Amazon

-I led a design idea and pitched it to a vendor for creating a new product that has sold in 25+ sites.

I led, supported, and cross-collaborated with teams from different departments in process improvement and equity projects at my site that improved efficiency, ergonomics, safety and the employee experience. 
-I utilized my previous teaching expertise for editing the site specific safety training curriculum presented to 1,200 associates, and created the ergonomics presentation section. 
-I built a successful safety leadership round-table for associates and utilized feedback from boards, engagements and ideas from associates to improve safety metrics. 
-I was nominated for and obtained the reward for being the top performer in my position in the region for week in Peak of 2022.

Workplace Health and Safety Specialist (Project Manager)

Dixon Unified School District

-I re-established two special education classrooms with 3 direct reports in my time at Dixon High School, leading to students having appropriate assessments completed and access to equitable curriculum. 
-I was able to re-classify 4 students in my second year that were misclassified, redesigned all of the goals for 37 different students in order to lead to successful outcomes, and built/re-built relationships with over 500 employees, parents, specialists, and students.

Special Education Teacher (Program Manager)

Davis Joint Unified School District

-In my two years in this classroom with 6 direct reports, I created a workstation classroom setting that allowed for the fostering of independence, curriculum design and implementation for each student to meet students tailored goals and needs, behavioral reduction, and continuous growth opportunities. 
-I re-established one special education classroom in my time at Birch Lane Elementary, leading to students having appropriate assessments completed and access to equitable curriculum. 
-I was able to re-classify 2 students, one in my first year and another in my second year due to meeting expectations and needing a more demanding workspace, redesigned all of the goals for 6 different students in order to lead to successful outcomes, and built/re-built relationships with over 100 employees, parents, specialists, and students.

| Program Manager | Health Enthusiast + Gamer | Networker - Engager |

I am a health and safety specialist with a master's degree in exercise science and have multiple certifications including the PMP, OSHA 30 and CPR. I have over seven years of experience in leading, supporting, and collaborating with teams in various education and workplace settings, improving efficiency, ergonomics, safety, and employee experience.

Most recently, I co-designed a product with a vendor, and managed process improvement and equity projects at Amazon. I applied my previous teaching expertise to edit a site specific safety program and created the training materials for the ergonomics section for over 1,200 associates. I also built a successful safety leadership round-table and received a reward for being the top performer in my position in the West Region during Peak of 2022. I am currently exploring and open to opportunities in program or project management in the areas of gaming, augmented, virtual, or mixed reality, health technology, and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. I am passionate about these fields and eager to leverage my skills and network to contribute to innovative and impactful solutions.

Are you prepared for an unprecedented update in our channel's history, set to unfold over the next two weeks? We're rolling out 7 thrilling updates, marking a monumental moment you won't want to miss. Get ready for a surge of new content that will put a smile on your face:

1. Welcoming Eva Tucker's Support Your Indies: We're excited to introduce Resource #15 to our community resources, featuring star Eva Tucker's renowned Support Your Indies initiative.

2. Expansion of the Games Jobs Workbook: The integration of an additional 600 companies into our comprehensive games jobs workbook, from Eva's Indies list, is a huge step forward for aspiring professionals.

3. Art Portfolio Reviews: We now have enough volunteers to open slots for art portfolio reviews, offering a unique opportunity for feedback and improvement.

4. Free Tickets to Gaming Events: We're giving away 110 free tickets to two major gaming events, offering unparalleled access to industry insights and networking.

5. Mentorship Chats with Geoff Keighley: Sign up for an exclusive chance to gain insights from Geoff himself, as per his promise to the games community!

6. Early Career Guidance Pack Submissions: Launch your career with our Early Career Guidance Pack, tailored to help newcomers navigate the industry.

7. Major Update to Community Games Jobs Resources: We'll thoroughly update all 15 community games jobs resources, ensuring you have the latest information at your fingertips.

Curious about all the details? Dive into this 5-minute video to catch all the exciting updates.

This burst of content is a result of your support, giving me a week to recharge. Brace yourselves for a content explosion that's bound to energize and inspire. It's so thrilling; it'll feel like you've just experienced a Nintendo Direct announcing the new Wind Waker HD release for the Switch.

Throw me, and our community, a follow and just sit back and enjoy this explosion of always-free, always with love, always for all gamers' career support, won't you?

Stay tuned - it's all coming!

Stephen Lenz

The production team at Naughty Dog has a rare producer role open. 

When I was there I more than doubled the production team and was responsible for revamping the entirely of the production recruitment pipeline.  

That team holds a special place in my heart and I would LOVE for someone in my network to fill the role! 

It’s likely the needs have changed since I hired the last roles on production and while I’m not the direct recruiter there anymore it doesn’t mean I can’t talk to my experience hiring for this team.  

Good luck 🍀

lnkd.in • 1 min read

LinkedIn

Not entirely sure if working with me is a selling point 🤣 but this role just opened up on my team for anyone who has considered joining Team Xbox. 

We are working on some really awesome stuff, and the team is amazing. 

