Alert: New GeekGirlCon Staff Members Approaching
Written by GeekGirlCon copywriter, Henry Behrens
A group of friendly and excited new GeekGirlCon staff members approach you. They are smiling and wearing shirts marked with the word “staff” on the back. What do you do?
> Greet them.
You choose to greet them. You greet the first staff member.
The first staff member is AMY GRADZEWICZ. She says, “My name is AMY GRADZEWICZ, but telling you who I am would take way more time.” What do you do next?
> Ask AMY GRADZEWICZ about herself.
AMY GRADZEWICZ says, “My day-to-day life involves making paintings inspired by microscopic imagery, or still-life. I also play a lot of video games.” What else do you want to know?
> Ask AMY GRADZEWICZ about her work at GeekGirlCon.
AMY GRADZEWICZ is the VOLUNTEER PROGRAM MANAGER at GeekGirlCon. She explains, “I am most excited about meeting and working with our Agents! Our volunteers are an essential part of creating the special atmosphere at GeekGirlCon. Their excitement and dedication to GeekGirlCon is inspiring. I’m looking forward to getting to know them.” What else do you want to know?
You see AMY GRADZEWICZ at Disneyland with, from left above AMY GRADZEWICZ, her husband Jim, her friend Greg, and her friend Tasia.
> Ask AMY GRADZEWICZ to share something else about herself.
AMY GRADZEWICZ appears to think for a moment, then she tells you about her favorite female character. “I’m a big Trekkie. I love Jadzia Dax. She was unapologetic about her love of science, and she was still very sexy and powerful. There was something about the way she carried herself that made her an important role model for me growing up. She seemed so self-assured and smart.” Do you want to know anything else about AMY GRADZEWICZ?
> Greet second staff member.
The second staff member is JC LAU, a COPYWRITER for GeekGirlCon. What do you do next?
> Ask JC LAU about herself.
JC LAU says, “I was a college professor in political philosophy and ethics, teaching (among other things) philosophy of race and gender. Now I work at Xbox doing localization testing. One of the things I do is voice testing, so all the Xboxes in Australia and New Zealand are calibrated to my voice. I also am an avid gamer and have my own website about gaming and gender at www.mousesmash.com.” What else do you want to know?
You see JC LAU playing rollerderby like a champ.
> Ask JC LAU about what she’s excited or nervous about regarding GeekGirlCon.
JC LAU responds, “I can’t wait to sit in on the panels! I take notes on all the panels I attend. This year I’m also excited to be on a panel about representation and Asians in the media (with GeekGirlCon Social Media Manager Kristine Hassell, and Meris Mullaley).”
She pauses and then adds that she’s nervous about “making sure that everyone is safe and comfortable at the con. I know it’s not within the ambit of a copywriting job, but GeekGirlCon is one of the most welcoming and inclusive cons in the country, so making sure it stays that way is important.” What else do you want to do now?
> Greet third staff member.
The third staff member is AMY GEMBALA. What do you want to know about AMY GEMBALA?
> Ask AMY GEMBALA about her background and her job at GeekGirlCon.
AMY GEMBALA says she’s been the DEALER ROOM MANAGER for NORWESCON and the CONVENTION DIRECTOR for DRAGONFLIGHT. She adds that she runs her own small business selling gaming minis and supplies.
You see AMY GEMBALA giving you an extraordinary smile.
She is the EXHIBITOR SERVICES MANAGER for GeekGirlCon and she says the part of the con she’s most excited about is “the opportunity to meet new folks who work in the trenches of the con world and learn new things.” What else do you want to know?
> Ask AMY GEMBALA about her favorite female characters.
AMY GEMBALA says, “There are too many!” She lists a few: Sam Carter (SG-1), Kaylee Frye (Firefly), Agatha Heterodyne (Girl Genius), and Claudia (Warehouse 13). What do you want to do next?
> Greet last staff member.
The fourth staff member is LYDIA ROBERTS, who is the PANEL COORDINATOR for GeekGirlCon. What do you do next?
> Ask LYDIA ROBERTS about herself.
LYDIA ROBERTS says, “I am a contributing writer for ComiConverse.com, and I am a lifelong comic book collector! I am a teacher by day, and I share my love of comics and movies with my students.” What else do you want to know?
You see LYDIA ROBERTS to the right at an ice cream social, with her friends Kaia and Kalia.
> Ask LYDIA ROBERTS about her work for GeekGirlCon.
LYDIA ROBERTS replies, “I am most interested in working with a cool group of people celebrating women in geekdom, meeting new people, and getting more involved in an event that addresses an important aspect of who I am!” What else do you want to know?
> Ask LYDIA ROBERTS about her favorite female characters.
LYDIA ROBERTS does not hesitate. She says, “My favorite female characters are Dee (Rat Queens), Wonder Woman, and Buffy.” She adds, “And my dream cosplay is Dee!” What do you want to do now?
> Make sure my pass to GeekGirlCon is purchased.
You say good-bye to the new members of the GeekGirlCon staff. AMY GRADZEWICZ, JC LAU, AMY GEMBALA, and LYDIA ROBERTS all wave goodbye to you before you head onto your next adventure: BADGE PURCHASING!
