Employee Name: Geoffrey (Apryl) Moyer

Title: Lead Program Manager / Producer

Hometown: Philadelphia, PA

Last book you read / listened to: Gender Euphoria, edited by Laura Kate Dale

What’s the best career advice you’ve been given?

I had a manager at my last studio that cut through a bunch of my fears that were impacting my success. As soon as he joined as the SVP of Production, he asked about what was already happening at the studio and what I had on my plate, and then just leaned back and said, “What do YOU want?” I was always afraid that I wouldn’t be taken seriously given my ultimate career goals. There was something unique about this interaction, so I was honest. He said, “Great. Let’s see if we can get you working towards that.” He didn’t once doubt I could fulfill my main role while refining other skillsets. Of course he wrapped it up with a simple, “See? Just talk about what you want more.” Thanks, Fridley!

Are there any games or products that you’ve been involved with that hold a special place in your heart?

DragonVale will always be that sentimental project. When I was simultaneously directing events and writing the narrative while producing the game, I had the chance to go to my daughter’s preschool and teach her class how to invent a new kind of dragon and how to craft a short story about it. It was the most amazing intersection of my career, my passion, and parenthood. If I only worked on DragonVale for a day and had that experience with my kid, I would have called that a success.

What do you enjoy most about working here?

Honestly, there’s too much to list. To boil it down, it’s just so rare to see a large company like Zynga invest so much in our individual cultures, identities, and passions. This would easily be the first thing to go for many others amid budget cuts and I’m grateful Zynga is built differently. I feel safe enough to share my journey as I experience it; special shoutout to Chris Granner and the Pride Soundtrack of Your Life event! And I’m incredibly fortunate to have inspiring coworkers that share their stories too. Makes me want to socialize my new name…Apryl, like the month.

Who are some of your major influences at work?

I’ve had so many amazing conversations and connections here from mentorships (on both sides), creative collaboration, and my managers. I want to specifically call out Cor Despota and Aaron Watanabe for our candid conversations that led to me believing in myself more and finding new avenues to merge my past experiences and intuition…while cutting down on perfectionist tendencies.

How has your identity influenced your career journey?

Old me struggled in high-conflict environments. It’s hard to be confident in any environment when you don’t know who you are exactly. That makes it difficult to have boundaries and maintain balance. After a long career, this cycle burned me out. I accomplished some pretty cool things, but I paid a price I couldn’t quite see. Things changed when I stepped into full alignment with myself and I could be all of me anywhere I wanted. I am proudly queer and for me that includes a long list of fun terms — bigender, pansexual, sapphic, and polyamorous — but in the end, I’m me and all that comes with it. Personal clarity strengthened my professional values.

What advice would you give to others on fostering inclusivity and understanding in the workplace, considering your identity?

Don’t be afraid to have hard conversations. It fosters trust and collaboration. Challenge demographic targeting when it’s turning into the pander dance. Suggest new development terms to replace old problematic ones. Ensure there’s enough development time planned for customization related to identity; it’s an awful thing to rush because it can create a hurtful disparity. Listen to that gut feeling and speak truth to reality. The more diverse the team, the better these conversations go.