Apply online, or reach out to me, I would be happy to answer any questions or at least redirect them. 


https://lnkd.in/gVmDtira



jobs.careers.microsoft.com • 1 min read

Senior Product Manager in Redmond, Washington, United States | Product Management at Microsoft

What an awesome headshot and happy with how this turned out!

Thank you Unity for providing this to most anyone at GDC this year!

Amidst a really tough year, this helps many of us including me during the hard times, and was a really nice added effect to the conference.

While not a necessity, I have been dying for a new headshot and this couldn’t have come at a better time for me! 😊 

This year’s GDC was pretty magical on the whole with regards to creating a return of value for the attendees in very unique ways.

Between the headshot and the free concert, the ticket was absolutely worth the value this year at the expo level - Austin Wintory, again you were a boss and congrats on all of the awards to you and your team!

With GDC being over already, I cannot wait until next year to meet up with friends, make new friends and connections, and continue to find passion in this industry that I am really enjoying.

Cheers,

Stephen

#gdc2024 #videogaming #headshot #music #roi

Do you know your why?



A question that we often do not give enough daylight for a number of reasons. This question can trigger fear, uncertainty, pain, and many other uncomfortable feelings.

The other side though of this is that you can experience the plethora of beautiful emotions including happiness, excitement, fulfillment, creativity, and many more.

Many people will try to own your why, whether it be well or ill-intended, and you need to simply acknowledge, take what you will, and continue pressing towards your dreams. Your dreams can become a reality or that much more than you had ever intended when you put your head down and take the journey on one step at a time.

Also, take the time to be strategic in getting towards your why and don’t expect the straight line to be how you get there. Life is never a straight line and this will lead to misery if you don’t have options to get to your end. Also, when you do finally reach the why, don’t simply stop there!

I say all of this because I have had so many that have told me what I couldn’t do, including loved ones without ill intent, bad teachers and bad bosses that are on the other end and that do not want me to succeed. I’ve had doubts and I’ve fought with my demons numerous times to overcome them. I never stopped asking questions even when someone blew the question off…I never stopped asking myself what my why is.

I know many people that give up far too soon and refuse to be that or the person that causes someone to give up. I continue to try my best to encourage people to question and reflect. I also walk the path with many and get in the trenches with them rather than being that dick who tells them what to do without a why or helping them through. I am a continuous resource for most everyone because I know what it’s like to try to get help and get crickets. I’ve met so many people too that many have not and have wanted to because I had the confidence to try to have a connection or conversation that most simply dream of.

Please do me a favor and don’t let anyone take your why and be confident to steer into it. And if you need a little help, don’t be a stranger to me. Don’t let anyone take or beat your why out of you either! Afterall, it is truly the best part of what makes you the best version that you can be in this world.

I desire my master’s in business and want to learn my way into the gaming industry, and meet it at interactive health with time. I crave for a more accessible gaming industry too on the whole for many to enjoy. I love helping people too and serving as a resource, probably why I love program and product management so much! I am a lifelong learner to continue to prove a point that it’s never too late for anyone.

Cheers,

Stephen Lenz

#motivation #health #leadership #why #happiness

Arin Goldsmith, you are quite awesome.

I tried to keep it short to let you get back to what you were doing and only had one question for you. This was given that I had already asked about your journey and reason for going into games sometime ago.

I appreciate seeing your continuous push for diversity, equity, and inclusion for especially women in games and newbies pushing into the industry, and all the while being a kind soul.

While I had a rare introverted moment, I am grateful that you provided me with a connection to someone in the accessibility space. You also were patient with me as I was tired from a long day at GDC.

Thank you for motivating me to continue to push towards the industry, albeit coming from an outsider with no background in games just looking in and loving the many great people that I have met.

I also wanted to genuinely apologize if I had interrupted you from a conversation - I don’t think that I did!

The gaming community is such a unique and small community on the whole…with so many great people amidst it that are trying to make the gaming industry a better place, a creative and safe space, and also for a better and more accepting world.

Keep on inspiring and keep on driving for this change Arin…I look up to this like many!

Cheers,

Stephen Lenz

#motivation #diversity #videogaming #gdc2024 #memories

Me in my own element after GDC!

I had a few message me asking how I have so much energy and to be honest, I don’t know the answer to that haha.

I did have a lot of time to reflect though on my future and where I’m at currently. Three takeaways from the reflection:

1) Games, along with exercise and animals, are my three most incentivizing things in my life

2) Continuing to network and build relationships through time is key to long term personal success and gratification

3) Learning, patience, persistence, and resilience are what it takes to get the most out of life, and time and time again they prove to hold true at least in my life

This past week, I was able to enjoy games to the fullest - back to an exercise routine now that it’s over, I networked and made friends and connections, and I had some fantastic moments that were priceless and a reminder that I will be going places with time…I believe in myself and I am helping others to believe in themselves more than ever too!

I hope that everyone that attended GDC this past weekend had a similar experience, and I am grateful for the many that I met. Cheers again and to next year when many of us evolve more and find our way closer to our dreams!

-Stephen Lenz

#gdc2024 #videogaming #videogames #reflection #growth #development

Let me tell you something simple that I mean:



You are the best thing that has ever happened.

