NY Metro Chapter: Game Changers: From Spark To Shelf

Date:  Thursday, November 20, 2025
Time: 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Location: The Secret Studio Store
Address: 6 S. Broad Street, Ridgewood, NJ 07450
Cost: Members: $10 | Not-Yet Members: $15

Curious how games are invented? Join the NY Metro chapter on Thursday, November 20th from 5:30-8pm for an Interactive Game Night at The Secret Studio Store in Ridgewood, NJ! 

The evening will kick off with a playful group design challenge followed by a panel discussion with inventors, a games lawyer and industry insiders. Panelists will cover the full journey from spark to shelf, sharing stories and strategies about pitching, licensing, development and self-publishing. 

It’s an evening of creativity, insider perspective and practical advice - no experience required, just bring your curiosity.

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Meet the Panelists:

Moderator: 

Mary Georgescu is a Senior Game Designer at Spin Master and founder of Haiduc LLC, where she creates narrative-driven games across digital and analog platforms. With a background in visual storytelling and a passion for folklore and play, Mary blends creativity with strategy to bring unique concepts to life. She’s worked across indie and corporate spaces, navigated both self-publishing and traditional pipelines, and mentors emerging talent. A first-generation Romanian-American, Mary champions diverse voices in the industry.

Panelists:

Dianne Zenn is the owner of Secret Studio Store, a vibrant brick-and-mortar and online shop that celebrates creativity by featuring handcrafted goods, self-published books, and other one-of-a-kind treasures from independent makers. A lifelong artist and storyteller, Dianne is the inventor and designer of Veselka, a color-based strategy game, and the author of the Jin and Tonic book series and the upcoming webtoon Chaperones of Magic. She opened Catzias Collectibles in 1998 — the first women-owned, anime-only collectibles shop on the East Coast — and previously worked as a freelance illustrator, creative assistant at New Line Cinema, and cartoonist for several NYC magazines.

Anthony M. Verna III is the managing partner of Verna Law, P.C., where he helps creators, entrepreneurs, and businesses protect what makes them unique. His firm focuses on intellectual property and advertising law, including patents, trademarks, copyrights, and brand strategy.

Licensed in both New York and New Jersey, as well as the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, Anthony brings both legal expertise and a creative perspective to his work. He’s shared his insights at events such as the World Board Gaming Championships, Business Marketing Association of New Jersey, and Lawline.com.

Anthony holds a B.A. in Computer Science from Case Western Reserve University and a J.D. from Rutgers Law School.

Jennifer Graham-Macht: In her over ten years working in this industry, Jennifer has touched almost every aspect of industry work, from content creation and game design to publishing and retail. She loves that every day is an opportunity to learn and improve the work with her passionate teams at Keymaster and her retail store. She is excited to share that passion for learning with the industry through the Unboxed Board Gaming Podcast, Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment, and more.