KEVIN BERTRAM is the founder and owner of Fort Circle Games. He is the designer of The Shores of Tripoli and the co-designer of the forthcoming The Halls of Montezuma. His favorite games include Twilight Struggle, Terraforming Mars, Fortress America, and Star Wars: Rebellion. Kevin was born in Montana and has lived in Washington, DC for 25 years.
KATE BERTRAM is the designer of Guano! Guano!! Guano!!! which puts players in charge of the 19th century fertilizer trade, exploring islands and spending their filthy lucre on Gilded Age extravagances. Her favorite games include Dune: Imperium, Carcasonne and Terraforming Mars. She is a first-time designer but has the advantage of being married to the founder of Fort Circle Games.
TORY BROWN is the designer of Votes for Women, which launched on the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution. Tory is a longtime activist and works as a political communications strategist for progressive causes. Inspired to create Votes for Women by games like 1960: The Making of The President, she also enjoys playing the “new classics” like Carcassonne and Ticket To Ride. Tory has lived in Washington, DC for 15 years.
JAN POSTON DAY is the designer of Great Cities: Washington DC. The game will explore 150 years of history, culture, political intrigue and urban development in our nation’s capital. Great Cities: Washington DC was inspired by her love of Terraforming Mars, although Jan also enjoys playing Serenessima and Citadels. She is a cloud computing enthusiast, beekeeper and native Washingtonian.
GILBERTO LOPEZ is the co-designer of The Halls of Montezuma, a fresh look at the Mexican-American War. Gilberto arrived in the U.S. at the age of 3 from Mexicali, Baja California. He attended Fresno City College and now lives in northern Virginia. He loves to fish and enjoys watching Olympic wrestling and boxing. Gilberto also enjoys classic card games. Montezuma will be his first board game design.
JASON MATTHEWS is the designer of United States v. Aaron Burr. He has also designed several acclaimed and award-winning board games, including Twilight Struggle, Founding Fathers, and 1960: The Making of the President. He is also the author of numerous reviews, gaming expansions and has playtest credits for several other wargame designs. He grew up in Southern California and currently lives near Washington, DC.
MARC RODRIGUE is a graphic designer with a lifelong passion for board games. In addition to his work with Fort Circle Games, Marc designed Bayonets & Tomahawks. He loves the great outdoors, mapmaking, fantasy, science fiction and history and is a reenactor of the French & Indian War. Marc lives in Montréal, Canada.
TALIA ROSEN is the designer of First Monday in October, which will explore over 200 years of U.S. Supreme Court history. She is a long-time writer for the Opinionated Gamers, administrator for BoardGameGeek, and founder of the Columbia Strategic Simulation Society in New York. Talia is an attorney practicing law in northern Virginia.
VOLKO RUHNKE is the designer of Hunt for Blackbeard. He has also designed several acclaimed and award-winning board games, including creation of the COIN Series and Levy & Campaign Series, and is a columnist for C3i Magazine. He is a retired US intelligence analyst and lives in Virginia.