The fact of your existence is biologically magic.

Happiness truly comes from within each of us.


I am not saying life is easy by any means nor am I saying that it has a way of working out how it should. The key is sticking to the plan so long as you believe in that plan!

Your actions must follow your words!

Your failure cannot faulter you continuing to try!

Your dreams will come true with time!


Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise and be sure to find someone that will stand in your corner to support you along the way.

Happy Monday all and may you have a bright start to your week.

Cheers,

Stephen

#motivation #happiness #leadership

The powerful word of autonomy 

The right or condition of self government

It’s a core component of trust that many think that they do, yet really do not or do not understand what it means.

Having been in special education for 4+ years, this was a huge lesson that I learned very early on. This is because if you don’t allow for kids to explore and you control them with too many checks, they have behavioral and emotional outbursts…they also check out entirely. Adults are the same way and so are people in general.

If you want success, you have to have autonomy, and the way to this is a fine balance of rules, a clear plan, and enough documentation that does NOT take away from the direction that a team is heading.

If you want to see chaos and if you want to see an unproductive team, take autonomy away entirely…all of the disgusting elements of people will come out with this, you’ll turn over people, and you will sit their scratching your head as to why what you are doing is not working.

As a leader, constantly be assessing and asking:

1) What is working?

2) What is not working?

3) What is necessary?

4) Is my team happy?

5) Is my plan clear?

And you need to be asking your team these questions and not simply assuming as this is very dangerous! 

Autonomy is one important feature in a highly functioning team and not one to be taken lightly, as it can have huge and long term consequences.

Cheers,

Stephen

#leadership #autonomy #reflection #success

Do not let anyone take your soul and your character.

You need to do what you can live with through time because no one can live your life for you.

Don’t always take the words of others to heart and work to filter through all of the noise.

People can be very jealous, envious, and angered by those who have characteristics that they desire, which can lead to sabotage.

People will say nasty things and will continue to point the sharp pin in your flaws without focusing on all of the good that you do.

People will lead you to questioning your own integrity, respect, trust, professionalism, etc. and it is ultimately up to you to truly assess what you are doing.

Be you and be true to who you are at the end of the day, stand up for those who are afraid to speak, be emotional within reason if a situation calls for it, and be authentic at the end of it all.

You deserve to be the final assessor of your own soul and character, and make sure that you don’t simply change for one person. Change for the bettering of yourself and for what you think is going to improve you through time. Change for those who truly matter to you and for yourself in the end.

Do not just let anyone decide for you who you should be because if you can’t live with that change, you may be under the wrong person, around the wrong people, may have an area of improvement or may just simply be in the wrong setting.

Cheers,

Stephen Lenz

#leadership #authenticity #soulandcharacter #motivation

This is the face that I make when going to Sandbox for the first time in a long time!

Excited to play some Virtual Reality fun and save the Earth from aliens in 2088 if you couldn’t tell already! 😂 

Got to love VR/AR experiences on the whole and I love where video games are going at this time. 

That is all!

Cheers,

Stephen Lenz

#SaturdayFun #videogames #videogaming #sandbox #virtualreality

The audio people do not get enough attention!

Meet Ben Elliott

He’s a down to earth and very friendly gentleman that has a huge love and passion for games.

He’s an independent composer and he’s had some major opportunities to collaborate during his career which is a blend of music and video games.

He loves…playing music of course and brings massive amounts of light and energy wherever he goes.

He’s helped to establish a discord channel for those passionate about and that enjoy gaming music.

He also has a YouTube channel too and I’m sure you could enjoy some of his fantastic musical pieces!

He can be found here at X: https://lnkd.in/g9UzTxT4

He is a genuine, kind, and fantastic human being that really continues to give to others in the smallest of ways. He will go out of his way to help you where he can, especially with regards to music, and he wears his heart on his sleeve.

If you are an aspiring musician in games or want to collaborate with someone that is a gift, definitely hit up Ben! Otherwise, listen to his music and decide to directly connect with him like I had for the sake of listening to some of his fantastic tunes!

Cheers,

Stephen

#gdc2024 #composers #music #videogames #happiness

This is what happens when you try to duke it out with the current weather outside in California on a bike! Yes, I am a tad bit crazy and it was a tad bit pouring out putting it in the least.

It was honestly very zen-like when it was all said and done. The water against my skin and the sensations of cold receptors going off along with the nice heat from my body created a nice humidity feeling that was enough to keep me motivated. The dirt was fresh and not quite sandy or saturated too which made it easy to peddle.

It was furthermore a great reminder of simply being alive. A great reminder of being present with the weather conditions. A sort of therapy that you don’t always get when the weather is this way.

I definitely had to snap a few shots too while I was out as a reminder of the joy that I found today. I am proud of how far I have come from this last year and am excited for what lies ahead. I am starting to not dread my yesterdays too and instead focusing on the todays.

It’s onward and upward 2024 at this rate for me and I hope that the same goes for you!

What is something crazy that you have been motivated to do recently? What did you take away from it?

Share with me in the comments below!

#motivation #happiness #shenanigans #life

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