Best James O Hagan Podcasts (2024)

1
The Architect of a Stairway to Mental Health 53:06

1y ago53:06

53:06

Welcome to Episode Four of Y6 of The Academy of Esports podcast! I’m your host, James O’Hagan. Thank you for joining me as I welcome a giant of the medical device field who is now using decades of experience— and his own personal journey— to build bold, collaborative mental health roadmaps within responsible, therapeutic video game environments in …

1
The Paladin of Brooklyn 1:42:37

1y ago1:42:37

1:42:37

Welcome to Episode Three of Y6 of The Academy of Esports podcast! I’m your host, James O’Hagan. Thank you for joining me as I welcome a friend, a mentor, and a global legend in esports and education— Mark “Garvey” Candella, former founder & director of Twitch Student and current Chief Business & Strategy Officer of AcadArena. Garvey joined me from …

1
Esports in Ireland 37:47

1+ y ago37:47

37:47

Welcome to Episode Two of YEAR SIX of The Academy of Esports podcast! I’m your host, James O’Hagan. Thank you for joining me as I welcome a good friend from across the sea, Stuart Dempsey, the Founder and CEO of GamerFest Dublin, Ireland’s largest esports event. In the aftermath of Brexit, Ireland was elevated to the role of premier English-speakin…

1
Joy Sticks (Part Two): How a Global Leader is Revolutionizing Mentorship in Gaming 35:31

1+ y ago35:31

35:31

Welcome to PART TWO of Episode One of YEAR SIX of The Academy of Esports podcast! I’m your host, James O'Hagan. Thank you for joining me as I welcome back my friend, Amir Satvat, the global head of startup operations at Amazon Web Services. Before stepping into their current role, Amir experience included chapters as a principal publishing producer…

1
Joy Sticks (Part One): How a Global Leader is Revolutionizing Mentorship in Gaming 41:06

1+ y ago41:06

41:06

Hello and welcome to the first episode of the sixth year of The Academy of Esports podcast! I’m your host, James O’Hagan, the Vice-President of Education and Innovation at LeagueSpot, and an educator for over two decades. Thank you for joining us for Part One of what is surely going to be one of my favorite conversations in this podcast’s history, …

1
A Conversation with Melissa Burns // Founder and Chair of Esport Canada 47:34

1+ y ago47:34

47:34

The Academy of Esports podcast welcomes Melissa Burns, a leader in scholastic esports in Canada, in honor of International Women's Day. Melissa is the founder and chair of Esport Canada, one of the largest Canadian esports organizations committed to excellence in gaming and supporting the growth of the Canadian esports ecosystem by connecting and a…

1
A Conversation with Leah Koons // Gaming Event and Marketing Veteran & Founder of EQME 40:34

1+ y ago40:34

40:34

Leah Koons is a 10+ year gaming event and marketing veteran who has navigated and developed business relationships for endemic and non-endemic brands to the gaming industry. In our conversation, Leah invites the listener to learn how to be a successful and lasting presence in the game industry. For Leah, a bachelor's degree in psychology was the st…

1
A Conversation with Dylan Liu // Collegiate Esports OG & CEO of Uconnect 1:02:47

1+ y ago1:02:47

1:02:47

Dylan Liu is not one to not have an opinion on the state of collegiate esports. That is one of the things that makes him such a compelling guest for a conversation! Since 2011, Dylan has been involved in collegiate esports while founding the team at his alma mater, Texas A&M, and now serving as the CEO of his company, Uconnect. Uconnect provides a …

1
A Conversation with James Fudge // Journalist & Founder of The Esports Advocate 54:02

1+ y ago54:02

54:02

James Fudge has nearly 25 years of experience as an editor and journalist covering the video games industry, having worked for such companies as Avault, IDG Games' Games.Net, Computer Games Magazine, GameSpy, IGN, GamePro, GameShark, GamePolitics, GameCulture, Crispy Gamer, and more. Over the last three years he worked behind the scenes at The Espo…

1
A Conversation with Kalam Neale // Head of Education, British Esports Federation 41:18

1+ y ago41:18

41:18

As Head of Education at British Esports, Kalam focusses on delivering growth and development of esports in education across the UK and beyond. The recipient of the prestigious Pearson National Teaching Award for his outstanding commitment to digital innovation, Kalam, an experienced teacher, educator and educational leader previously served as Espo…

