An award-winning teacher and designer, Kathleen Mercury has been pushing the boundaries of using design thinking to merge game design and instruction from elementary to collegiate levels for over 20 years. Currently, she is a Lecturer in the School of Education at California Polytechnic Humboldt teaching and supervising student teachers and works freelance as a Games-Based Learning experience designer. Kathleen is a published tabletop game designer with Greece Lightning (2021), upcoming title Tulip Season, and others in the works. Kathleen thinks happiness comes from being able to create the life you want, and she feels very fortunate that she's been able to do that.
Director of Educational Technology | Adjunct Professor of Game Design Ferris State University
Andrew Peterson is a passionate educator and game designer with extensive experience in game-based learning and tabletop game design. As a longtime instructor of Intro to Game Design at Ferris State University, Andrew has guided countless students through the creative process of designing, prototyping, and producing their own games. His expertise bridges the worlds of education and gaming, leveraging the power of games to create engaging and impactful learning experiences. Andrew is excited to bring his insights to Gen Con, inspiring others to explore the intersection play and learning.