About
Management
Amy Pritchard
Chief Executive Officer
Amy Pritchard is the Founder and CEO of Metaverse Mod Squad. Under her leadership, the company has grown from a handful of remote moderators to an industry leader in worldwide staffing services for digital spaces. Previously, Amy was the director of after school programs at an elementary school in Santa Barbara, and later worked as a commercial litigator in Los Angeles and Silicon Valley. She is a regular speaker and voice on Twitter for online safety and engagement for kids, and she serves on the Advisory Board for the kidSAFE Program and the Association of Virtual Worlds. She has a BA in Sociology from University of California at Santa Barbara and a JD from PCU School of Law. She resides in Northern California with her husband, daughter, and Newman, the worthless labrador.
Michael H. Pinkerton
Chief Operating Officer
As COO, Michael leads business development, operations, and public relations for the company. He also consults on child safety, design, and engagement strategies. His experience includes over a decade of practicing law with large law firms in commercial litigation, bankruptcy, and intellectual property. He is a regular speaker for real and virtual audiences, addressing topics as diverse as engaging children in virtual worlds, using a virtual world to extend a television brand, and metagaming's digital law issues. Michael graduated with honors in journalism from the University of Georgia's Grady College and then obtained a JD from the LSU Law School, where he was a member of the Louisiana Law Review.
Rich Weil
Vice President, Client Services
Rich Weil is the Vice President of Client Services at Metaverse Mod Squad, where he is responsible for project startup and management, client services and business development. Prior to joining Metaverse, Rich held positions building and managing Community Relations and Customer Service teams at NCsoft, Kaneva and Cartoon Network. A long-time MMO enthusiast, Rich is a consistent advocate of new ways to engage online communities that blend Community Relations and Customer Support. He is a frequent speaker at major industry events, including the Game Developers Conference, SXSW, LOGIN Conference, and Engage! Prior to joining the game industry in 2004, Rich obtained a degree in Military History from the University of Texas and worked in Human Resources and Management, including as HR Director for a software development consultancy in Austin, TX.
Regine Weiner
Vice President, Professional Services
As Vice President of Professional Services at Metaverse Mod Squad, Regine specializes in consulting and management projects for launching, monetizing, and servicing online products and games. Her unique expertise comes from a decade of success in the game industry, where she has focused on bringing new products online through the use of proper strategies, toolsets, analytics and leveraging great customer support and moderation teams. Her career began on I-Sun’s Virtual Student Union and has included positions with the VR Studio at Disney, Cartoon Network, Gazillion Entertainment, and most recently, as the Director of Operations for Nickelodeon Kids and Family Virtual Worlds. She is a frequent panelist at game industry events and resides in Los Angeles. She received a B.A. from Temple University in Film and Media Arts.
Nora Brennan
Director of Human Resources
As Director of Human Resources, Nora oversees administration of all human resource functions for the company’s world-wide organization of community managers, moderators, and customer service agents. Formerly with Linden Lab, the makers of Second Life, Nora was the first HR professional to join the company back in 2006. With her help, the company expanded into several countries and states and grew from a small team in San Francisco to a global institution. Nora's background in HR also includes jobs in healthcare and retail. She received a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from Northern Illinois University and is a certified Professional in Human Resources (PHR).
Susan South
Chief Moderator
As Chief Moderator, Susie is responsible for vision, management, training, development, and resolution with all of Metaverse Mod Squad's moderators and employees. Susie is a pioneer in the online community world. Back in 1994, CNN instituted a new form of expression for their viewers called TalkBack Live, Susie began her career as a systems operator, facilitating the TalkBack Live Forum. She then was instrumental in moving CNN's chat room over to the "World Wide Web" in 1997. With that impressive beginning, Susie continued to make history in online communities, hosting the first ever live chat with a sitting U.S. President, hosting chats with every major political figure in the United States and hosting online events for three presidential elections. Susie's level head and cool wit has since attracted companies such as Newt Gingrich's American Solutions, Gossip Girl, Court TV, The WB, The CW, Harry Potter, NASCAR, and Warner Bros. Metaverse Mod Squad is thrilled and honored to have Susie and her unparalleled experience and talent.
