Meet the
Carbon Counts team
Hello there.
To create a ridiculously fun game that has a real and long-lasting impact on the Earth, we’re assembling the team that will push the boundaries of play. Combined, the game experiences we’ve helped create have engaged 500+ million players around the world and generated billions of dollars.
Now, we’re on a mission to make a game that re-greens the world. Our talents are diverse, but we’re all driven by a powerful truth: Inside each of us is the desire to build a memorable, meaningful game experience that will surprise, delight, mesmerize, and engage. We also like games, trees, and the idea that our actions will inspire a healthier planet.
Nobody in the world is completely dependent on another person, but we are all interdependent. —Wangari Maathai
MICHAEL LIBENSON [in]
Co-founder & CEO
A serial entrepreneur and avid outdoorsman, Michael hikes, climbs, skis, and runs at every opportunity. He believes that together, consumers, businesses, and governments can (and must) solve the greatest challenge of our time: climate change.
“My favorite tree is
the Copper Beech.”
VIKRAM SAHAI [in]
Co-founder & CTO
Excited about using tech for good, Vikram has a passion for the outdoors and a penchant for innovation and solving hard problems. A veteran of Google and the founder of two tech start-ups, he loves hiking with his dog and stargazing on dark nights.
“My favorite tree is
the Baobab.”
BRETT JENKS [in]
Co-founder & Board Chair
Brett spent his childhood playing in the woods of Ohio and Virginia, and his career developing conservation solutions that benefit 60+ countries. He knows that a coordinated shift in human behavior can restore our planet.
“My favorite tree is the Aspen.”
NICOLE RUSTAD [in]
Chief Impact Officer
From tech start-ups to Disney, Nicole is a champion of change. She holds a strong conviction (backed up by a proven track record) that technology can be used as a force for good. She’s driven to build teams and partnerships to scale innovative solutions that will tackle the world's most pressing problems!
“My favorite tree is
the Ponderosa Pine.”
KYLE DUNCAN [in]
Executive Producer
Co-creator of the Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare franchise, Kyle has spent the last 10 years leading teams to create fun, accessible, social games about plants saving their world. Now, as our real-world planet changes, he's focused on leveraging 23+ years of creative, operations, and business development experience to help bring people together to play and take action to protect our world.
“My favorite tree is
the Arbutus.”
CODY
Creative Director
An innovator of the Idle Game genre with the success of his breakout title AdVenture Capitalist, Cody is a writer and game creator of epic proportions. He loves inventing and producing engaging games that seek to surprise, delight, and entertain players. He is excited to use his expertise to turn gaming into a force of good in the world!
“My favorite tree is
the Weeping Willow.”
NUNDANI
Operations and Program Advisor
With over two decades of experience in senior technology and product leadership, Nundani has spearheaded the creation of award-winning iGaming and sportsbook platforms. She is an expert at aligning operations with strategic objectives, building high-performing agile teams, and scaling technology.
“My favorite tree is
the Weeping Willow.”
DEANNA
Director of Story
Deanna is an author who is obsessed with creative storytelling and the way it impacts experience. A former Senior Writer for Disney (games | product | brand), she is passionate about collaboration, communication, and the power of teamwork. You’ll find her wandering in bookstores, hiking, biking, or dreaming up her next book or creative adventure.
“My favorite tree is
the Redwood.”
NEIL
Art Director
As an artistic visionary and master collaborator, Neil loves to make characters and brands come to life through illustration and animation—including games and books. He brings his years of expertise and honed leadership skills as an Art Director with specialization in character design, illustration, and visual storytelling.
“My favorite tree is
the Weeping Willow.”
CARMEN
Senior Illustrator
Carmen is a senior 2D artist with over 13 years experience in the industry, collaborating with clients such as Disney, Bethesda, and Nickelodeon to create visually appealing characters, environments, and illustrations. Growing up in rural northern Canada, they've developed a lifelong passion for nature and is excited to use their skills to build extraordinary game experiences.
