Most people would be happy to achieve success in one industry, but Cordy Rierson has always been different. Over the course of her nearly two-decade career in entertainment, she’s been the catalyst for hit projects for both film and video games. And some people have trouble just finding the time to juggle both as their hobbies.

“When I’ve produced something, whether it’s a feature film or a video game, it makes me want to continue to do more and do better,” she says.

It’s no surprise to hear that Cordy was inspired by visuals growing up, developing an early interest in cinematography and special effects. That spark led her to Full Sail’s Film program to learn production, and after graduating in 1993, she set off to Hollywood to begin her career as a freelance effects artist – a move which would see her spend the next ten years in the field building credits on movies like Waterworld and Independence Day.

As much as she loved the creative side of effects, Cordy always had a management streak in her, and eventually took an opportunity to pursue that interest as production manager at Hollywood studio Pacific Data Images. It was a role that put her in charge of a team of 65 animators, while overseeing the effects pipeline on such visual feasts as Broken Arrow and Mission: Impossible. The responsibilities brought a fresh perspective to her work, which would see her dedicate the next chapter of her career solely to production.

“Every single facet coming together in a homogenous manner to create something, that’s what inspires me about producing,” she says. “Leading that effort, working with people to figure out what those pieces are, and providing something in the end.”

Having accomplished many of her goals in film, Cordy began to turn her attention to the growing sophistication of the video game industry. Specifically, the opportunities to tell engaging stories with a presentation that equaled many large-scale films. This is where she cued the career 180, taking a job as development director at Double Helix Games in 2002. The switch posed an entirely new set of challenges, as she coordinated a team of artists and programmers during the production of titles like Silent Hill: Homecoming and Star Wars Episode III: Revenge of the Sith. But then that was kind of the point.

“I think one of the reasons I am drawn to what I do is that it’s a consistent learning experience,” she says. “Technology is ever evolving, and I love to learn, and I will always learn on this path that I have chosen. There’s nothing that I can say ‘Oh, I’ve got that in the bag’ because it’s always changing. I like that.”

And though she always enjoys the end result of whatever project she finds herself on, it’s clear that much of Cordy’s passion also comes from the personal challenges of being a leader in a creative environment. This is something she would eventually channel into her next career move, accepting her current role as executive producer and general program manager at Microsoft Game Studios, where she leads their Internship and College Hire initiatives.

“One of my favorite things is watching the students we hire right out of school excel,” she says. “When their patience for learning the system pays off and they’re finally able to bring their own artistic flair to the work. It’s always apparent when things finally click in their heads, when they start feeling useful. It’s a great thing to see.”

Artists tend to be very focused in their creativity, finding their strength early on, and developing that specific skill set into a lifelong career. Cordy Rierson’s ability to create her own voice in multiple fields with such commitment is infectious, and it’s hard to not find inspiration in the breadth of her command of each area she applies herself to.

“If somebody asked me to describe myself and how I work in my profession, ‘enthusiastic’ is not something I would have thought of, but now that other people have said that, I see it,” she says. “Of course I’m enthusiastic about my work because I love what I do. I have followed my dreams and pursued my passion in the entertainment industry no matter what obstacles arose, and now I get to make video games for a living. I mean, who wouldn’t love that?”