Nika Nour

Orange County, CA

Video Game Executive, 28 years old

Born to immigrant parents from Iran, Nika was one of the only first-generation Americans at her Orange County middle school who fell victim to bullying following 9/11. After successfully testing out of school, she enrolled in college at the age of 14. Nika turned to video games as a refuge from the troubles she faced, and eventually took this passion to the non-profit sector, where she currently serves as an Executive Director and leading voice for diversity and inclusion in the Video Game Industry. Nika is also a Ph.D student in Informatics at The University of California, Irvine. Dedicating her research to U.S. Technology Workforce Issues, she prides herself on working towards ensuring that marginalized people feel empowered and heard.