As Austinites, we’re blessed to live in a city that is progressive, experiential, experimental, game-changing, conscious and, lets face it, awesomely cool. In such a city, you’d expect the population to match, and in the ATX, we don’t disappoint. This Capital City is chock-full of amazing citizens who strive to better the city on a daily basis. From writers to activists, entrepreneurs to artists, we’ve rounded up a diverse group of Austinites that help make this city great.
Chelsea Howe is a bright new figure in the gaming world. The award-winning experimental game designer featured in Forbes’ “30 Under 30” and Fortune’s “10 Powerful Women in Game Design,” left Silicon Valley’s transaction-based scene for Austin last year when she was hired as EA Mobile’s creative director. The 27-year-old, who developed games like Farmville and Family Guy: The Quest for Stuff, says her interest in Austin goes deeper than its thriving tech microcosm, which she likens to San Francisco, but with “far more earnestness and authenticity.” “People in Austin ask how you are because they care, not because they want something,” she says. Howe claims Austin’s quirky community inspires her to constantly improve upon her products. “And, of course, I have lifetimes of game concepts waiting for their turn to come to life.”
