How does the magic at SteelSeries happen? Continuing from the first part, we'll lift the curtain a bit while celebrating Women's History Month by hearing directly from a couple more of our amazing colleagues.
As we continue to highlight awesome achievements from women in gaming (and not only) throughout the month, today, we look within. If you missed it, make sure to catch up by reading the first part of our Women of SteelSeries blog. Get to know a few more of our awesome employees as we continue to celebrate Women's History Month.
Meet the women:
Amy Bouchard, Sales Director: "Responsibility? Sales. I make amazing tacos. One day, you will find me retired in Maui running a taco cart beachside."
Amy Wielgos, Global Talent Acquisition Partner: "I handle Global Recruiting and am the Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Team Lead! I am a new gamer -- I bought a Nintendo Switch March 2020 -- right before they sold out globally! I also love painting my nails and am teaching myself new nail art techniques."
Arlette Resendiz, Live Stream and Community Manager: "Hello! Some of you may know me as RaiBOT01, and I am the Live Stream and Community Manager at SteelSeries. My role involves proposing, producing, hosting and manage all the technology for all SteelSeries streaming initiatives which includes our awesome giveaways, collaborations with external partnerships, the creation of the calendar, social messaging, and data reporting. I am also the person who works on all community initiatives for all of SteelSeries. Our community is important to us and we want to make sure they are taken care of while we provide them a safe and welcoming space for all."
Ashley Kennedy: "eCommerce Merchandiser: responsible for launching products online and optimizing the digital experience for our customers!"
Karen Tolbert: "My role is the Head of Sales Administration for the Americas region. I started with SteelSeries in the finance department in 2012. I enjoy traveling, concerts and spending time with my daughter. While at home we create artwork, science projects and play games. A fun fact: I worked for GN Jabra in 2004-2007."
Lucy Lei: "I'm Lucy, product manager for spin products at SteelSeries. I have the great opportunity to work with game studios/companies, talented artists, and to collaborate with them to make limited edition products for gamers. Besides work, I love traveling, playing indie games, and practicing pilates. I consider myself a foodie."
Sarah Sutherland: "I am the Integrated Marketing Manager at SteelSeries, and I manage many of our partnerships, including Red Bull and G4TV! Fun fact about me is that I am also an actor and have been in many plays and musicals, including CATS (yes, I dawned the signature unitard in all its glory. If you have no clue what I'm talking about, do a Google Image Search for CATS the Musical, and you'll get a pretty good idea)."
Who is the biggest female influence/role model in your life?
Amy B.: "I always was inspired by Tina Fey for a very simple reason that I think resonates in my life - she worked in a very male dominated field that was filled with obstacles, inappropriate jokes and one hell of a lifestyle to stick with (late nights, weekends etc). And all she did was keep her humor, work ethic and just rolled up her sleeves and kept plugging away. That's it, that's life."
Amy W.: "My mom - she has always been there for me personally and professionally. She spent 30 years in the HR field and made it to a Global VP of HR towards the end of her career. I can go to her with anything in my life and she always gives me good advice - even if I don't always take it the first time around!"
Karen: "Unfortunately my mother passed when I was two years old due to cancer. My father, being the educator that he was (now deceased), made it a point to involve my extended family in helping rear me. I had a host of many aunts in my life; one in particular, Delphyne Tolbert McGlathery, was a prominent muse for me. Just by being present with her scholastic and career achievements, I learned how to emulate her tenacity and will to succeed in college, graduate school and beyond."
What are your favorite games?
Amy B.: "Minesweeper, Solitaire, Duck Hunt and Super Contra."
Amy W.: "My favorite game BY FAR - Breath of the Wild. Also Pokémon Legends: Arceus and Paper Mario."
Arlette: "LUMINES, Megaman X, ChipNDale NES, Mario RPG, Final Fantasy 9, FF7, Borderlands, Animal Crossing, StarFox 64, Metal Gear Solid 2 SOL, SOCOM, Castle Crashers, World of Tanks Console, DDR, Marvel VS Capcom 2, HALO 3, Chrono Cross, Xenogears, Kirby Super Star, Kirby's Epic Yarn, Kid Icarus Uprising, LOZ BOTW, The Adventure of Link, Ducktales!"
Ashley: "My all-time favorite has to be Legend of Zelda BOTW. It's hard to summarize just how impactful this game was for me when I first played it! I felt an emotional attachment to every character in the game. The subtle details that often go unnoticed are so special - it's a game that treats every element as an opportunity to tell a story. Composed by some of the most talented artists in gaming, its soundtrack is stunning and I often listen to it while working. And, of course, it's ridiculously fun to find the most outrageous ways to defeat Lynels. This is a game I regularly return to relish feelings of magic, melancholy, and nostalgia."
Lucy: "Stardew Valley, Animal Crossing: New Horizons, Overcooked."
Sarah: "While I'm not a huge gamer (I know it's hard to believe since I work for SteelSeries, but I'm learning more each day), I am a big fan of Civilization, Mario Kart, and Mario Party."
Recommend a game others might not know about:
Arlette: "Muscle March."
Ashley: "This is a pretty well-known game, but I always recommend Journey. It's a game that can resonate with anyone, given how heavily the gameplay leans into anonymity. The soundtrack is stunning and visually, it's one of the most unique games out there. For me, it was such an unexpected and impactful story - it remains amongst my favorites."
Lucy: "Worms W.M.D, it's an older game, but it's really fun to play."
What is your favorite SteelSeries gear?
Amy W.: "I do have a favorite... but I can't reveal the name or what it is is! Coming soon... :)"
Arlette: "All the headsets are raaad!"
Ashley: "My Apex Pro TKL and Prime mouse!
Lucy: "Arctis Pro wireless, Aerox 3 wireless. Everything wireless!"
Sarah: "I have an Arctis 7 headset in white, which I love. One of my favorite limited edition collections was the Ghost Collection because it's just so beautiful and elegant!"
If you could say anything to your younger self, what would you say?
Amy B.: "Oh man, that's a loaded question. 1. Be nice, kind to everyone and never burn a bridge. 2. Don't do what you're supposed to do .... do what feels right. And what will make you money. Ciddiyim. You need money to live. 3. Travel the world!"
Arlette: "Don't care about what others think about you."
Lucy: "Don't be afraid of making mistakes. Try different things. Don't wait to make difference or do something that you really like later, do it now."
Karen: "I would have told my younger self to explore other disciplines, step out of my comfort zone and learn another skill; don't limit yourself to what you do well."
Sarah: "Stop trying to be who you think anyone else wants you to be. Just be yourself and people respect that. Also, stop people-pleasing so much (to be honest I still am trying to work on this as my older self, so eeks)."
Join SteelSeries as we celebrate Women's History Month throughout March! Be a part of the SteelSeries community on: