If you want to hear more from Elisa, she is the guest of honor on the Renegade Society Radio Show on our Twitch channel tomorrow, March 19, at 4PM Pacific!

What is your role at Renegade?

Elisa: I am the Senior Producer of Roleplaying Games here at Renegade, and I am in charge of all things TTRPG! This includes writing original or working with licensed material to develop game mechanics, hiring writers, contributing to and editing the books, acquiring art, and everything that goes into making amazing roleplaying games that are immersive and fun.

How long have you been with the company, and what led you here?

Elisa: I've been at Renegade for only six months, but I feel right at home here. Scott Gaeta called me after I wrote the Wardlings RPG for Renegade, and he told me that he was going to be expanding the RPG department at Renegade and needed someone to be the Senior Producer. How could I say no?

What is your favorite thing about working in the tabletop industry?

Elisa: I've been in this industry for 20 years now, and I've done everything from inventor relations and product development to graphic design and art direction to full production planning to game design (and a lot in between). My favorite thing about working in this industry are the people, both those I get to work with and those who play what I make. This is a hobby of professional enthusiasts, and I love the excitement and happiness that is literally brought to the table in everything we do. We are a big family, and we get to play together. It is a ton of work (and often very stressful with lots of deadlines), but I love it more than anything. I love being with "my people."

What is your favorite board game?

Elisa: I often say that picking my favorite board game is like picking between my children. I can't do it -- even with games that I didn't have any hand in making! I will say that I have some games that have influenced my life and how I strive to design in many ways. For roleplaying games, I'd have to choose D&D, which was my first and longest experience with RPGs (over 30 years now). For board games, I often choose Betrayal at House on the Hill as a gateway game for friends who have never played hobby games (and yes, I designed the sequel) or Tokaido as my quintessential example of an elegant light strategy game. With about 2000 games in my personal collection, choosing a "favorite" is just impossible, as games are like music to me: there is a choice for every mood, every occasion, and every group of people I'm hanging out with. Lately, we've been playing a lot of Root and Atheneum: Mystic Library in our house.

What is your favorite thing to do when you aren't making or playing board games?

Elisa: I love spending time with my kids (which is sort of a cheat answer, as we are often playing games), making costumes, painting miniatures, and traveling. I'm a pop culture black hole, so I watch a lot of TV and movies, sucking in knowledge about everything I can. I love to read, with fantasy and sci-fi being my favorite genres.

Advice for people that want to get into the industry?

Elisa: Oh boy, do I have advice! The panels I do at conventions have been nicknamed my "dreamcrusher series," as I give the facts about this industry and how it works with little sugarcoating. I can speak for hours about this, so I'll keep it short and sweet here: If you want to be in this industry, the one thing you must know is that you should do what you love and what you have passion for. If you want to be successful here, you need to have a lot of drive and know that while it is an industry of fun and games, it isn't ALL fun and games, so don't expect everything to come easily. Hard work and a passion for what you are making is essential, as is knowing the marketplace and trends happening in gaming. The best way to learn? Keep playing games