Strategies for Inclusion and Diversifying Leadership in the Gaming Industry With Gina Joseph

The Here's Waldo Podcast

Gina Joseph is the Chief Strategy Officer at VentureBeat and GamesBeat, the leading sources for news, events, and groundbreaking research used to help leaders make intuitive decisions. Gina brings two decades of expertise in media and technology to her role. As a first-generation Afghan American woman, she actively champions diversity and inclusion, especially for women leaders.

Gina is also the Founder of VentureBeat Lab, an innovative publishing arm focused on thought leadership, consultancy, and branded content. Additionally, she holds the distinction of being the first Afghan American board member for a games publisher in the US and is the sole Afghan woman occupying a C-level role in a games and tech publication. As a board member for The Daily Californian and the alumni network for Harvard Women, Gina has been recognized in Forbes and Digiday.

In this episode…

With diversity and inclusion increasingly recognized as essential to professional success, the gaming industry provides an opportunity for diverse voices to excel, especially with more women joining the space. What are some strategies for fostering diversity in women leadership roles?

Diversity in leadership requires a commitment to fostering an inclusive environment where people from disparate backgrounds feel valued and heard. Gina Joseph, a trailblazer in the industry, emphasizes the cruciality of actively seeking diverse voices to bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas to the table. One key strategy that Gina advocates for is establishing mentorship and sponsorship programs. Allowing underrepresented talent to access guidance and support from experienced leaders breaks barriers and fosters professional growth. Gina also highlights the need for programs that encourage people from various backgrounds to pursue careers in gaming. This creates a pipeline of talent that reflects the industry’s varied player base.

Join Lizzie Mintus on today’s episode of the Here’s Waldo Podcast, where she is joined by Gina Joseph, the Chief Strategy Officer at VentureBeat, to discuss diversifying leadership in the gaming industry. Gina talks about what attracted her to join Midwest Games, how Chief has positively impacted her career, the current state of AI in gaming, and her reasons for creating VentureBeat Lab.