Biography:
Kellee Santiago is a Venezuelan American video game designer and producer. She was born in Caracas, Venezuela, and raised in Richmond, Virginia. From a young age, Santiago had a passion for video games and was encouraged by her software engineer father to experiment with computers. During her time at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, Santiago became involved in experimental theater and planned to pursue it after earning a master’s degree in the Interactive Media Program at the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts.
However, Santiago’s path took a different turn when she became involved in video game design. While still a student, she produced Cloud, a game developed by Jenova Chen and a student team. Its success sparked the idea of founding a game development company, which led to the creation of thatgamecompany. Santiago and Chen co-founded the company upon graduating, with Santiago assuming the role of president.
Under Santiago’s leadership, thatgamecompany released several critically acclaimed games. She produced the studio’s first two games, Flow and Flower, which showcased the team’s unique approach to game design and storytelling. As the development of their third game, Journey, progressed, Santiago took on more responsibilities as president.
In addition to her work at thatgamecompany, Santiago became one of the backers of the Indie Fund, a group that invests in the development of independent video games. Her passion for supporting independent game developers led her to become a TED fellow.
In 2010, Santiago married Mike Stein, a fellow graduate from the University of Southern California. After the release of Journey in 2012, Santiago made the decision to leave thatgamecompany. Since then, she has contributed to the gaming industry in various roles, serving on advisory boards and working for companies like Ouya and Google Play Games.
In 2019, Santiago joined Niantic as the head of developer relations. Her experience and expertise in game design and production continue to inspire and shape the industry. Santiago’s contributions have played a significant role in advancing the medium of video games and promoting diversity within the industry.