Shirin Laor-Raz Salemnia

Shirin Laor-Raz Salemnia is a tech entrepreneur, gaming advocate, and social innovator recognized for her work at the intersection of STEM education, digital literacy, and play. Salemnia is the founder and CEO of PlayWerks, an independent interactive media company that develops multi-platform immersive experiences for children and adults. She is also the founder of WhizGirls Academy, an organization where students participate in projects that build technology and digital literacy skills, including coding, entrepreneurship, and healthy lifestyle education. WhizGirls Academy has reached more than 5,000 students.

Salemnia’s interest in technology and entrepreneurship began with a passion for gaming and play. Inspired by the movie "Big," she pursued a career focused on making an impact through toys and play. Salemnia started her professional journey at Mattel, working on "Barbie," and later served as brand manager for "Bratz" at MGA Entertainment, where she analyzed industry trends and consumer behavior. She also led the design and development of MGA’s Play Lab, facilitating in-house qualitative research with children and parents. These experiences in consumer research and brand development informed her understanding of how children interact with technology and play, leading to the launch of her own ventures.

Salemnia has developed programs for the White House Council of Women and Girls and collaborated with national leaders at the Reach Higher Summit at the White House, supporting initiatives to serve inner-city children and adults. She hosted the first Hackathon for Women and Girls with the White House Council on Women and Girls and later organized Kids Hack for LA in partnership with Mayor Garcetti, the White House, and the i.am.angel Foundation. The inaugural WhizGirls Academy Mobile Tech Tour event in South Central Los Angeles drew 1,500 attendees.

Salemnia’s work has been recognized with honors including the Los Angeles City Pioneer Woman of the Year, Tribeca Disruptor Innovation Fellow, and IJWO Woman of the Year awards. She has served on the Advisory Board of the Interactive Media Peer Group at the Television Academy and was an adjunct professor at the USC Viterbi School of Engineering, teaching courses on social impact, technology, and entrepreneurship. Salemnia also hosted the "Idea to Game" concept workshop for X Prize.

A frequent public speaker, Salemnia delivered her TEDx talk, "Are You a Gamer or a Gardener?" at the TedxYouth conference in Los Angeles. She is recognized as a thought leader in tech inclusion, gaming, education, edtech, and innovation, and has spoken at events such as Google Business Leaders, Digital Hollywood, KIN Global, Singularity University Global Summit, Game Developers Conference, and Milken Institute Global Conference. Salemnia continues to advocate for making STEM and healthy lifestyles accessible and relevant, demonstrating the transformative potential of play for future generations.