Hire Heroes USA

Careers in Video Gaming: Meet Your Panelists

Careers in Video Gaming

Meet Your Panelists

Eddie Contreras

Lead Motion Capture Technical Animator | Sony Interactive Entertainment (SIE)

Eddie Contreras attended Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego where he earned the title of United States Marine. He then completed his training as Aviation Ordnance Systems Technician MOS 6541 in Pensacola, Florida and Cherry Point, North Carolina. He finally was stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton.

In January 2003, Contreras deployed with Marine Aviation Logistics Squadron 39 in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM and Operation IRAQI FREEDOM. Sergeant Contreras provided support ashore at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait and at various Forward Operating Bases throughout Iraq. Sergeant Contreras served honorably in the Marines from 1996-2004 as Aviation Ordnance Systems Technician MOS 6541.

Contreras attended Platt College San Diego and received his Bachelor of Science (B.S) in Media Arts. In May of 2006 he was offered a Motion Capture Technician internship at Sony Computer Entertainment America. He quickly capitalized on that opportunity.

Since that time Contreras has been a part of SIE Worldwide Studios and held various positions. Contreras has collaborated and shipped numerous critically and commercially acclaimed PlayStation exclusives including God of War, Uncharted, Days Gone and most recently The Last of Us 2.

Dan Spence

Game Designer | Yoh!, Sony Interactive Entertainment, San Diego Studio

In 2014 I enlisted in the Army as an 11B Infantryman. Shortly following in 2015-2016 I deployed to Africa and served under Horn of Africa Command (HOA COMM) running a Sec-4 mission in support of Special Forces operating in the region. Upon coming home, I move to Salt Lake City, UT and served in the National Guard until March 2020 as an infantry/combat tactics advisor in company level units. Attending the University of Utah, I used my GI bill to complete my B.S. in Economics while working a security job and running a small computer business through local listings. I decided to pursue a career in games in spring 2019 and was accepted to the University of Utah’s Masters in Entertainment and Art Engineering program. Less than a year in and without yet completing the program I received an internship at Sony San Diego where I currently work as a contracted Game Designer within the studio. Interesting facts about myself; I take guitar lessons on the weekend, love off trail snowboarding, and I’m an avid Dungeon Master for DnD.

Angela Golden-McCord

Sr. Recruiting Manager | Riot Games, Summoner: Tarangela

I am a Sr. Recruiting Manager at Riot Games. I support the recruiting teams responsible for staffing the R&D space at Riot (making new games), VALORANT, Legends of Runeterra, and Creative Expressions (like Riot’s upcoming animated series Arcane, Consumer Products and all Riot Music work). I have been at Riot and in the games industry for seven years now. Previous to Riot, I served in the US Navy, enlisted as a Quartermaster 2nd class (this means I did navigation, not supply management). During my time in the military, I had the pleasure of being on the commissioning crew of the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76).

John Doyle

VP of Production and Operations | Riot Games

John is currently the VP of Production and Operations for Riot Games. He’s worked in the gaming industry for over 20 years, starting at Wizards of the Coast and continuing at places like Electronic Arts, NCSoft, King and now Riot. John has launched games on console, PC and mobile platforms and has led teams and studios around the world. A former submariner, John spent time as a research chemist and network engineer before moving into gaming. He has four children and is currently hunkered down near Seattle.

Andy Parthum

Senior Manager, Platform Strategy and Partnerships | Activision Blizzard

Andy Parthum

Andy is on the Platform Strategy and Partner Relations team at Activision Blizzard, where he helps work on strategic partnerships with game platforms. He has been part of an MBA rotational program for the last two years, where he worked on a variety of different business teams around the company, including marketing and operations. Prior to earning a master’s degree from Northwestern University, he was a missileer in the Air Force, where he worked in a nuclear Intercontinental Ballistic Missiles (ICBMs) operations group while stationed at Minot AFB, North Dakota. He lives in Los Angeles with his wife and daughter.

Hire Heroes USA Receives $500,000 From USAA To Assist Servicemembers, Veterans and Their Families Impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic

Hire Heroes USA Receives $500,000 from USAA To Assist Servicemembers, Veterans and Their Families Impacted by COVID-19 Pandemic

ALPHARETTA, Ga. – Today as part of a historic commitment by USAA’s Military Family Relief Initiative, Hire Heroes USA will receive $500,000 to assist military and their families during these challenging economic times. The donation will allow the organization to further empower transitioning service members, veterans and military spouses as they search for their careers.

