The Entertainment Software Association (ESA) welcomed Anastasia Staten as the new Executive Director of the ESA Foundation, the charitable and philanthropic organization for the U.S. video game industry.

“Anastasia’s exceptional track record of nonprofit leadership, successful fundraising, and effective marketing and communications makes her an ideal choice to lead the ESA Foundation,” said Michael D. Gallagher, president and CEO of ESA. “Her expertise and vision will allow the ESA Foundation to enhance its support for individuals and organizations using videos games to improve the lives and expand the horizons of America’s youth.”

As Executive Director, Staten will manage the ESA Foundation’s fundraising and daily operations, as well as cultivate partnerships to expand and promote the Foundation’s positive social impact. She will oversee the Foundation’s grant and scholarship programs, which support exceptional programs and students leveraging videos games to innovatively improve their communities and shape the future of the video game industry. In addition, she will spearhead Nite to Unite, the video game industry’s annual gala supporting the ESA Foundation.

With more than 15 years of experience spanning fundraising, communications, and politics, Staten joins the ESA Foundation from the American Humane Association, where she served as the Vice President of Philanthropic Services. In this role, she was accountable for setting and achieving fundraising goals, managing donor operations, and overseeing the organization’s fundraising campaigns.

Previously, Staten spent more than eight years as the Senior Director of Constituency Relations and Membership at the Foundation Fighting Blindness. There, she raised institutional visibility and launched lucrative monthly giving and donor acquisition programs, resulting in unprecedented growth for the Foundation.

Prior to her career in nonprofit philanthropy, Staten worked in politics in her home state of Ohio.

Staten studied International Relations at The Ohio State University and is a member of a number of professional organizations, including the Association of Fundraising Professionals, the Nonprofit Technology Network, the Partnership for Philanthropic Planning, and the National Association of Professional Women.