From executive assistant to global operations director: A non-technical professional’s journey in gaming tech

In the fast-paced world of gaming technology, there’s a common misconception that you need a technical background to succeed. Allyson Gormley, Director of Global Operations for Riot Games’ Remote Broadcast Centers (RBCs), proves otherwise. Her journey from executive assistant to global director demonstrates that determination, adaptability, and a growth mindset can overcome any perceived limitations.

If you are new to IT and cloud, this post offers inspiration and a path to gain and showcase in-demand knowledge and skills in cloud and AI. Early to mid-career IT and cloud professionals can also find guidance to progress their careers.

A journey of transformation

Twelve years ago, Gormley joined Riot Games as an executive assistant. Despite lacking a traditional tech background, she progressively advanced to become chief of staff and eventually took on the management of multiple IT facilities. Today, she leads global operations for Riot Games’ RBCs, powered by AWS. “I often found myself being the odd one out, especially during crisis moments when I’d be in a room with 10-15 engineers,” Gormley recalls. “But I never let that stop me. My approach has always been to not get stuck and to figure it out, especially when faced with new challenges.”

Under Gormley’s leadership, Riot Games launched their first RBC in 2021, revolutionizing how they broadcast global events. Through their partnership with AWS, they’ve achieved remarkable technical feats, such as transferring audio and video from across the globe with latency of less than a tenth of a second.

Cultivating talent through learning

Gormley is particularly passionate about creating opportunities for others who share her hunger for growth and learning. She emphasizes the importance of AWS Skill Builder and AWS Certification in rapidly elevating team capabilities and understanding of cloud technologies. “It’s important for us to be able to use the muscles we have to cultivate the best and brightest talent,” she states.

Gormley’s story serves as a powerful reminder that with the right mindset and resources, you can build a successful career in tech, regardless of your starting point. The tools and training are available on AWS Skill Builder, our online learning center, to kick start your own journey.

For beginners and non-technical professionals:

• AWS Cloud Practitioner Essentials – 6-hour intro to cloud basics
• Introduction to Generative AI – Art of the Possible – Learn the fundamentals of generative AI
• AWS Cloud Quest: Cloud Practitioner – Interactive learning experience where you build real-world solutions
• AWS SimuLearn: Get Started with Generative AI – Practice in a simulated business scenario

Showcase your learning by earning our Foundational AWS Certifications. Start with AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner to validate knowledge of AWS Cloud, services, and terminology. Then earn the AWS Certified AI Practitioner to validate knowledge of artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML), and generative AI concepts and use cases.

For IT professionals:

• Explore free role-specific learning plans for solutions architects, developers, machine learning (ML) engineers, and more.
• Dive deeper into generative AI with the AWS SimuLearn: Generative AI Practitioner learning plan.
• Try AWS SimuLearn: Explore the Amazon Bedrock Playgrounds to practice building solutions with services such as Amazon Bedrock.
• Attend free AWS Training Live sessions.
• Explore the AWS Free Tier and get hands-on experience with AWS products and services.

Start with Associate-level AWS Certifications that align with roles you are in or aspire to. If you are new to AWS Certifications, start with AWS Certified Solutions Architect – Associate. Then select additional certifications in cloud development, machine learning engineering, DevOps engineering, and more at the Associate and Professional levels to progress your learning and careers.

For team leaders:

Consider a Skill Builder Team subscription to build high-impact teams and drive innovation through cloud, AI, and ML expertise.

Gormley’s parting wisdom resonates with anyone facing career challenges: “Even if all possibilities are scary and challenging, feel fear, but go ahead and work toward overcoming the challenges anyway.”

Start your learning journey today!