WHO WE ARE

Beacon & Briar was founded by two diversity, equity, and inclusion experts who bonded over our insatiable curiosity and desire to live as authentically as we can—while helping others do the same.

Alayna Cole & Isabelle Brown

Alayna Cole has over a decade of experience in the games industry, working as a diversity, equity, and inclusion department manager, lore and authenticity expert, project manager, university lecturer, journalist, designer, author, creative consultant, and not-for-profit founding director. Her desire to learn has led her to experience as many facets of the industry as possible, and combine this experience with the knowledge she gained while earning her PhD in creative arts, certificates in HR and change management, and experience as a high school teacher. Most recently, Alayna spent five years working on the Call of Duty franchise at Sledgehammer Games, where she honed her skills and made amazing connections within her industry.

Isabelle Brown also worked on Call of Duty, contributing to both the authenticity of the franchise and the overall studio experience of her fellow developers. Prior to that, Isabelle was a caseworker for Aboriginal Legal Services, where her tendency to go above and beyond the job description helped her serve her community. Isabelle enjoys collecting knowledge and applying it in new, innovative ways—such as using her degrees in linguistics to make meaningful design choices in videogames or her experience in legal aid to help her build supportive partnerships and strategic roadmaps in corporate settings.