“My favorite tree is
the Paper Birch.”
SOPHIA
Technical Artist
With a passion for the intersection of engineering and art, Sophia has experience realizing unique visual styles for companies like Pure Imagination Studios. She served as Art Director for Popbase, helping to build a fantastical woodland setting where storytelling and wellness education were combined. Sophia loves exploring the outdoors and learning about nature—and she has too many creative hobbies to count.
“My favorite tree is
the Oak.”
HELENA
Senior Product Manager
A product enthusiast and monetization expert with 10+ years in game development, Helena is passionate about creating exciting (and profitable!) game experiences. In her quest to do good for the planet, Helena is thrilled to use her expertise to push forward Carbon Count’s bold mission of making a fun game that plants millions of trees and positively impacts climate change.
“My favorite tree is
the Birch.”
TIM
Mobile Game Designer
A game designer with a programming and production background, Tim loves to see a need from players or his team...and then fill it! With a particular interest in innovative systems, he is passionate about making games that leave a lasting impact on players—and the world.
“My favorite tree is
the Sugar Maple.”
SANDRA
Senior UI/UX Designer
A Senior UI/UX Designer with a love for visual storytelling, human psychology, and brand aesthetics. Sandra has a passion for blending creativity with functionality and her problem-solving skills are complemented by a strong understanding of user behavior—ensuring that every design decision enhances the end-user experience. She's known for her collaborative spirit and aims to foster working environments where ideas can flourish.
“My favorite tree is
the Wisteria Tree.”
NORRIE
Sound Designer
An experienced, passionate sound designer and composer, Norrie spent more than 8 years with The Walt Disney Company and has since partnered with a variety of organizations to produce immersive audio experiences for animation, live-action, apps, games and more. He loves adventuring outdoors with his family—cycling, hiking, and listening to the extraordinary sounds of nature.
“My favorite tree is
the Washingtonia Filifera.”
NICK
Marketing Advisor
Inspired to lead high-performing, multi-disciplinary teams to create outstanding branding, marketing, and creativity to deliver impact. Nick relishes the convergence of brand, product, and marketing. To Carbon Counts, he brings over 20 years of experience working in the fast-paced, innovative spaces of advertising agencies, The Walt Disney Company, HealthTech, and more.
“My favorite tree is
the Larch.”
JAMES
UA Director
James brings over 8 years of experience working in growth marketing and user acquisition for mobile apps and games. He’s scaled products at companies ranging from seed-stage startups to publicly-traded brands, and for each new product he works on, he leverages his diverse experience and learnings. James enjoys walks in the New England woods, especially in the fall when the leaves are turning.
“My favorite tree is
the Red Maple.”
BRENNAN
Senior Animator/
3D Art Generalist
Brennan is a 3D Generalist with a background in advertising, emerging tech, and music videos. He enjoys being hands-on, working with art directors to execute their vision and bringing characters and environments to life at every step of the process. In his free time he writes and animates his own comedy shorts with a heavy focus on animals and the natural world.
“My favorite tree is
the White Oak.”
JOHN
QA & IT Manager
John is passionate about quality, efficiency, and people. For 15+ years, he has led QA, IT, and DevOps teams to drive quality and improve efficiencies. John believes the best work culture is a trusting, engaging, and empathetic one—and that it's up to every team member to help build it. He loves tackling difficult challenges with creative, thoughtful, and innovative solutions.
“My favorite tree is
the Cherry Blossom (sakura).”
RAJ
QA Test Engineer
Raj is a creative software engineer with nearly a decade of professional experience in building dynamic software for a variety of development projects. He understands the need to constantly expand and evolve his expertise in the ever-changing technology industry and is compelled to use his expertise to explore innovative tech for positive environmental and societal impact.
“My favorite tree is
the Dogwood.”
