate about designing games that are not only systemically rich and fun but also positively enrich players' lives. In my free time, you might find me practicing archery, sewing plushies, or doting on my pet bunny.
Ah Young's Pets
Opal
Ruby
Dren McDonald
@ Audio Design & Composer
I’ve composed music and designed sounds for film, tv, theme parks, escape rooms, VR/AR experiences, phone devices and, of course, games…many many games! Tom Petty famously said “Music is probably the one real magic I have encountered in my life” and I might add that interactive music (and sounds) bring that magic to another level. In addition to the music and audio that I’ve created for these projects I’ve also taught at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music and U.C. Santa Cruz (Games and Playable Media graduate dept.) I have also released many records under my name as well as my fundraising collaboration project called polyeheDren, where I’ve collaborated with musicians such as Iva Bittová, The Residents, Nels Cline (Wilco) & Josh Freese (Foo Fighters.)
Dren's Pets
Cocomo
Chester
Zipper
Bobbie
Tyler Schatz
@ Art Director
Hungry to work with great people on great projects! Trained across multiple disciplines and mediums. Over a decade of studio experience and education, fostering and collaborating with teams to not only have fun but be diligent in creating art and crafting groundbreaking stories and experiences. Credits and clients include Imaginary Friends, Chipotle, Dolby, Gatorade, Magic Leap, WB Animation, DreamWorks, NFL.
Tyler's Pets
Jack
Alejandro Cannizzo
@ Gameplay Engineer
I've always been fascinated by the inner workings of video games in all of their stages, which led me to learn how to program, since it was the closest thing to video games I could think of. Even before graduating and getting my Bachelor's I was already participating in game jams and always curious about how games were made, which eventually helped me build enough knowledge on the subject to land my first job in the industry when I joined Funomena. Since then, whether it's through professional or personal work, I haven't stopped learning about new and interesting aspects of video games, and hope I never do.
Alejandro's Pets
Poncho
Allison Draven
@ Producer
I grew up gaming with my two older brothers, spending countless hours immersed in worlds like Monkey Island and Baldur’s Gate. That early love of adventure and storytelling helped lead me to a career in games. With over a decade in the industry, I’m passionate about delivering quality experiences that players can get lost in. As a US Veteran, I understand firsthand the profound impact a pet can have on mental health and overall quality of life. In my free time you can find me listening to books and spending time with my husband and our five pets.
Allison's Pets
Ares
Athena
Loki
Esme
Nora
Becca Katic
@ QA
Games have always been my passion. I thrive on finding the little quirks that makes games tick– catching bugs, ironing out wrinkles, and making sure every player's experience is as seamless as it is fun. I’ve always been fascinated by what makes games work (and what makes them break), so getting to dive into the heart of a project feels like second nature. Joining Windup Minds has been like finding my people– creative, passionate, and dedicated to crafting something truly special.
Becca's Pets
Momo
Kuma
Jackie Tancredi
@ Community Manager
Believe it or not, while "play" was something I would engage in from a young age– I wasn't allowed to play video games until I was much older because my parents were worried they would make me too hyper– but that's just because I loved them so much! Somehow, I was able to convince them to let me major in this field and the rest is history. From the DK1 until now I've been in this space, observing, learning, and building– so it's incredibly exciting to now be on the bleeding edge of this medium with a mixed reality game like Stay: Forever Home. I pride myself on being a late bloomer in many areas of life, especially with games, and believe there is no such thing as a stupid question. Anyone who wants to learn more about the game, or how it works, is free to join us in our Discord server to talk more!
Jackie's Pets
Frank
Beans
Teka