“Recent project exploration has included a deep dive into the gamification of Romeo & Juliet, namely how strangers fall in love, what makes love irresistible, and how to utilize play to inspire self-reflection around intimacy. I’m currently also experimenting with playable museum tours that invite participants to game their way through a museum as a way to personalize and embody the content of the exhibits. To cap off the day, I’ve been winding down at night by indulging my inner literature & philosophy nerd and reading physical books, often by candlelight, for the sheer joy of the aesthetic.”

Jessica is an interactive experience designer dedicated to crafting surprising games for curious people, immersive theater artist, and professor. Jessica has worked on Broadway, at sidewalk festivals, and in the digital abyss. Her work has been presented at The Franklin Institute, BostonFIG, HERE Arts Center, and FringeNYC. 

Jessica is a Professor of Game Design at Drexel University, a climate change game designer with The National Parks Service, a 2021 Arctic Circle Artist-in-Residence, a member of the Rachael Carson Center Climate Change Existential Toolkit cohort, and she recently gave a TEDx talk about embracing uncertainty through play. She is the founder of IKantKoan Games: www.ikantkoan.com, a studio focused on playfully exploring complex subject matter.  She holds an MFA in Devised, Ensemble Performance from The Pig Iron School of Advanced Performance Training/UARTS and a BA in Political Communications from the George Washington University.