EsportsNext Podcast

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast, hosted by Adam Joshua! In this episode, we are thrilled to have Michele Togashi, an Assistant Professor of Business and Esports Gaming at Atlantic Cape Community College. Michele brings a wealth of academic and industry experience, serving on the ACCC Esports Board and as an active member of the Esports Trade Association. Join us as Michele discusses her journey...

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast, hosted by Adam Joshua, professional entertainer and esports enthusiast! Today, we’re excited to welcome James O'Hagan, Founder of The Academy of Esports. With over 20 years of experience in education, James has been at the forefront of integrating esports as a tool for student engagement and learning. In this episode, James takes us through his journey into espo...

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast, hosted by professional entertainer Adam Joshua! Today, we’re excited to feature Vijay Koduri, co-founder of Sizzle.gg, an innovative startup that leverages AI to automate gaming highlights. Vijay, an entrepreneur and ex-Googler, brings extensive experience from his previous roles, including Head of Marketing for Google Wallet and SVP of Marketing at Adyen. At Si...

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast, hosted by professional entertainer Adam Joshua! Today, we’re featuring Rebecca Longawa, founder and president of Happy Warrior, a consultancy specializing in sports marketing, entertainment, and esports. With over 25 years of experience, Rebecca is a leading expert in the industry, working with pro athletes, streamers, and esports teams to dxevelop brand partner...

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast, hosted by professional entertainer Adam Joshua! Today, we’re joined by Raymond Smith, Director of Gaming & Esports at NASCAR. With over four years of experience at NASCAR and more than two years in his current role, Raymond has been instrumental in combining the excitement of gaming with the thrill of esports, making it a fun and accessible experience for al...

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast, hosted by professional entertainer Adam Joshua! Today, we’re excited to feature Robert L. Powell III, Founder of the BGG Foundation and former PlayStation alum. The BGG Foundation is dedicated to empowering socioeconomically disadvantaged youth by using gaming as a tool to guide them toward higher education. Robert and his team provide exclusive school gaming ev...

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast, hosted by professional entertainer Adam Joshua! Today, we’re featuring Will English IV, Founder of EBNEsports, Software Engineer, Freelance Broadcast Engineer, and Twitch Streamer. Will brings a diverse skill set to the table, combining his expertise in software engineering with a passion for broadcast engineering and esports. As the founder of EBNEsports, he is...

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast, hosted by professional entertainer Adam Joshua! Today, we’re featuring Christopher Silbernagel, Sports Planning Guide Lead and Social Media Manager at Premier Travel Media. After interning with Premier Travel Media in late 2019, Chris officially joined the team in 2021, where he plays a key role in building the company’s social media presence and brand awareness...

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast, hosted by professional entertainer Adam Joshua! Today, we’re excited to feature Tyler Thompson, Founder of My Favorite Company. Originally from Seattle and now based in Oregon, Tyler is a Pacific Northwest native with a lifelong love for gaming. From classics like Super Mario, Diablo, Halo, StarCraft, and Contra to his favorite Pokémon, Squirtle, Tyler's gaming...

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast, hosted by professional entertainer Adam Joshua! Today, we’re thrilled to feature Dexter Carr Jr., Founder and CEO of G-Haven Esports. Dexter's lifelong passion for gaming began with his first Gameboy Color and Pokémon Yellow, and gaming has remained a central part of his life ever since. For Dexter, video games have been more than just a hobby; they’ve helped hi...

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast, hosted by professional entertainer Adam Joshua! Today, we are joined by Darren Glover, the VP of Gaming at VaynerSports, Gary Vaynerchuk’s sports agency. Darren oversees gaming talent representation and gaming brand consultation, managing over 40 million followers across the talent he represents, including some of the biggest names in the industry like Bugha, Cl...

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast, hosted by professional entertainer Adam Joshua! Today, we are joined by Garrett Manes, a professional sim racer with an impressive background in motorsports. Inspired by his father’s 23-year racing career, Garrett got his start at just 10 years old, winning three consecutive Youth Championships in Arena Racing. His early success led to opportunities at Charlotte...

