Ernesto Escobar
Ernesto Escobar is the Executive Director of the Master of Engineering in Game Design, Development, and Innovation at Duke University. In this role he manages and oversees all the program’s curriculum development, students, faculty, staff, operations, and budget ensuring program excellence. He directs all marketing, admissions and recruiting efforts. Ernesto also teaches game design and development classes and mentors the students in the program. He connects and engages with internal and external partners regarding practicum projects, internships, career opportunities, seminars and oversees the industry advisory board.
Ernesto Escobar is also the Founder and CEO of Fanaticus XR, a game and software development studio. There, Ernesto oversees the design of all games and other software projects and manages all aspects of the business including hardware and software development, sales and marketing, team management, finance, and operations. Fanaticus XR’s focus is on asymmetric game design and experiences that involve XR hardware and software and appeals to a broad range of people.
Prior to Fanaticus, Ernesto worked in the innovation field, including the Innovation Ecosystems group and VentureLab, part of the Enterprise Innovation Institute at Georgia Tech. There, he worked with government officials and other public and private institutions to create customized programs that foster innovation, commercialization of technologies, increase industrial productivity and economic development. Ernesto also taught innovation and entrepreneurship at Georgia State University as part of the Robinson School of Business.Ernesto Escobar is the Executive Director of the Master of Engineering in Game Design, Development, and Innovation at Duke University. In this role he manages and oversees all the program’s curriculum development, students, faculty, staff, operations, and budget ensuring program excellence. He directs all marketing, admissions and recruiting efforts. Ernesto also teaches game design and development classes and mentors the students in the program. He connects and engages with internal and external partners regarding practicum projects, internships, career opportunities, seminars and oversees the industry advisory board.
Michael Schmitt
Michael Schmitt is an independent game developer and community organizer based in North Carolina. He founded and leads the Triangle Interactive Arts Collective, a non-profit organization supporting game developers and creatives in central NC. A graduate of UNC Chapel Hill, Michael’s career spans many years of programming, designing, and teaching others how to make games. He worked for several years as a Senior Instructional Designer at Unity Technologies, creating tutorials and professional training courses on the Unity game engine. He’s worked on games featured on Xbox Game Pass, Steam, and the iOS App Store, and his Unity training courses have been taught at professional organizations across the globe. He currently leads tiny teams to create small, thoughtful games at his game studio Too Much Tomato, working on upcoming releases TORSO TENNIS and FORKLIFT FLOWERPOT.