1
A Conversation with Will English IV // FGC Enthusiast, Tournament Organizer, Awesome Big Brother 45:20

1+ y ago45:20

45:20

Will English IV (the fourth!) grew up wanting to be in broadcasting. He had various jobs growing up but imagined myself as a newscaster or a weatherman, but the path to a stable career was very long. A competitive gamer at Homewood-Flossmoor High School and Northern Illinois University, Will saw esports as an opportunity to meld those worlds togeth…

1
A Conversation with Dr. Seth Jenny (Returns!) // Dept. of Exercise Science & Athletic Training, Slippery Rock Univ. 46:11

1+ y ago46:11

46:11

Dr. Seth E. Jenny returns to The Academy of Esports! Dr. Jenny is an assistant professor within the Department of Exercise Science and Athletic Training at Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania (SRU). As an esports academic, Dr. Jenny is a performance advisor to KovaaK 2.0: The Meta FPS aim trainer, founding member of the Esports Research Networ…

1
A Conversation with Dr. Rachel Kowert // The Study of Extremism in Gaming Spaces 27:55

2y ago27:55

27:55

Dr. Rachel Kowert is a Research Psychologist, the Research Director for Take This, a non-profit organization that provides mental health information and resources to the gaming community and industry, and is a Henry Cavill aficionado. Dr. Kowert has been featured in various media outlets, including NPR, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal,…

1
A Conversation with Andrew Czysz, Scholastic Esport Shoutcaster of the Horlick Rebels & Wisconsin High School Esports Association 27:20

2y ago27:20

27:20

Andrew Czysz is a shoutcaster for the Horlick High School Esports Team and for the Wisconsin High School Esports Association. At a young age, Andrew has already attracted attention for his calls of the game "Rocket League," been interviewed by one of the largest newspapers in the United States, and even interviewed NFL royalty. Andrew is an example…

1
A Conversation with Hillary Phan // Director of Diversity & Inclusion at VOICE 25:26

2+ y ago25:26

25:26

Hillary Phan is a trailblazer in the space of Collegiate Scholastic Esports. She was a part of an amazing core of people who helped to build the University of California-Irvine Esports Program. She has also been a long-time advocate for diversity, equity and inclusion. Her work with UCI, and now, AnyKey, and VOICE are critical in building a vibrant…

1
A Conversation with Kevin Fair (Again!) // CEO of I Play Games 27:49

2+ y ago27:49

27:49

At the start of the COVID Pandemic, Kevin Fair of I Play Games took the bold step to join up with the Chicago Park District to offer an NBA2K tournament to local children. What happened after that is nothing short of amazing! Learn about the great things that came about from the passion and love Kevin has for Chicago and the forward thinking of the…

1
A Conversation with Stephen Reid (Again!) // Senior Customer Engagement Project Manager at Microsoft 50:39

2+ y ago50:39

50:39

The work of Stephen Reid is a major influence on The Academy of Esports Podcast. Stephen is a passionate advocate of both play as a powerful learning mechanism, and technology as a tool for learning. Spanning an education career of 20 years, he has used over 140 off-the-shelf games to teach in over 70 countries worldwide. Minecraft sits at the hear…

1
A Conversation with Dr. Samantha Blackmon // Associate Professor of English at Purdue University 45:28

2+ y ago45:28

45:28

In this conversation, Dr. Samantha Blackmon, Associate English Professor at Purdue University, discusses not just her work at the university but also as a researcher interested in DEI issues in gaming. Dr. Blackmon champions working specifically on ways to bring people together from the games community, the games industry, content creators, and esp…

1
A Conversation with Dr. Roberto Gallardo // Director, Purdue Center for Regional Development 31:48

2+ y ago31:48

31:48

In this episode's conversation, Dr. Roberto Gallardo, the Director of the Purdue Center for Regional Development comes onto the podcast to talk about the current state of Internet connectivity in rural and urban areas. The issue is very much front of mind for many, especially in how it impacted education access during the height of the COVID pandem…

1
A Conversation with Dr. Rachel Kowert (3rd Time!) // Research Psychologist & Purdue University: Games Make a Difference Symposium Panelist 21:59

2+ y ago21:59

21:59

Dr. Rachel Kowert is a Research Psychologist, the Research Director for Take This, a non-profit organization that provides mental health information and resources to the gaming community and industry, and is a Henry Cavill aficionado. Dr. Kowert has been featured in various media outlets, including NPR, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal,…

