Women in Games Awards shortlist announced

MCV’s Women in Games Awards shortlist has been announced. The awards, returning for the fourth year in a row, were inundated with fantastic entries.

We’re really happy to be able to again celebrate amazing talent in the UK games industry, and we hope to see you all on May 11th.

Congratulations to all of our wonderful nominees, and we hope you’ll celebrate your nomination using your communications medium of choice.

Here is the shortlist:

Rising Star of the Year – Development Award – supported by Splash Damage

• Elyse Gymer, 3d character animator, Creative Assembly
• Steph McStea, QA analyst, Team17
• Iva Bachvarova, producer, Good Catch Games
• Vicky Potts, co-founder, White Pot Studios
• Laura Dodds, art director, Dream Reality Interactive
• Lara Coulson, junior game designer, Ubisoft Reflections
• Connie Duffy, communications and marketing assistant, Ground Shatter Ltd.

Creative Impact Award

• Olha Troiekurova, lead UI artist, Creative Assembly
• Lily Zhu, lead environment artist, Splash Damage
• Simay Dinc, game producer, Recontact:Istanbul
• Doro Kollo, UI designer, Splash Damage
• Anna Hollinrake, senior artist, Dream Reality Interactive
• Emily Knox, level designer, Sumo Digital Ltd
• Andria Warren, director of art production, Rare Ltd

Rising Star of the Year – Business Award

• Gemma Cooper, associate PR manager, Creative Assembly
• Lucy Barnwell, account executive, Warner Home Entertainment UK
• Anita Wong, account manager, Indigo Pearl
• Anne-Lou Grosbois Favreau, product manager, PQube
• Ria Patel, community executive, Square Enix
• Louise Chamberlain, producer, Triangular Pixels
• Laura Durrant, communications executive, Jagex
• Katy Ellis, project manager, Amplify

Businesswoman of the Year – supported by Amiqus

• Korina Abbott, videogame marketing & PR consultant, Kinetic Atom
• Sara Grover, head of marketing, WB Games UK
• Kirsty Rigden, development director, FuturLab
• Alex Moyet, senior international marketing manager, Activision
• Kat Osman, owner, Lick PR
• Louise Marchant, group marketing manager, Ubisoft Entertainment
• Helen Burnill, commercial director, Mediatonic

Journalist of the Year

• Chella Ramanan, freelance writer, Freelance and Glbiz
• Louise Blain, producer, Dialect Inc
• Jen Simpkins, deputy editor, Edge
• Sarah Hadley, co-editor, Everybody Plays
• Alice Bell, editor, Videogamer
• Hannah Dwan, freelance journalist, Freelance
• Danielle Partis, editor, Steel Media

Influencer of the Year – supported by Fourth Floor Creative

• Hollie Bennett, Playstation Access channel manager, Playstation UK
• Hannah Rutherford, video producer, Yogscast
• Alice Liguori, channel editor, PCGamesN
• Fiona Smith, streamer, Cyborg Angel
• An Coppens, consultant, Gamification Nation

Esports Woman of the Year – supported by Riot Games

• Heather Dower, marketing & communications manager, ESL
• Mary Antieul, senior partnerships and esports manager, BELONG (GAME)
• Jasmine Kanuga, esports tournament manager, Multiplay/ ESL/ Dreamhack
• Caroline Oakes, business development, ESL
• Kirsty Endfield, founder, Swipe Right PR
• Yvonne Hobden, consumer marketing lead at hp uk, Omen

Career Mentor of the Year – supported by OPMJobs.com

• Deborah Farley, head of talent and outreach, UK Games Talent and Finance CIC
• Tara Saunders, head of studio operations, Playstation London Studio
• Jodie Azhar, lead technical artist, Creative Assembly
• Deborah Mensah-Bonsu, community & content manager, Space Ape Games
• Ann Hurley, head of games business development, Testronic
• Lizzie Wilding, VP publishing, Dovetail Games
• Charlene Sharp, lecturer, Staffordshire University

Games Campaigner of the Year

• Emma Smith, talent manager, Creative Assembly
• Rosa Carbo-Mascarell, co-founder, Games For The Many
• Lucy Boxall, studio communications manager, Creative Assembly
• Danic Manojlovic, product manager, CD Media
• Michelle Tilley, senior release manager, Sony Interactive Entertainment Europe
• Melissa Phillips, freelance event producer, BAFTA

Outstanding Contribution – supported by Facebook

• Cat Channon, director of international communications, Warner Bros
• Thalita Malago, managing director, AESVI
• Jessica Curry, studio head, The Chinese Room
• Keza Macdonald, games editor, The Guardian