Dena Mekawiis Co-Founder of ThunderPixelGames and Founder of the MekawiGroup. ThunderPixelis a collection of award-winning creators with a shared goal of developing exciting & fun pop culture themed games. MekawiGroup is the umbrella company of Style & Resilience, a consulting + marketing firm, focused on curating opportunities that have an impact on society, while working with investors to identify partnerships and projects.

Ms. Mekawiis a first-generation Egyptian Muslim American living in NYC. She ran for Miss Arab USA 2013 when realizing she wanted to be the voice for underrepresented communities. Dena then went on to work for Oprah Magazine, where she was able to use self-expression of fashion & editorial to celebrate her individuality.

She now uses her experience of self-discovery as an Arab American to work collectively, creating space for culture diversity. Dena has been chosen as a representative to the United Nations NGO,DGC which compliments her work as a Social Entrepreneur.

Ryan Johnson is Founder of Cxmmunity, a non-profit committed to increasing participation in minority esports through STEAM development. He’s also an Advisor for Brickhouse Ventures, an early stage venture firm that focuses primarily on esports, sports technology, music, film and production.

Ryan and I met a few years back at a Dreamhack event in Atlanta. At the time, he was just breaking into the industry. In less than two years I have watched him become a true force in the space with a mission, intelligence and drive to evoke real change. 

From the moment he told me about his inspiration for the X in Cxmmunity, I knew he was setting me up for an education regarding his vision and mission. From grassroots initiatives in underserved communities – more than 9 million kids have no access to laptops and wi-fi – to making history and changing the world, he dropped knowledge, reeled off data points and started me down his path to a better future. It’s hard not to be impressed and with dual tasking his new norm he’s achieving he’s goals quickly.

Rebecca Longawa is Founder + President of Happy Warrior and an Esports Advisor to Stadia Ventures and Brickhouse Ventures.

Rebecca told me she has a love for people which makes her a natural connector. She also talks about how her dad inspired her brand, Happy Warrior, and how esports continues to foster connection.

With over 20 years of experience in sports marketing and innovation, Rebecca runs her own consultancy agency, is an advisor for three global sports-tech investment firms and an Advisory Board Member for a number of sports-tech startups.

She is a go-to for both brands & athletes looking for strategic introductions, ambassador partnerships, post-career advice and personal branding.

Our conversation starts in gerbil tunnels, continues into the VC world of esports investment and crosses the finish line with the evolution of connecting through esports & esports-esque systems and platforms.

Joey Brander is President & Managing Partner of First Serve Partners. He was the youngest person ever hired to be an ESPN radio host and soon after settled into a career in venture capitalism. As President of FSP, he has invested in the Toronto Defiant and Splyce, as well as the Mad Lions, giving his firm a piece of the three major franchised esports leagues.

After we tinkered our way through a few audio and visual challenges, the two of us settled into a very entertaining conversation about the industry. You see, Joey knows esports. He's an expert investor and was one of the first to anticipate the esports world’s path to resembling the

traditional sports structure.

As a successful venture capitalist and student of the gaming industry his deal flow is substantial. He’s a special guest host on Cheddar Esports and a frequent contributor to multiple media outlets, due to his unique knowledge, connections and understanding of the space. Clear your

mind and then sit back and hang on for this one. There is a lot to take in.

Darcy Lorincz is an award winning, engineering-driven executive with 25+ years of experience building, implementing, and managing technology strategies delivering global solutions in communications, sports, esports, IoT and digital media markets.

From the minute Darcy and I started talking about the game changing moves behind what was recently announced as ENGINE Media, I was both awestruck and impressed with his vision, and that of the organizations leadership, and the speed with which they have been able to bring their plan to market.

As an industry-shaping founder, strategist, and technology pioneer, Darcy is a proven authority and innovator in digital media; delivering global engagement, scale, and monetization in esports.

And, as you will learn from our discussion, whether it’s the video game analytics of Stream Hatchet, the tournament platform of UMG and now UMG TV, the future of betting through WinView, or talking about haptic suits, avatars & holograms, ENGINE Media has grabbed the pole position in much more than just simulated racing.