Events
Comms
Project Management
Product Strategy
"if you want to raise an army of nerds, hire lynn"
- anthony gonzales, community member
From launching the Midwest’s first geek bars and restaurants to building thriving communities for millions of players, I’ve dedicated my career to creating spaces where people feel heard, valued, and engaged.
My approach goes beyond simply gathering feedback—I focus on building strong internal community teams that ensure player insights are actionable. Feedback is only as effective as the systems in place to process it. By collaborating across teams, establishing clear pathways for discussion, and aligning player sentiment with development priorities, I help developers and players to work together to discover and find the fun.
Go ahead, check out my professional history: the jobs and the experiences that brought me to where I am today!
Highlights
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Director of Social Media for Women In Games International
Joined WIGI to spearhead the complete restructure and rebrand of the organization. Combined following of ~25k.
Aug 2020 -
Moderator: PAX Online
Drink This: How to Create Game Themed Cocktails You'll Love
Sep 2020 -
Speaker: Fall Experiment 2019
The Good of Gaming
Twitch 101 and Beyond
Creating Community IRL and Online: What it takes to bring people together and create positive spacesOct 2019 -
Yule Ball 2020
Produced and hosted the most successful Yule Ball event to date, shattering revenue and attendance records
Jan 2019 -
Moderator: PAX West 2019
The Best Damn Geek Bar Panel Ever
Sep 2019 -
Founded AwkwardNerd Events
Together with my partner-in-crime, Lisa Romella, we set out to host unrivaled geek and fandom events. "We're here on party business."
Jul 2019 -
Rickmobile at Oak and Shield Pub
Brought the Rickmobile to Milwaukee in this record-breaking activation in partnership with Adult Swim. Attendance of over 3000 people, generating $30k in revenue for O&S and sold out merch sales for A/S.
Aug 2018 -
Founded Oak and Shield Gaming Pub
Successfully launched a 8000 square foot Video Game themed restaurant launch in under a month.
Apr 2018 -
Mar 2018
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Mar 2018
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Aug 2017
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Jun 2016
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Opened 42 Ale House
Drunk off the success of 42 Lounge, I foolishly believed we could run a video game restaurant.
2019 -
Ladies, Lairs and Lager (L3)
Spearheaded a weekly D&D Twitch Stream featuring female players. Grew to have a loyal following & generated a substantial new revenue stream in merch sales. I played the Fire Mage 😉
Jul 2014 -
Launched Barchievements
The first-ever gamified loyalty app had a profound impact on the future of the 42 brand and customer retention. Immediately, week-over-week sales increased as much as 200%. In the aftermath, we determined that Barchievements customers were much more likely to refer friends, buy merchandise and come to events. It is impossible to overstate the importance of this app as it relates to the success of 42 Lounge.
2013 -
Jun 2013
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Opened 42 Lounge
Milwaukee's first ever Video Game Bar opened the doors to a line that wrapped around the block.
Mar 2013 -
Business Plan
While working in a call center at a for-profit university that shall-not-be-named, I dreamed of opening a video game bar that would forever change gamer life and culture in the Midwest. Inspired by the Mana Bar, PAX and Robert Khoo, I began writing a business plan in between calls.
2012
TL:DR
I was always the kid with the big ideas.
Looking back, I should have known I’d be developing businesses from a young age. When I was 15 years old, my mother accompanied me to the local mall to inquire about a lease. I had created my first business plan for an hourly daycare center that would watch your children while you shopped. The mall director barely hid their amusement, but refused to engage with me on a serious level which only encouraged (and infuriated) me more. I was undeterred.
At 29, I opened the Midwest’s first Video Game bar, 42 Lounge. I loved geek and gamer culture, and I could see that we lacked spaces to gather and celebrate the things we loved, outside of conventions and events.
With the explosive success of the first video game bar, I went on to open three more businesses, each focused on providing gamers a community to call their own. In 2020, I ran the most successful Harry Potter themed event in the Midwest. Playing with my own money taught me the hard way to create and execute effective marketing strategies on a shoestring budget.
When the pandemic hit, I decided to use the time to develop my skills in marketing, while making a difference in an area I’m passionate about: giving women equal opportunities in the games industry.
Get in touch
Got an idea, project, or activation? Let’s chat!