As Director of Gaming and Associate Creative Director at Cartoon Network, I led the creative vision for one of the internet's largest destinations for free online games. During my tenure, the platform grew to more than 2 billion gameplays annually, and a record-breaking time spent average of 77 minutes per person in the summer of 2007, while expanding beyond licensed games into original products, user-generated content, and persistent online experiences.
Working across product strategy, game design, art direction, UX, and brand stewardship, I partnered with producers, engineers, designers, writers, show creators and network executives to create experiences that extended Cartoon Network's franchises while introducing entirely new ways for audiences to engage with the brand.
The Challenge
By the late 2000s, audiences expected more than simple promotional web games. They wanted persistent worlds, personalization, social interaction, and opportunities to create their own experiences.
Cartoon Network needed to evolve from publishing individual games into building a digital ecosystem that could increase engagement across multiple franchises while maintaining the creative integrity of some of the company's most valuable intellectual property.
My Role
Director of Gaming / Associate Creative Director
I provided creative leadership across Cartoon Network's online gaming initiatives, overseeing projects from concept through launch.
My responsibilities included:
- Defining creative vision and gameplay direction
- Partnering with external developers, an internal games team, producers, developers, engineers, show creators and executive stakeholders
- Directing visual design, UX, and interactive experiences
- Maintaining franchise consistency across multiple properties
- Developing original concepts alongside licensed brands
Key Initiatives
Building a High-Performing Gaming Platform
I led creative direction for Cartoon Network's portfolio of online games, helping transform the platform into one of the highest-traffic destinations on the network.
The focus extended beyond creating individual games. We built systems that encouraged repeat visits, like the "Summer Showdown", supported multiple franchises, and continually introduced new content that kept audiences engaged.
Constant attention to in-depth analytics informed my decisions about what new games were created, and when they would be released.
I Designed and wrote documentation for CN’s badge achievement system, increasing retention on the site.
Creating Original Intellectual Property
While many projects leveraged established franchises such as Ben 10, Adventure Time, Naruto or Foster's Home for Imaginary Friends, I also championed the development of entirely new experiences.
One of the most ambitious was Mini Match, Cartoon Network's first virtual world built around an original IP whose characters and storyline I conceived and helped develop.
Rather than extending an existing television property, the project created a new universe designed specifically for online interaction, social play, and long-term engagement.
This required balancing entertainment design, product strategy, character development, UX, and community-building into a cohesive experience.
Empowering User Creativity
One of the projects I'm most proud of was developing the award-winning Game Creator series for Ben 10 Alien Force, Star Wars: The Clone Wars, and Batman: Brave and the Bold.
Instead of simply asking players to consume content, we gave them the tools to become creators themselves.
Players designed, shared, and played one another's games, dramatically extending engagement while strengthening their connection to Cartoon Network's brands.
The platform ultimately generated more than one billion user-created gameplays, demonstrating the power of creative participation over passive entertainment.
Results
- Directed creative for one of the world's largest online gaming destinations
- Helped grow the platform to 2+ billion annual gameplays
- Conceived Cartoon Network's first original virtual world
- Directed award-winning Game Creator experiences
- Generated 1+ billion user-created gameplays
- Expanded engagement across multiple global entertainment franchises
- Established creative frameworks that supported rapid development while maintaining brand consistency
Executive Takeaway
Cartoon Network taught me that the most successful products invite audiences to participate rather than simply consume.
Our biggest successes came from creating systems that encouraged creativity, exploration, and long-term engagement instead of one-time interactions.
That experience continues to shape how I approach creative leadership today: the most valuable ideas are rarely isolated campaigns—they're platforms that allow great experiences to grow over time.