1
A Conversation with Dr. Kelli Dunlap // Clinical Psychologist & Game Designer 35:28

2+ y ago35:28

35:28

Dr. Kelli Dunlap is a clinical psychologist (PsyD in clinical psychology, licensed, and practicing), a game designer, an adjunct professor of game design (MA in game design), and the Head of Community at Take This. Dr. Dunlap comes onto The Academy of Esports to discuss the main challenges she sees facing the gaming space and ways to tackle them. S…

1
A Conversation with Dr. William Watson // Associate Professor of Learning Design and Technology, Purdue University 35:23

2+ y ago35:23

35:23

Dr. William Watson, Associate Professor of Learning Design and Technology, and Director of Purdue Center for Serious Games and Learning in Virtual Environments focuses his work around the idea that the system of education is antiquated and designed to meet entirely different societal needs than currently exist. Like any tweaks, educational video ga…

1
A Conversation with Chris Bishop // Purdue University: Games Make a Difference Symposium (April 8-9, 2022) 32:14

2+ y ago32:14

32:14

As the Associate Director of Business Development at Purdue University, Chris Bishop is tasked with bringing events and initiatives to Purdue that would benefit past, current, and future Boilermakers. Three years ago, Chris and I started a conversation that morphed from "how to get esports onto Purdue's campus," into "we have all these amazing peop…

1
A Conversation with Alex McNeil // Choosing College & Esports 39:46

2+ y ago39:46

39:46

Alex McNeil is a private admissions consultant and one of the moderators of Reddit's r/ApplyingToCollege community, the largest student community in the world dedicated to college admissions. He has been working in college preparation and admissions in various capacities for almost five years — first starting a test prep company in the San Francisc…

1
A Conversation with Marcus Howard // Content Creator and Crypto Specialist 31:26

2+ y ago31:26

31:26

Marcus Howard returns to the podcast to discuss his new project "Innovate: Gaming & Esports." This project is a culmination of his work to bring a heightened level of awareness to the depth of the esports industry beyond the games, and to give light to those doing the work not always seen on big stages. As an almanac, this project also hopes to ope…

1
A Conversation with Dr. Chris Haskell // Head Coach of Boise State University Esports 40:36

3y ago40:36

40:36

Dr. Chris Haskell, Head Coach of Boise State University Esports, returns to the podcast for the third time. Our conversation revolves around the development of an esports culture, and the careful considerations one must take when considering corporate sponsorships of your program. -- Dr. Chris Haskell // Twitter // Website Boise State Esports Check…

1
A Conversation with Dr. Krista-Lee Malone // Anthropologist at UW-Madison 33:44

3y ago33:44

33:44

Professor of Anthropology and Game Scholar at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Dr. Krista-Lee Malone, is a conversational guest on this episode of the podcast. As an Anthropologist, it is surprising to some her involvement in gaming. However, as Dr. Malone points out, "The social sciences have so much to offer games and vice versa. People play …

1
A Conversation with Monica Miller // Director of Ritual Motions Guild 29:49

3y ago29:49

29:49

Monica Miller, Director of Ritual Motion Guild, is an independent consultant, freelance writer, and researcher who specializes in gaming and esports. With a passion rooted in the intersection of gaming and education, she calls upon her unique in-game and in real life experiences to dispel the stigma that video games are a "waste of time." -- Monica…

1
A Conversation with Dr. Tunisha Singleton // Host of I Have Questions Podcast and MORE 53:21

3y ago53:21

53:21

Dr. Tunisha Singleton is a Media Psychologist, Creative Strategist, and Sports Entertainment professional with an expertise in fan engagement, integrated marketing, and digital communication. Dr. Singleton is also President of Black Girl Hockey Club and aspires to work with more brands and non-profit organizations on projects surrounding building e…

1
A Conversation with Daniel Clerke, Director of Esports at Maryville University 52:47

3y ago52:47

52:47

Dan Clerke (Clerkie) has built a powerhouse esports program at Maryville University in St. Louis. He has worked to build a properly funded and staffed program at the school. However, he has some reservations about the state of collegiate esports. He shared his thoughts on the future of collegiate esports, and steps to consider to sustain it. -- Dan…

