Introducing the APAC Feedback & Mentoring Team
A few months ago, the Feedback and Mentoring teams from both Europe and the Americas published articles introducing their team members and providing some insight as to what their teams are working on. It’s APAC’s turn now but if you missed the articles from the other teams, you can find them here:
The previous iteration of the Feedback and Mentoring team was a global effort. One of the biggest hurdles for us was trying to navigate time zone differences, which made communicating and collaborating on projects slow and inefficient. Another issue we faced was the cultural and geographical differences between regions – what works well in a heavily populated country on mainland Europe, might not work at all on a small island nation in APAC and vice versa. These are just a couple of the reasons that the decision was made to split the team out between the three regions.
The APAC Team
James Medland (Australia, EN – he/him) – that’s me! I’ve been playing Flesh and Blood since CRU and judging since 2021. I hail from what is often said to be the most isolated city in the world, Perth, Western Australia. This isolation and the challenges that it brings has been a huge motivating factor for me getting involved with the judge program behind the scenes, initially as JCR for Wider Australia, then on the Feedback and Mentoring team, and now as lead for the APAC Feedback and Mentoring team.
Mark Tay (Singapore, EN/CN – he/him) brings experience across multiple trading card game judge programs alongside a background in education and business analysis. Active in Flesh and Blood events across local and competitive play, he focuses on judges‘ growth through practical feedback, mentoring, and open knowledge sharing, with an emphasis on building collaborative and sustainable judge communities.
Satoru Kusaka (Japan, JP/EN – he/him) started playing Flesh and Blood during Dynasty and began judging during the Heavy Hitters season. He has organized local competitive events, supported judge development, and helped build communities throughout Japan, with a focus on creating opportunities outside major metropolitan areas.
Laksana Eka (Indonesia, EN/ID – he/him) has 9 years experience as a judge for multiple card games and runs his own local game store in Denpasar. A regular on the SEA World Tour circuit, Eka has mentored several judges in the region and is passionate about expanding opportunities available to Level 1 judges and removing barriers that are blocking progress on their Level 2 checklists.
Niko Campbell (New Zealand, EN – she/they) is currently based in Australia, and originally from Aotearoa/New Zealand. Niko played the game from the very beginning but became fully invested from the release of Outsiders. She is always engaged in making sure that the judge community is both enjoying and creating fun and fulfilling experiences. Niko believes that when we focus on improving our work, the game is better for both judges and players. That’s why she is committed to giving all judges and event staff the tools to pursue that improvement.
Jackson Car (Australia, EN – he/him) has been a leader in various roles within the Australian Flesh and Blood judge community for going on 5 years. From JCR for Eastern Australia, to Head Judge of Australian Nationals, he has had a hand in the mentoring and development of countless local judges, myself included. Jackson’s current focus on the team is to provide systems to assist judges in giving and receiving clear and actionable feedback.
What We Are Working On
A lot of our early work is focusing on implementing the below locally on a small scale, with the intention to iterate and expand on successful projects.
- Lowering friction: Identifying and removing friction points for judges on their journey from L1 to L2.
- Increasing opportunities: Ensuring ample opportunities are available for the next generation of aspiring L1’s, with a particular focus on smaller, more isolated communities.
- Facilitated mentoring: Structured mentoring systems for judges transitioning from judging locally, to judging Tier 3+ events.
- Enriching and supporting mentoring: Providing tangible materials and documentation for mentor and mentee use at local game stores.
- Creating new mentors: As the game grows, the judge program needs to scale with it. Providing new mentors with the skills needed to facilitate this growth is vital.
While these early projects are APAC focused, all three teams have an open line of communication and intend to work together to cross pollinate any successful ventures.
Don't Be Shy
If you have any thoughts, suggestions or questions relating to feedback and mentoring in your local community, please don’t hesitate to reach out to any of us on the team. Be it in person at an event, via Discord, or another online medium; our figurative door is always open, and we’d love to hear what you have to share.
We are very excited to spearhead these initiatives on behalf of the APAC region and will continue to keep you updated on our progress.
Featured photo by John Brian McCarthy at Judges at Work.
