Testimonials
DE&I often gets overlooked, despite its vital role in shaping not only a creative and innovative workplace environment, but products as well. The games industry has historically been slow to embrace diversity, leading to a lack of varied perspectives in both the workplace and game content. This not only stifles creativity but also alienates a significant portion of the player base. Alayna and Isabelle’s work has been crucial in changing this narrative, advocating for an inclusive approach that benefits everyone.
Amber Sullivan
DE&I Coordinator, Sledgehammer Games
I'd strongly encourage other studios to engage Alayna and her team for consultations. Our experience was professional, warm, intensely useful, and intellectually invigorating. The team went to great lengths to understand the specific context of our game and audience, and tailor their advice accordingly.
I was very nervous about presenting my work at the consultation. I was worried I might have written something offensive and ignorant, and would be judged for it. Especially since some of the outlines intentionally leaned into areas I suspected would be problematic, because I wanted to ensure we could benefit from the team’s expertise on those topics. I needn't have been concerned. The atmosphere was open, supportive, collaborative and friendly. The emphasis was never on saying 'you can't do this,' but always 'how can we make this work?' and 'how can we make this better?' The consultation was both enjoyable and rewarding.
Chris Gardiner
Narrative Director, Failbetter Games
Received consultation from Alayna through Represent Me
Isabelle is an incredibly fast learner who approaches new challenges with enthusiasm and diligence. Her proactive nature ensures that she not only meets expectations but often exceeds them. Isabelle's significant experience in diverse fields has provided her with a versatile skill set that she applies with great effect in her professional endeavors. Her commitment to continuous learning and development is evident in everything she does.
Shane Coates
Lead UI Engineer, Sledgehammer Games
Alayna’s experience as a producer, a leader, and a creative force of nature is unparalleled. When narrative questions arose around content or authenticity, Alayna was my first stop when it came to problem solving. She gave thoughtful, considered, and researched feedback, even utilizing her own expertise to point to consultants who could share more specific knowledge where needed. She deeply understood the creative needs of any given project, and rose to meet those needs every time.
Alayna's lore work was also foundational to organizing, tracking, and synthesizing huge volumes of information to be shared across departments, taking the stress off of writers. She was key in identifying pipelines for the flow of information, and labeling the high-ticket items needing creative approval first, versus down the line. She balanced lore and storytelling with ease, developing the bones of lore alongside the story, enabling them to feed into one another and create a more cohesive narrative.
Shelby Carleton
Senior Narrative Designer, Sledgehammer Games
As Director of Freeplay, I invited Alayna to Melbourne to present a talk titled “What We Think of Diversity”. The talk was delivered in ACMI’s largest cinema space and live streamed across the web. I am pleased to report that talk was very well received and highlighted important work and research Represent Me has been conducting.
I applaud Alayna for all the hard work she puts into her craft. She truly deserves the very best, and we are very lucky to have her here in Australia.
Chad Toprak
Director, Freeplay
If you are looking for an incredible person to help revolutionize your company, look no further than Alayna and Isabelle.
Sam Hudson
Senior QA Tester, Activision
Alayna’s deep knowledge of screen industries, combined with her lived experience and professional expertise, gives her a rare perspective on the challenges and opportunities related to DE&I. I strongly believe Alayna is well-positioned to make a lasting, positive impact on any organisation.
Becke Griggs
Jr Production Manager, Warner Bros ITVP
The amount of advice, recommendations and support Alayna has provided me is nothing short of invaluable. I've managed to overcome blockers that normally would stop me in my tracks, learned how to communicate with senior leaders, learned how to best work with my disabilities and how to best present myself and my talents to the team. Alayna has also helped me create a 5 year plan for my career in which I'm actively pursuing and couldn't have been able start and maintain this without her active interest in my career goals. Alayna's coaching and mentorship skills are second to none and anyone who becomes incredibly lucky like me to have her as a mentor will undoubtedly walk away not just a better team member but a better person in general.
Eric McKey
QA Analyst II, Sledgehammer Games
Alayna was a keynote speaker for GCAP 2022. In every one of the speaking engagements I've had with Alayna, she has approached the task with determination and care. When handling difficult topics, she engages with a mixture of diverse community involvement and experience, as well as personal, authentic and honest experiences. She engaged the audience with well timed humour, poignant remarks, and thoughtful observations.
I gladly consider Alayna for any speaking roles that come across my plate as she is easy to work with. She is well prepared, adaptable to feedback, and willing to have ongoing discussions to ensure we're handling each topic with the gravity it deserves.
Sav Emmett Wolfe
Manager of Events, Content and Communication, IGEA
Working with Alayna and her team has been a fantastic experience. The team are able to communicate in a positive and non-judgemental way, and were able to share insights that were simple to implement but had a profound impact on the response from our diverse community. They are fiercely proud of the communities they represent and their positive approach to advocacy is powerful. I would highly recommend them to anyone!
Hannah O'Brien
Head of Operations, Girl Geek Academy
Received consultation from Alayna through Represent Me
Alayna Cole was a panelist at the United Nations Women Nordic Liaison Office’s virtual event “Combatting Gender-Based Violence in Online Gaming: Towards an Inclusive and Safe Space for All” in December 2021. The event brought together experts from the fields of gaming, tech, and prevention of gender-based violence to discuss how online gender-based violence can be better recognized and addressed, and how the online gaming space can be safe and enjoyable for all to engage.
Alayna offered a valuable contribution to the panel, sharing her insights and expertise in an informative and captivating manner. She presented her arguments eloquently and convincingly, contributed to an interactive and reflective discussion, and demonstrated her ability to connect with the audience. It was a pleasure to work with Alayna. She had a structured and collaborative approach and was always responsive to communication, despite the difference in time zones. I would happily invite Alayna to speak at panels I am organizing in the future.
Siina Silvennoinen
Partnerships and Resource Mobilization Junior Consultant
UN Women Nordic Liaison Office