1
A Conversation with George Walker // Student Leader at Rufus King High School in Milwaukee 29:11

3y ago29:11

29:11

When I was first introduced to George Walker through 88Nine Radio Milwaukee Host Tarik Moody, I had no idea George was a student at Rufus King High School in Milwaukee. I thought for sure this was an educator trying to bring esports to his school. George has worked with school staff to enter his high school, this spring in the midst of a pandemic l…

1
A Conversation with Dr. Andrew Byrne // Counseling, Leadership, and Research in Scholastic Esports 41:01

3+ y ago41:01

41:01

Dr. Andrew Byrne, a professor at CalPoly, comes onto The Academy of Esports podcast to discuss a variety of counseling topics not typically discussed at the K12 level with regards to esports. Dr. Byrne has a doctorate in rehabilitation counseling/addictions from East Carolina University, so this episode is quite a change of pace. -- Dr. Andrew Byrn…

1
A Conversation with Dr. Miles Harvey & Dr. Clint Kennedy // Getting Deeper with Student Connections 58:37

3+ y ago58:37

58:37

Dr. Miles Harvey, Ph.D., a middle school educator in New Mexico and NASEF Scholastic Fellow, and Dr. Clint Kennedy, NASEF Board Member and Long-Time Scholastic Trailblazer, will join in on The Academy of Esports to chat about their work to deepen relationships with students through esports and gaming. -- Dr. Miles Harvey (LinkedIn // Twitter) Dr. C…

1
A Conversation with Patricia Smith // James O'Hagan's Mother, and a Grandmother 25:39

3+ y ago25:39

25:39

Patricia Smith is a chef, an artist, a former educator, a grandmother, and our host James O'Hagan's mother. Pat and James sat down in his kitchen to talk about her perceptions and thoughts about gaming and esports. This is not just about kids, but also how parents and grandparents can start to engage with their own children and grandchildren throug…

1
A Conversation with Dr. Clint Kennedy // From CT to PlayVS to NASEF 54:51

3+ y ago54:51

54:51

Clint Kennedy has been involved in Scholastic Esports for several years. He first brought about league play in Connecticut, before being a part of the start of PlayVS, and now is involved with NASEF. Dr. Kennedy is one of the few educators who has direct experience with non-profit and for-profit esports. Truly a great interview! -- Clint Kennedy (L…

1
A Conversation with Chris Aviles // Co-Founder of Garden State Esports 36:03

3+ y ago36:03

36:03

Chris Aviles returns to the podcast for a whole new conversation about being an accomplished author, and co-founder of a non-profit statewide esports association in New Jersey (Garden State Esports). -- Chris Aviles (Twitter // LinkedIn // Website) Garden State Esports The Esports Education Playbook: Empowering Every Learner Through Inclusive Gamin…

1
A Conversation with Kevin Fair // Founder & CEO of Chicago-Based “I Play Games!” 34:07

3+ y ago34:07

34:07

In a conversation with Kevin Fair, Founder & CEO of "I Play Games!," James and Kevin dive into the issues of access to gaming, bringing tech and events to underserved communities across the country, and perspectives of those experiencing gaming for the first time. -- Kevin Fair // LinkedIn "I Play Games!" Chicago Park District adds esports to its r…

1
Esports: It is a "Space Race," and is not the "Wild West" 16:53

3+ y ago16:53

16:53

While not a perfect analogy, when you strip away the geopolitical feud between the USSR and the USA, the potential infinite possibilities of space creates an interesting mindset. In American pop culture, the space race morphs into Star Trek where society had to come together for a greater purpose. With esports, we see that need, now more than ever.…

1
A Conversation with Jorrel Batac // Engaging in the Diversity of Scholastic Esports 35:19

3+ y ago35:19

35:19

Jorrel Batac is an Esports Scholastic Instructional Coach & Curriculum Specialist for the North America Scholastic Esports Association and the Orange County (CA) Department of Education. Jorrel and James sat down to discuss the diversity across ideas and experiences for those involved in scholastic esports. There is a growing richness that could im…

1
A Conversation with Dr. Rachel Kowert // She Returns, and, Wow, the World Has Changed! 43:35

3+ y ago43:35

43:35

Dr. Rachel Kowert is a Research Psychologist and the Research Director for Take This, a non-profit organization that provides mental health information and resources to the gaming community and industry. In this episode, we stray a little bit from talking solely about gaming to discuss topics related to the psychology around learning and interactin…

