Entertainment Software Association Foundation Welcomes New Executive Director

WASHINGTON, May 23, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) today announced that Sue Madden has been named the executive director of the Entertainment Software Association Foundation (ESA Foundation). As the leader of the ESA Foundation, Madden will be responsible for overseeing the strategic direction of the Foundation and ensuring that it carries out its mission of harnessing the power of the video game industry to create positive social impact, including through scholarships and grants that seek to create meaningful opportunities for the next generation of creators and innovators, irrespective of race, ethnicity, age or gender.  

"Sue stepped into the interim executive director role this past year and, in a short time, has made tremendous progress in setting a new strategic direction for the Foundation," said Stanley Pierre-Louise, ESA President and CEO. "Her vast experience in leading and advising foundations will be an invaluable asset to the ESA Foundation as we work to expand the Foundation's impact in supporting the future leaders of the video game industry."

Madden is an accomplished corporate philanthropy leader with more than 20 years of experience driving innovative community outreach, engagement, DE&I and advocacy initiatives at the intersection of business purpose and social mission. Madden has served as the ESA Foundation's interim executive director since 2023. Prior to joining the ESA Foundation, Madden was the Director of the Gannett Foundation for the USA TODAY Network and a Community Investment Advisor at BAE Systems. For nearly 14 years, she led her own philanthropic consulting firm, The Madden Group, and provided corporations and foundations with services focused on maximizing their business, mission and social impact.

"Through my work with the Foundation over the past year, I've witnessed how the industry works together to support the next generation of creators and innovators," Madden said. "It is a privilege to lead the Foundation's efforts to unlock opportunities for emerging talent who someday will serve as industry leaders."

With a focus on education, diversity and inclusion, and community, Madden will oversee the Foundation's work in fundraising and the dissemination of scholarships and grants aimed at developing a diverse pipeline to usher in the next generation of industry innovators and leaders. As part of those fundraising efforts, Madden will continue to lead the ESA Foundation's annual fundraising gala, Nite to Unite, which brings together industry leaders to celebrate the collective social impact of the video game industry. Since 2000, the ESA Foundation has invested more than $22 million and awarded over 450 scholarships to Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Mathematics (STEAM)-focused individuals in diverse communities spanning gender, race, ethnicity and sexual orientation.

For more information on the Entertainment Software Association Foundation, visit www.esafoundation.org.

About the ESA

Founded in 1994, the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) has served as the voice and advocate for the U.S. video game industry for more than 30 years. Its members are the innovators, creators, publishers and business leaders that are reimagining entertainment and transforming how we interact, learn, connect and play. The ESA works to expand and protect the dynamic marketplace for video games through innovative and engaging initiatives that showcase the positive impact of video games on people, culture and the economy to secure a vibrant future for the industry for decades to come. For more information, visit the ESA's website or follow the ESA on X @theESA or Instagram @theesaofficial.

About the ESA Foundation
The ESA Foundation awards scholarships to the next generation of industry innovators and supports schools and nonprofits that leverage interactive entertainment technology to create meaningful opportunities for America's youth. It seeks to harness the power of the video game industry to create positive social impact and supports geographically diverse projects and programs benefitting grantees of all ages, races and genders. To date, the ESA Foundation has provided more than $20 million for a wide variety of causes, primarily through its signature fundraising gala, Nite to Unite.

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SOURCE Entertainment Software Association