Join us on the EsportsNext Podcast as we sit down with Titus Walker, the Chief Executive Officer and Founder of the Ultimate Endgamers League (UEL). UEL isn’t just another esports league; it’s the world’s most expansive multi-genre gaming platform, revolutionizing the gaming industry and setting a new standard for what it means to be a global esports athlete. What Sets UEL Apart: Expansive Multi-G...

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast, hosted by professional entertainer Adam Joshua! Today, we have Jessica Jean Armstrong, COO at 404 Creative and an Epic Games Partner. Jessica has achieved over 200 million plays across her Fortnite Creative games, with several being featured by Epic Games. As a passionate UX Designer, she excels in creating impactful user experiences and thrives in collaborative...

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast, hosted by professional entertainer Adam Joshua! Today, we're joined by Vince Giardino, Marketing Coordinator at Withum. Vince leads marketing strategies for businesses in hospitality, consumer products, and professional sports, including esports. Tune in to hear about Vince's journey and his impact on both business and the community.

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast! Today, we have Mark Clark, CEO and Co-Founder of Esports AL. Mark co-founded the nonprofit Esports AL, driving the growth of esports in Alabama. With a background in military aviation and a B.S. in Aeronautics from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, Mark leverages his strategic and leadership skills to foster a dynamic esports community. Join us as we explore...

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast! Today, we feature Titus Walker, the visionary CEO and Founder of the Ultimate Endgamers League (UEL), the world's most expansive multi-genre gaming platform. UEL is not just about playing games—it's about building careers and shaping gamers into global esports athletes. Titus is a pioneer in transforming competitive gaming into a diverse and inclusive culture, u...

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast! Today, we're excited to have Lavell Juan, Founder and CEO of Brag House. With over 15 years of experience in driving technology and business innovation, Lavell is recognized as an industry expert and thought leader. He has a proven track record of launching successful technical projects and executing major events with professional athletes and Fortune 500 compan...

Welcome to Season 5 of the EsportsNext Podcast! Today, we have Gerald Solomon, the Founder and Executive Director of NASEF. Gerald has a distinguished background as the former Executive Director of the Samueli Foundation, where he championed creativity, sustainability, and entrepreneurial vision. In this episode, Gerald shares his passion for STEM education, scholastic esports, and his hopes for t...

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast! Today, we're joined by Kaitlin Teniente, the Director of Esports and Head Coach at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, TX. As the first female head coach of a varsity esports program in Texas, Kaitlin has a pioneering role in collegiate esports. With previous experience at Wizards of the Coast, Collegiate Starleague, and Super League Gaming, she brings a wealt...

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast! Today, we're joined by Kayci Evans, Global Head of Marketing and Brand Partnerships at Evil Geniuses, North America’s premier esports and entertainment organization. Kayci oversees global and domestic brand strategy, experiential events, content marketing, digital and social strategy, merchandise, and brand partnerships. Before joining Evil Geniuses, she spent n...

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast! Today, we're joined by Tim Brown, CEO of EventPipe. With a distinguished career that includes roles as CFO at Motus and ConnectEDU, as well as leading corporate development at EducationDynamics, Tim has a wealth of experience in finance and corporate strategy. Tune in to hear his insights on leadership, growth, and the future of the software industry.

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast! Today, we're excited to chat with Howard Beech, a leader at Scuti Rewards Marketplace. Howard is passionate about introducing brands to the engaged esports community, enhancing the gaming experience through rewarded commerce. With a rich career spanning VR technology at Mattel to digital transformations at Kodak, he has always been at the forefront of consumer p...

Join us on the EsportsNext Podcast as we chat with Heath Price, Associate VP for Partnerships at the University of Kentucky. With over 15 years at LSU and UK, Heath has been a trailblazer in integrating gaming and esports into university life. He shares how UK's leadership inspired his journey into esports and his excitement about the collaborative spirit of the EsportsNext Conference, where he'll...

Welcome to the EsportsNext Podcast! In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Ben Smith, Research Manager at ESPN. Ben has an extensive background at ESPN/The Walt Disney Company, spanning 14 years with a focus on media research for the past 7. A lifelong gamer, Ben’s passion for esports has grown from both a programming and academic perspective. He will be moderating the State of Esp...