International Game Developers Association (IGDA) welcomes three new directors to its board: Tiziano Giardini, Jennifer Estaris, and Pedro Zambon.
They replace several directors who are cycling off the board. Tiziano Giardini is a games ecosystem strategist and builder committed to empowering developers and growing the global games sector.
Giardini cofounded IGDA Italy with a group of enthusiastic volunteers in Turin, building it into a thriving, nationwide chapter with regular monthly events and nationwide partnerships. At 34BigThings, one of Italy’s leading game studios, he works between production and business development, as well as leading Quickload, the studio accelerator for early-stage teams.
Outside the studio, he has been involved in a number of ventures in gaming, innovation, and entrepreneurship. As a member of the IGDA Incubator & Accelerator Special Interest Group, he is an active facilitator of knowledge exchange between global and local initiatives. On the IGDA board, he brings a systems-level perspective, with an emphasis on creating more robust connections, infrastructures, and opportunities for developers globally.
Jennifer Estaris was the game director on Monument Valley 3, Monument Valley 2’s The Lost Forest, and Subway Surfers. Estaris is a passionate advocate for climate-conscious game development. With a rich background in narrative and design, Jennifer brings a unique intersection of creativity and purpose to the IGDA board.
She volunteers with the IGDA Climate Special Interest Group (SIG) and with Playing for the Planet where she serves on the Advisory Council and Co-Chairs the Storytelling Committee. Jennifer enjoys helping the global game developer community better understand and address the industry’s environmental and societal impact.
Pedro Zambon is a researcher, industry consultant, and advocate for the sustainable growth of game development ecosystems across Latin America and the Global South. Zambon is the cofounder and vice chair of the IGDA Incubation & Acceleration Special Interest Group, and founder of Savegame.dev, an initiative focused on policy design, incubation strategies, and empowering local game communities.
As a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellow at Utrecht University’s Collaborative Technologies Lab, Pedro leads research on collaborative practices and talent coordination in game development, including the creation of TeamMeUp, a platform designed to enhance team formation and networking among game creators. Now joining the IGDA Board of Directors, Pedro brings deep expertise in emerging markets, public funding strategies, research-driven decision-making, and international collaboration.
“We’re thrilled to welcome Tiziano, Jennifer, and Pedro to the IGDA Board,” said Jakin Vela, Executive Director of the IGDA. “Each of them brings an inspiring commitment to equity, innovation, and global collaboration. Their combined expertise will help us build a stronger, more inclusive future for game developers worldwide.”
The IGDA will be saying farewell to Margaret Krohn, Natasha Skult, Rami Ismail, and Guy Blomberg, all of whom concluded their terms and significantly contributed to IGDA’s efforts in expanding its global support initiatives, mentorship experiences, and event presence.
