TYM STUDIO™

Jan 2017 - Dec 2023
TYM studio Logo

KarI Y. Snyder, MFA

Director of Operations; Senior Instructional Designer; Product Designer, XR Producer

Directed operations for an interactive technology studio that bridged industry and academia to connect leading corporations with college talent through structured internship pipelines that accelerated innovation, reduced production costs, and developed the next generation of technical creators.

MY ROLES

- Director of Operations
- Instructional Designer
- Showdown Creator
- Executive Producer (business development & fundraising)
- Creative Director
- Director (live stream events)
- Lead Editor & Writer

TEAM SIZE

- 36 Production Members
- 33 Professional Mentors
- 26 Professional Advisors

MY TOOLS

- Monday.com / Jira / Clickup
- Adobe Creative Suite (InDesign, Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere, Audition, After Effects, XD)
- Unity
- 8th Wall (AR)
- HTML, CSS, and React
- MS Office
- Various Backend Tools/Platforms

DUTIES

Data-Driven Performance Management: Developed and monitored team KPIs (programming, UX/UI, project management, 3D art) to evaluate operational processes while developing technical products.

Digital Architecture & Platform Development: Oversaw infrastructure, hosting, web administration, content delivery, and the development of web and XR applications.

Product & Project Development: Oversee all phases of the project life-cycle from inception through deployment, including hand-off to business teams and long-term support. Served as Lead Instructional and Product Designer across a portfolio of immersive technology projects for major regional and international institutions, including:
- Houston Methodist Hospital: VR Hostile Shooter training simulation
- Texas Children’s Hospital: AR mobile video game for at-home patient care; student team partnership
- ExxonMobil: AR machine learning application and VR electrical engineering training experience
- Houston Freedmen’s Town Conservancy: AR historical tour experience
Government & Academia Outreach: Researched, wrote, designed, and produced Gamers of Houston, a comprehensive transmedia policy proposal aimed at securing government support for Houston’s video game industry. The initiative included a full Economic Impact Report, a website, and 23 filmed interviews with regional industry leaders.
Program Development & Training Producer: Conceived, built, and executive-produced the Healthcare Games Showdown™, a flagship program hosted at the Texas Medical Center’s TMC Innovation Institute. The program challenged college students to develop healthcare-focused video games, culminating in live reviews by industry employers including Texas Children’s Hospital, Mount Sinai Hospital’s Abilities Research Center, and AT&T. Managed all operational and creative functions end-to-end including 95% of all creative assets, securing sponsors, mentors, and advisors, and delivering the full event curriculum, website, motion graphics, show format, and video production.
Program Development & Training Producer: Conceived, built, and executive-produced the XR Showdown™. Presented by ExxonMobil and hosted at The Ion in Houston, the live-streamed competition challenged college students to develop VR, AR, and MR simulations and games for real-world corporate applications, with finalists reviewed by potential employers.