1
A Conversation with Dr. Tore Olsson // Teaching Historical Concepts with Red Dead Redemption 2 34:05

3+ y ago34:05

34:05

Dr. Tore Olsson is a professor of history at the University of Tennessee - Knoxville. He took up playing the game Red Dead Redemption 2 during the COVID-19 pandemic, and quickly saw an undercurrent of themes related to the late 19th and early 20th century in the game. Realizing there could be educational value in using the game as a vehicle to disc…

1
A Conversation with Christopher Turner & Cody Dragon // Launch of a New Esports Arena 40:40

3+ y ago40:40

40:40

Recently, Southern University Lab School launched their new esports arena. Christopher Turner returned to the podcast to talk about the space, and Cody Dragon also came on to talk about support of these spaces by the professional industry. The development of an esports arena is a major step for many schools. Southern University Lab School built the…

1
A Conversation with Stephen Reid // Senior Project Manager at Microsoft 1:00:37

3+ y ago1:00:37

1:00:37

Stephen Reid is a Senior Project Manager at Microsoft who is showing the world new ways for children, parents and educators to embrace Minecraft as a platform for game-based learning. Listen as Stephen shares his thoughts on the new ways games are being embraced in schools, and new ideas to consider related to the rights of children in digital spac…

1
A Conversation with Angelique Gianas // Educator & NASEF Scholastic Mentor 39:07

3+ y ago39:07

39:07

Angelique Gianas is an educator at Helix Charter High School in San Diego, a former North America Scholastic Esports Federation (NASEF) Scholastic Fellow, and now a NASEF Scholastic Mentor. Her story about her growth in scholastic esports should resonate with many educators who are not sure where to start. She also looks at game play as a great way…

1
An Interview with Ashley "AJ" Jones // Esports Head Coach at Park University 43:14

3+ y ago43:14

43:14

EPISODE 100!!! Ashley "AJ" Jones is an amazing person worth knowing in scholastic esports. Not only is she the esports head coach at Park University outside of Kansas City. She is also the chair-elect for the National Association of Collegiate Esports (NACE), and the vice-chair of the Kansas City Esports Coalitition. -- Ashley "AJ" Jones // LinkedI…

1
An Interview with Lori Bajorek // President of the National Esports Association 57:39

3+ y ago57:39

57:39

Lori Bajorek is the President of the National Esports Association. Her organization is focused on meeting students and schools where they are, and providing new experiences unique to their needs. In a growing sea of national esports organizations, the NEA is taking a measured approach to stand out. -- Lori Bajorek (LinkedIn) National Esports Associ…

1
An Interview with Bradford Harris // The EdTechTinker & Chief Learning Officer of TexSEF 58:47

3+ y ago58:47

58:47

Bradford Harris is an educator and the Coordinator of Digital Innovation in Aldine (TX) ISD just outside Houston. He also currently serves the Texas Scholastic Esports Federation as their Chief Learning Officer. Bradford's journey in esports is one not of a rush to implementation, but one that is carefully studying the landscape to, in the end, cre…

1
An Interview with Darren Korb // Musician & Voice of Zagreus in "Hades" 51:00

3+ y ago51:00

51:00

Darren Korb is a musician and the Audio Director of the IGN and Polygon 2020 Game of the Year, "Hades." We discuss Darren's process to develop the music for this amazing game. As esports grows in schools, this is an example of how we can think beyond the games to provide unique experiences for all our Scholar Gamers. -- Darren Korb (LinkedIn // Twi…

1
An Interview with Kathy Chiang // Assistant Director of UCI Esports 43:51

3+ y ago43:51

43:51

Kathy Chiang is the Assistant Director of UCI Esports. But one could argue that Kathy has been a key person for helping to bring collegiate esports to prominence. Since her days at Whitney High School, she has been helping to organize events and experiences that set new standards of excellence. -- Kathy Chiang (LinkedIn // Twitter) ESPN: Panelists …

1
An Interview with Victoria Horsley // President of the Unified Collegiate Esports Association 1:09:56

3+ y ago1:09:56

1:09:56

Victoria Horlsey, the Founder & President of the Unified Collegiate Esports Association, shared her story operating within the collegiate esports space. Victoria's place in the esports "Space Race" starts ten years ago through her involvement in early esports tournaments throughout the Midwest of the United States. Now, Victoria is an esports event…

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