What is your elevator pitch when someone asks, “What do you do for a living?”

I am the Senior Director of Programming for Machinima. What is Machinima you ask? It’s one of the biggest multi-channel networks on YouTube with over 10M subscribers that creates cool and compelling content for young males aged 13-35. I head up the various video game related channels and our Xbox App team.

Describe the path that led you to this career.

After being a game journalist for nearly two decades, I wanted to try something new. So I got into entertainment, specifically reality television. While I was working in production on Emmy award winning shows, I always kept in touch with the gaming community. Whether it was attending E3 or an industry event – it was always nice to reconnect with friends that worked with for so long as a journalist. The last few years, I started to miss the gaming industry and was looking for a way to get back into it. I’ve always been a fan of Machinima so when the opportunity came up to work here, I had to take it.

What are the elements of a successful workplace?

I love a workplace that supports you during the day but also wants you to have a personal/home life too. Previously I worked at a company where people would email you on weekends or late at night (expecting an answer). Or they would look at you funny if you left the office at 6 p.m. Here at Machinima, people respect your personal time. They want you to “have a life.” To me that speaks a lot about the company and culture here.

What is the one piece of technology you cannot live without?

I can’t live without my gaming consoles. If those weren’t in my life, I would go nuts. My iPhone is a close second.

What are you reading?

Unfortunately, I’m not a reader. I wish I was but I haven’t read a book in years! Do magazines count? If so, I regularly read Vanity Fair, Variety and The Hollywood Reporter.

If you could, what advice would you give your 20-something self?

You may think you know everything but you don’t. Learn to listen to others and learn to listen to yourself.

If you could do anything and know you couldn’t fail, what would you do?

Being an actor. It’s something I’ve always thought about doing but never did it. Living in LA, I’ve had plenty of opportunities to pursue this but personally, I hate the “rejection/not getting a part” aspect of it, which is why I never got into it.

At Double Forte’s San Francisco office, the conference rooms are named Rock and Roll, Motown, Hip Hop, Mambo, Jazz and Disco. Which name best describes you and why?

I would say Disco. Having been a former clubjock, I always gravitate to dance music.

What’s in your Netflix queue?

Breaking Bad Season 1 (yes, Season 1), House of Cards (haven’t seen it yet), The Following (haven’t seen this yet either).