About Sabs

Hello! I'm Sabs, a strategic global product executive with over 20 years of experience in gaming, tech, and ecommerce. I have had the privilege of supporting AAA titles such as Call of Duty, WarZone, World of Warcraft, Diablo, StarCraft, and Overwatch, as well as mobile gaming experiences like Diablo Immortal, Hearthstone, and The Walking Dead Last Mile. I have also worked with gaming platforms, including Blizzard's Battle.net, Meta's Reality Labs, and now Sony's PlayStation. Throughout my career, I have led high-performing teams to develop innovative products and services that millions of gamers use daily. My passion lies in creating excellent customer and developer experiences, and I am constantly driven to challenge the status quo and to grow others through mentorship.

In public middle school, I tested into a Gifted and Talented program and, in the same year, was diagnosed with Dyslexia (a specific learning disorder that affects an individual's ability to read, write, and spell accurately) and Dyscalculia (a specific learning disorder that affects an individual's ability to understand and perform mathematical calculations). This made school difficult academically and socially (after all being a nerd and a special needs kid meant taunting was endless). Despite that, I excelled when subjects we reachable and creative (science, art, geometry, etc.). Over time I learned how to use this disability, which I now consider a superpower, to my advantage. I’ve developed those skills to the point that I could attend colleges, obtain certifications, and hold employment in the industry I love.

Throughout my life, I’ve been categorically defined as a video game-loving and highly creative geek. Video games gave me a community and allowed an overly anxious and highly depressed girl the ability to communicate with others. When I had the opportunity to work in the industry, without hesitation, I packed up everything and moved from the east coast to California. In this industry, I really found the ability to live and work as my authentic self – a Star Wars and Star-Trek loving, videogame-playing, and costume-obsessed human.

There have been so many organizations (both public and private) that helped us through the years, and I am forever grateful for their generosity. As I found success, I was compelled to give back. I bake cakes with For Goodness Cakes, an organization that provides birthday cakes for underprivileged kids in the system who may otherwise go without them. I work with the Make-A-Wish Foundation and Starlight Foundation, groups that provide extraordinary experiences for kids with critical illnesses. I spend time with Harvest Food Bank, whose mission is to provide dignified, equitable, and consistent access to nutritious food – part of a greater organization called Feeding America, a group that, as a kid, we called on for years. I also love to cook and feed family and friends; I document my food adventures on Instagram at @morethanchewing.

One of my favorite pastimes is spending time playing poker or video games with my extended family; we love spending time together so much that we often vacation together. In fact, during one vacation in 2022, we had 17 people traveling together for four weeks in an adventure that had us voyage via ship across the Atlantic and explore three European countries. As of 2023, we have visited five continents and 37 countries, making up 15% of the planet – I can't wait to see more of what this incredible space rock offers.  When I was a kid, I would dream of visiting the Eiffel Tower and never really believed I would have the opportunity – little did I know I would be so lucky to travel and work around the world.

I am often asked how I ended up in gaming and/or how I ended up in Product Management; I assure you that there is no defined path for anyone; it’s always different. I will, however, share my story, as it may be helpful to some. I got a job while I was in college at a contact center, you know, while I tried to figure out what I would do with my life. Little did I know, but I was working for the world’s largest business process outsourcer (BPO). My time there gave me incredible experiences – people leadership, global responsibilities, and, eventually, a role that let me work closely with contracted clients. That’s when everything changed. I got a call from my boss, who asked me to sign an NDA - as I was the only one on the team playing video games. That was the first time I signed the Blizzard Entertainment NDA. A lightbulb went off; video games could be more than a couple of guys in a basement coding. In fact, they could be large enough to do business with a giant BPO. I became entranced with the idea of working in the industry, especially Blizzard (I was a huge WoW & Diablo fan). I applied for a few open jobs, created a fan mail package complete with my portfolio, resume, and artwork, and mailed it off – I heard nothing. Life went on, but I knew I needed other experiences. So, I changed jobs a couple of times to gather more skills. One day, while working at eBay, Blizzard called. The hiring manager checked the mail all those years ago and gave my resume to the recruiter when a job opened. A few months later, I was en route to California. For years, I was adjacent to technology, and at Blizzard, I took opportunities that focused on the player experience and the associated technologies. I move over to Battle.net to help them launch video games, plan, develop, and incubate products, and mature their publishing functions. My path to product is non-linear, and my entry into video games came with a bit of luck and a willingness to move. I feel lucky; I am lucky.