Tamara Brown
Director of Community Development
As the Director of Community Development, Tamara heads the company’s team of community managers. Her experience includes service as the first community manager for Webosaurs, a dino-centric virtual world from Reel FX Entertainment that features a game-filled prehistoric environment for kids. Formerly a New Media Producer and Project Manager in the television industry, Tamara has significant experience in web management, development, and content creation. Her past projects also include work as the managing editor of TheWB.com (online TV network) and for Warner Bros. Worldwide TV Marketing (CWTV.com & KidsWB.com). Tamara graduated from UCLA with a degree in Graphic Design/Media Arts.
Gina Miller
Director of Operations
Known as, "The Process Queen," for her strong process development skills, Gina managed the opening of and continues to manage the company’s first real-world office in Sacramento and handles most of the company’s human resources issues. Formerly a director in the high-tech software industry, Gina has extensive experience in software development and implementation, project management, and training. In a previous life, she taught middle school and high school students as a Life Sciences and American Government teacher and she brings her love of children to Metaverse Mod Squad’s online projects for kids. Gina graduated from Santa Clara University with B.S. in Combined Sciences, a B.S. in Political Science, and received her teaching credentials through the Department of Education, Counseling and Psychology.
Jennifer Lowe
Director of Online Media
Jennifer is responsible for customer acquisition, customer retention, expansion and support at MMS. She is an experienced consultant for virtual worlds, 'tween' brands, casual games, iPhone applications, and social networking sites, and combines creativity and business sensibilities into a unique brand of smart marketing. Previously, Jennifer was the Senior Director of Community at MOLI LLC and has worked with Home Box Office, Miramax, and JP Kids. Additionally, she produced Inner City Raiders’ fashion shows for NYC Fashion Week, and worked on various production sets including MTV. Jennifer developed a keen interest in social media and honed her grassroots marketing skills while promoting two NYC-based bands of which she was a member. She has opened for legends such as Iggy Pop, Joe Strummer, Sugar Cult, Henry Rollins, Vince Neil and has been on several national tours. Jennifer has a BA in Marketing from the Stern School of Business at New York University and an MBA from the Cotsakos College of Business at William Paterson University.
Chase Straight
Manager, Youth Media
Chase works in the 4mm Games studio in New York city as the in-house Community Manager for Def Jam Rapstar and other 4mm properties. He is our Manager, Youth Media and consults on numerous youth media projects including Pokemon, NFL Rush Zone, Kid Command, Pandanda, Scribblenauts and more. Previously, Chase worked in-house at Reel FX Studios as the community manager for Webosaurs, an action-packed, dinosaur themed virtual world for kids. Chase served on Ypulse's Youth Advisory Board and continues to guest post. He is also a prominent blogger, covering virtual worlds, music, and social media, where he explores the evolving intersection of music and video games, two of his lifelong passions. Before joining the company, Chase studied mass communications with an emphasis on music journalism at the University of Utah.
Patty Jausoro
Sales Representative
Patty is the company’s sales representative in Los Angeles, focusing on the film, television, and music entertainment industry. Her background is in producing television content with a focus in animation, producing animated series for many of the major studios and networks. Patty then worked as a Development Producer for one of the first and largest online networks. There, she helped launch some of the first flash webisodes, bringing her traditional animation production skills to a new platform. After the dot com shakeout, she returned to Hollywood and more animated series, including international co-productions, before winning an Emmy for PBS’s Curious George in 2008. Patty has a degree in Advertising/Fine Arts from the Academy of Art San Francisco. In her spare time she works in her organic garden, makes play-doh "snakes" with her son and is building a chicken coop.
Board
Treb Ryan
CEO, OpSource, Inc.