KAI
QA Mobile Tester
With a background in game design and experience working with triple A companies, Kai brings her attention to detail and problem-solving skills to the EverForest team. Kai is passionate about QA and loves spending her days improving the quality of a game experience. In her free time, Kai creates art, plays volleyball, and enjoys board games (mostly when she wins).
“My favorite tree is
the Apple (malus domestica).”
TRISTAN
Web3/Product Advisor
With his passion for tackling climate change, along with his expertise in web3 and mobile gaming, Tristan brings immeasurable value to the Carbon Counts Advisory Board. Currently the SVP, Digital Experience at Pela, Tristan was also the GM of NBA Top Shot, and the Head of Studio at Hyper Hippo Entertainment where he co-created the top 10 mobile game, AdVenture Capitalist.
“My favorite tree is
the Rainbow Eucalyptus.”
NNAMDI
Player Support Lead
Nnamdi is a driven and experienced Player Support Lead with a strong passion for video games and gaming culture. His goal is to create fun and meaningful connections with players all around the world. When he's not gaming, Nnamdi loves weight training, improving his photography skills, and long runs through wooded parks.
“My favorite tree is
the Evergreen.”
AARON
Software Engineer
A full stack developer with industry experience building websites, apps, and games, Aaron specializes in smart system architecture—testable, scalable, quality code. He’s obsessed with solving problems in new ways and functional programming and he believes we are all forces of nature with endless opportunities to make the world a better (greener!) place.
“My favorite tree is
the Cherry Blossom (sakura).”
DAN
Director of Engineering
With over 23 years in software development and leadership, Dan's experience spans from the music media industry in London to MMO and mobile gaming at Disney Club Penguin, and social video apps. He is excited to work with talented people to make impactful game experiences.
"My favorite tree is a Horse Chestnut"
KIP
Senior Software Engineer
An avid game player and developer, over the last decade Kip has built a variety of gaming apps, from educational to lifestyle to music focused. He believes that through play and education, we can improve ourselves and our environment. Kip enjoys the great outdoors and loves to walk under the magnificent trees that surround his mountain home.
“My favorite tree is
the Pine.”
ARYA
Software Engineer
A passionate gamer from the age of four, Arya has a love for the art form and a deep understanding of what makes a truly great game. To every team and project, he brings enthusiasm, collaboration, initiative, and leadership, and he believes every interaction is an opportunity to build relationships—and a better world.
“My favorite tree is
the Pine.”
JULIE
CFO
Julie is a financial executive with over 20 years of experience in a variety of industries including software, bio tech, professional services, and hard tech. She specializes in working with startups and has extensive experience creating structure and implementing process improvement.
“My favorite tree is
the Weeping Willow.”
AIMEE
Financial Controller
Aimee has worked as a CPA for 20+ years with companies of all sizes. She's passionate about helping businesses become more efficient by leveraging technology. For every aspect of finance—from bookkeeping to reporting to forecasting, she is always looking for ways to help business owners succeed.
“My favorite tree is
the Banyan.”
KYLE
General Counsel
Kyle works at the intersection of profit and purpose. His career has been focused on advising early-stage companies scale while creating impact. Kyle’s second favorite job was being a backpacking guide in Wyoming.
“My favorite tree is
the Redwood.”
DANA
HR & Recruiting Lead
Dana is an architect of highly innovative teams; attracting and retaining incredible humans with high potential. She has spent almost 15 years helping grow some of the world’s most innovative and successful companies. She was Unity’s first in-house global Recruiter, has worked with Disney, Electronic Arts, and Ubisoft, among others, helping people connect to their purpose and helping scale teams.
“My favorite tree is
the Palm.”
WILLIAM
Talent Acquisition Specialist
William cares deeply about growing trees... and also growing careers. Specializing in recruitment in New Zealand and now Canada, he works to make sure employees are where they want to be in their professions.
“My favorite tree is
the Ponga.”