10 Women Rising in Gaming

October 2023

Brianne Doura-Schawohl

Current company and role: Founder & CEO, Doura-Schawohl Consulting LLC

Hometown: Bellingham, Massachusetts

First job in the gaming industry: Grassroots & Community Relations Manager, Massachusetts Council on Compulsive Gambling

Did you apply for work in other industries? Do you think it was easier to find a job in gaming than other career paths?

I indeed applied for work in other industries. I was making a change from federal legislative work to state-centered advocacy and applied for a variety of different positions within the non-profit sector. Given that I got into this sector as more gambling adjacent than gambling proper, I don’t think it would be fair of me to comment if finding a job in gaming was easier than other career paths. I can attest that in 2013, when I first entered the ‘industry,’ problem and responsible gambling were not as well known or valued as it is today.

What do you like about working in gaming?

I enjoy the uniqueness that comes with every day. I enjoy being inspired by the people, innovation, and opportunities in the sector. Life in gaming is never static. The people are phenomenal, hard-working, and committed. I find my work exceptionally fulfilling and yet equally challenging.

Did anything surprise you about the industry when you first started?

At first, I wasn’t sure how I would fit in. I feared the perceptions of my work and objectives would be met with hostility and worried that there might be adversarial undertones. However, that was not my experience. In fact, many within the gambling industry were nothing short of kind and welcoming to me and the work I was tasked to achieve. All these years later, I consider some of the first people I met in gambling to be dear friends.

Were you familiar with gambling before landing a job in the industry? What were your thoughts about it before starting to work in gaming? Has your impression of the industry changed at all?

I was familiar with gambling but not from a business perspective. I wasn’t a big gambler, and I don’t have any personal history or family history of someone struggling with a gambling addiction. My thoughts, like my work, were mainly neutral. I have learned a staggering amount during my tenure, and I still find myself discovering something new daily about the sector and also it’s relationship to gambling harm.

Can you envision making a career in the gaming industry? What are your long-term goals?

Absolutely. I hope to continue to grow my business and show value for all those in the gambling ecosystem the worth of having a comprehensive understanding and approach to problem and responsible gambling. While unexpected for sure, I have found this sector and my work to become a true passion of mine and not just simply a job.