Director
Since 1996, Treb has been instrumental in defining and creating services organizations that improve the quality and reliability of the technology infrastructures businesses depend on for communications and commerce. Prior to co-founding OpSource in 2002, Treb was President of the Americas for Metromedia Fiber Network (MFN). Treb joined MFN from SiteSmith, a company that he co-founded in 1999 and ultimately sold to MFN the following year in a deal valued at $1.4 billion. Prior to co-founding SiteSmith, Treb was Vice President of Professional Services for GlobalCenter, a pioneer in the hosting and Internet services marketplace. Treb credits his success in creating IT services that meet customers' ever-changing business challenges to his background in operations, which includes ten years in operations and management positions at Great America, a division of Viacom, one of the world's largest consumer entertainment companies. Treb has been a guest speaker at numerous industry events, including CIO, venture capital, Internet, hosting, and software conferences. He attended UCLA and is an advisor to the UCLA CLAS fund.
Peter E. Hilliard
Vice President, Human Resources, Harmonic
Director
Pete brings over 20 years of executive Human Resources leadership experience with hyper-growth start-up companies and multinational, publicly-traded organizations. Before joining the Board, Pete co-founded the company and served as its President, working to develop the company's avatar staffing strategies and acquire its initial bridge financing. Previously, Pete was Senior Vice President of Human Resources & Corporate Services with Agile Software Corporation from 2002 until it was acquired by Oracle in 2007. Prior to Agile, Pete served as Senior Vice President of Human Resources & Administration with internet infrastructure companies Metromedia Fiber Network, Inc. and SiteSmith, Inc. and was Partner & Vice President of Client Services with consulting firm 54th Street Partners, LLC, where he led strategic engagements with clients such as Webvan, Borland Software, BeVocal and SiteSmith. He also held senior executive HR roles with the explosive growth company, Boston Market, Inc.
Carolyn Aver
Financial Executive
Director
Carolyn has been a financial executive in Silicon Valley since 1984. She has extensive financial, operational and business management experience. As a CFO, she was a contributing force at Agile, Autodesk, ParcPlace, and USWeb/CKS. She has taken several companies public, led more than 50 acquisitions and has grown companies from less than a million to over a billion. Carolyn currently advises a number of private companies; in addition she is a member of the Board of Directors of The Harris myCFO Foundation. Carolyn earned her bachelor’s degree in accounting from California State University at Hayward in 1982. She is a member of The Financial Executive Institute, Santa Clara chapter, and was a member of The COSO Small Business Control Guidance Advisory Group. In her spare time, Carolyn assists her husband at Aver Family Vineyards.
Joi Podgorny
Community Professional
Advisor
Joi's professional experience is a patchwork of seemingly disparate projects, that when seen comprehensively create an impressive quilt of new media business expertise. She is considered one of the industry's foremost experts in online community and children’s marketing, specifically in the under-13-year-old demographics. She currently works for Smart Bomb Interactive as the Director of Community Engagement for National Geographic's Animal Jam, and she previously served as Head of Community for Mind Candy, creators of MoshiMonsters.com. Joi's management and production accomplishments include articulating corporate integrated digital marketing strategies for 6 international children’s entertainment properties and designing team management and organizational structures for multiple Web Content and Web Marketing departments. She has led international remote teams in the US, UK and China, and has worked on management strategies from the business plan phase, through VC due diligence processes, on through developing and managing teams through project implementation.
Kent Schoen
Advisor
Kent has over ten years experience developing Internet products and technologies for social networks, web search, and online advertising. Kent currently leads Facebook's monetization efforts for Online Sales.
Prior to this, he operated a consulting firm focused on advertising and search technology for several Silicon Valley companies, including AllBusiness and Facebook. Additionally, Kent spent several years as a Director of Technology at LookSmart where he was responsible for the development of the company's suite of advertising products as well as its core web platform. Kent started his career as a software engineer building applications in the early days of the Web. He holds a degree in Economics with an emphasis in Computer Programming from UCLA.
William Furnish
United States Department of State
Advisor
Bill advises the company on issues of conflict resolution and international community building. He presently serves in the United States Department of State and is fluent in Dutch. Before joining the State Department, Bill was a commercial litigator in New Orleans, Louisiana, and was one of the first lecturers on e-discovery issues. Bill graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Tulane University with degrees in English and Philosophy and earned his law degree from Columbia Law School.