Neal Laurenza

Neal Laurenza has a diverse work experience in the gaming industry. Neal started their career as a Gaming Specialist at Best Buy in 2006, where they excelled and won the Best Buy Employee of the Quarter award. In 2009, they joined Geek Squad as a Counter Intelligence Agent, specializing in hardware and software repair, diagnostics, system setups, sales, and customer support.

In 2010, Neal founded More Than Games, a student-powered game design studio and learning lab. Neal established a partnership with Southern New Hampshire University to provide paid positions creating video games and also served as the internal designer and project manager.

Neal went on to work as a Talent Manager at Oviusly! Entertainment from 2010 to 2012. Neal handled marketing, networking, booking, and consulting for video game musicians, representing influencers with large followings.

In 2012, Neal joined DefendX Software as a Marketing Manager, collaborating directly with the CEO and COO. Neal managed the creation of new media marketing tools, digital strategy, and online advertising campaigns.

In 2014, Neal co-founded Game Assembly and served as the Admin. Neal played a key role in the company until 2019.

Neal's next role was as the Interim CEO at Bonafide Analytics from September 2018 to February 2019.

From 2012 to 2020, Neal worked at Southern New Hampshire University in various roles. Neal started as a Game Design Instructor, teaching game design and production. Neal also contributed to the development of a new game design program. Additionally, they worked as a Game Education Consultant, providing expertise for the university's online Game Programming degree by creating course visions for core classes and participating in workshops.

Currently, Neal is the CEO of Skymap Games, a company they founded in 2013. Skymap Games focuses on creating original titles and partnering with industry veterans to provide development services.

Neal Laurenza attended Southern New Hampshire University from 2010 to 2012, where they obtained a Bachelor of Science (B.S.) degree in Game Design and Development. Prior to that, they received a High School Diploma from Northern Essex Community College, though the dates for this accomplishment were not provided. In addition to their formal education, Neal also holds two certifications: Certified Scrum Master from Scrum Alliance and Gold Tech Certification from Geek Squad, with specific dates of completion not disclosed.