Here at PocketGamer.biz we celebrate diversity of all kinds. Speaking to various inspiring women at our Pocket Gamer Connects events around the world, and being aware that there is still a real need to shout about the subject, we decided to focus on females for December. In this series of features we will interview various women working in gaming, as well as sharing other stories around the subject.
Carly Taylor is a data science and machine learning security expert with a passion for gaming. Carly leads a team building machine learning-driven security solutions for Call of Duty - a billion dollar entertainment franchise.
She says "I empower others, especially women and other underrepresented groups, to consider careers in gaming by sharing my experience and tips to succeed on LinkedIn."
What first attracted you to the gaming industry?
I’ve been a gamer my whole life, starting at a young age with the Lion King on Super Nintendo. Growing up, gaming was an escape for me but I never realized I could make a career out of it.
What challenges have you had to face during your career - thinking specifically about being a female in the industry?
My career began in academia where I was first an analytical chemist, then later moved on to theoretical computational research. I’ve so often been the only woman in the room that I almost forget to notice it at times. I feel like I’ve seen it all - from being called too chatty to being talked over and having my ideas co-opted without attribution by the men around me. The older I’ve gotten, the less patience I have for this behaviour and I find myself using my voice to call it out. LinkedIn has been particularly cathartic for me in this regard. Sometimes it’s tiring, but getting emails from women telling me that they look up to me and appreciate me speaking up makes it worth it.
What advice would you give to companies looking to improve equality within the workplace?
Put your money where your mouth is. If you truly value diversity, make it a core value and work towards it.
And what advice would you give to other women joining the industry?
Don’t ever let anyone tell you that you don’t belong. Games are for everybody, and your voice is valuable. The tides are slowly turning and you are more needed than ever. Join us and make the games you would want to play.
Who inspires you the most (not necessarily from within games)?
Two women in leadership roles in gaming I really admire are Johanna Faries and Sarah Bond. Johanna is the GM for Call of Duty and Sarah is a CVP at Xbox. Both of these women have worked relentlessly to succeed in a traditionally male-dominated field and are opening so many doors for other women and under-represented groups to join the industry. They’re awesome and I can’t wait to see what else they accomplish!
Since you entered the games industry, what is the biggest change you’ve seen and is this for better or worse?
When I first joined gaming, there wasn’t a huge focus on equity in the workforce. In a few short years however big gaming companies are actually putting their money behind DE&I initiatives. Value is being placed on diverse perspectives and I think our games are better for it.
If you could change one thing about the industry, what would it be and why?
Crunch is the worst.
