I saw it talked about in one of the emails from the Bascom Hill Society and was looking for new ways to be involved with philanthropy and UW–Madison.
Describe your connection to UW–Madison.
I earned my bachelor of science in computer sciences from UW–Madison in 2002. While studying, I met my future husband, Paul Salmon ’97, MS’99, who was earning his master’s in computer sciences. Paul and I got married in 2004 and settled down in Madison, with him working for Epic Systems. We maintained a close connection with the UW, and in 2011, I started working with the Games + Learning + Society group, creating educational games and researching their use in the classroom. Paul often returned to the UW to recruit for Epic. When Paul tragically died in 2021, I decided that the best way to honor his memory would be to create a memorial scholarship fund. The Paul D. Salmon Memorial Scholarship is a perpetual scholarship fund that is periodically awarded to an undergraduate studying computer sciences who is from an underrepresented group. More information can be found at cs.wisc.edu/2023-cs-department-awards-and-thank-yous.
How do you spend your time?
I currently work as a principal engineering manager for Schell Games. I also teach courses in video game programming for the University of California–Irvine. When not working, I have two teenagers at home who keep me busy driving them places. I have had a range of hobbies over the years, from knitting to making mead to converting my yard from grass to permaculture. Most of my volunteering over the years has centered on creating opportunities for underrepresented folks to join and succeed in computer sciences and the video game industry. I have served on the board of Glitch and of the Wisconsin Games Alliance (WGA). I have also helped for several years to organize WGA’s conference M+Dev and run the games showcase at the conference. Last but not at all least, I have been a troop leader for my daughter’s Girl Scout Troop for eight years and have run many games workshops with scouts over the years.
What is something important/fun for the WPC to know about you?
I grew up performing with my mother’s puppetry company and very nearly majored in theater instead of computer sciences. I feel passionately that the arts and the sciences benefit from each other, and the best discoveries come from interdisciplinary collaborations.