“We are incredibly proud and honored to have the support of USAA,” says Ross Dickman, CEO of Hire Heroes USA. “As more military families experience unemployment and financial hardship, this donation will provide immediate aid and employment assistance. The trust and endorsement of our mission from USAA will positively impact thousands of military families during this difficult time.”

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant and negative financial impact on military members and their families. According to research from the COVID-19 Military Support Initiative, 25 percent of active military families have been separated from their service member due to deployment or pandemic supporting activations. Thirty percent of military spouses are expected to experience unemployment, nearly four times the level of their civilian peers.

“For nearly a century, USAA’s mission has been to help our members be financially secure and to support them no matter what they face,” USAA President and CEO Wayne Peacock said. “Providing this contribution to organizations such as Hire Heroes USA that share our mission to care for military families does double duty. It helps meet the needs of today’s military families and veterans. And it gives these organizations momentum to keep serving as a lifeline for the military community.”

For more information about Hire Heroes USA’s work supporting veterans and military families, visit hireheroesusa.org.

For more information about USAA COVID-19 relief efforts, including more than $30 million in donations to organizations serving military and veteran families, visit usaa.com/coronavirus.

About Hire Heroes USA

Hire Heroes USA is a nonprofit organization that empowers US military members, veterans and spouses to succeed in the civilian workforce. We offer personalized one-on-one coaching, professionally revised resumes, mentoring, workshops, a job board, career fairs and more, to tens of thousands of job-seeking veterans and military spouses annually. Funded exclusively through public donations and private grants, we provide our services at no cost to clients.

In 2019, we helped 10,607 service members, veterans and military spouses find gainful employment. Since Hire Heroes USA’s founding, more than 42,000 Hire Heroes clients have found success in their job search.

All Hire Heroes services are being offered online or over the phone during the COVID-19 pandemic. This includes our volunteer services, which allow professionals to mentor and guide clients during their job search. Hire Heroes USA prioritizes transparency, earning a 4-star rating from Charity Navigator and the GuideStar Platinum Seal. For more information about our organization, visit hireheroesusa.org.

About USAA

Founded in 1922 by a group of military officers, USAA is among the leading providers of insurance, banking and investment and retirement solutions to nearly 13 million members of the U.S. military, veterans who have honorably served and their families. Headquartered in San Antonio, Tex., USAA has offices in seven U.S. cities and three overseas locations and employs more than 35,000 people worldwide. Each year, the company contributes to national and local nonprofits in support of military families and communities where employees live and work. For more information about USAA, follow us on Facebook or Twitter (@USAA), or visit usaa.com.

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Volunteer Spotlight: Kevin

When leaving the armed forces, transitioning service members sometimes struggle with translating their military experience into a simple, easy-to-understand resume and elevator pitch. It’s a big reason why Hire Heroes USA Volunteer Kevin Linde knew he could be a resource for veterans. For Kevin, he’s normally sitting on the other side of the table in the hiring process. As an experienced recruiter, he knows what hiring managers look for, and he’s eager to share that knowledge with veterans and military spouses.

“I felt I would be able to make a significant impact in the lives of those who have dedicated their own lives to serving our country through skills I have gained throughout my career,” Kevin said.

That’s why he reached out to Hire Heroes USA after discovering our organization in a Google search. Kevin’s skills and experience were able propel one Hire Heroes client forward who walked away from their conversation with an overhauled LinkedIn profile and a renewed sense of purpose as they embarked on a search for a new career.

“[The client] didn’t seem very confident in their prior experience and how that would help them in getting the job they were looking for,” Kevin explained. “They were so much more confident after our conversation. Knowing I was able to help put them in a better position to navigate their career search felt really great!”

That one experience isn’t the only reason why Kevin continues to be an enthusiastic advocate for military families. He said he often feels best when one of our clients tells him they learned something new or when he finds out they’re closing in on a new job.

“Knowing I can make an impact in the lives of those who have given so much sacrifice is a great feeling,” Kevin said.

We truly appreciate devoted volunteers like Kevin. If you would like to make a difference in the lives of veterans and military spouses, please click here to learn more about volunteering with Hire Heroes USA.

Top Jobs and Training Partners- August 2020

Top Jobs & Training Programs for August 2020

Every month, Hire Heroes USA selects several job openings from our job board to highlight. These job openings are posted by partnered employers who are looking to hire veteran and military spouse talent. To view the list of top jobs, our featured employer this month, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and a few training program partners of Hire Heroes USA, please click the link below.

Top Jobs & Training Programs – August 2020

August-2020-Top-Jobs