Introducing the Americas Feedback & Mentoring Team
8 marzo 2025
Last week, Émilien Wild introduced the Europe Feedback & Mentoring team and laid out the case for why these regional teams exist: the growth of FAB Organized Play, the rising demand for qualified L2s, and the deliberate work it takes to build that pipeline. If you have not yet read his article, that is the right place to start. The framing applies to all three regions, and there is no point in restating it here.
This article is shorter and more specific: introducing our team, sharing what we are working on, and telling you how to reach us.
Same Mission, Different Region
Our goals are the same as our counterparts in Europe and APAC: build a stronger L2 base, make the path visible, and support the mentoring that already happens informally while creating lightweight structures for the mentoring that does not yet.
The realities of the Americas shape how we approach those goals: multiple time zones, communities at very different stages of development, from established local scenes with strong L2 depth to remote regions where the nearest experienced peer is hours or borders away.
Across all of it, judges are asking the same question: is L2 actually within reach for me?
The answer is almost always yes.
The work to make that visible looks different depending on where a judge is standing, and that is what this team is here to do.
The Americas Team
Agustin Garzino (Santiago, Chile, ES/EN) is an Argentinian judge who has been part of the Flesh and Blood community for five years, working regularly at competitive events across the Americas for the last three, and served as the Latin America JCR. He leads the Americas feedback and mentoring team with a focus on bringing people together, keeping initiatives moving forward, and turning the work of this team into something lasting for judges across the region.
Felipe Araujo (Brazil, PT/EN) has been active in the judge community at every level, from local play to the international stage, and runs a podcast dedicated to rules discussions and judge education. He is focused on judge communication, mentoring, and building a stronger connection between clear policy and an excellent player experience.
Jimmy “Leo/Leona” Bui (USA, EN) has been judging Flesh and Blood since 2022, building experience across local, competitive, and convention environments, and served before as USA South Central JCR. Their focus is on developing practical tools that help judges reflect on and track their own growth, building from the LGS level up.
Erick Leong (Chicagoland, USA EN/CN/ASL) started his judging career in Flesh and Blood and served as the first USA Midwest JCR. He is focused on upskilling fellow judges at every level, new and experienced alike, through direct support and hands-on practice.
Eric “theCreedo” Lee (Austin, TX, USA, EN/ZH) has been judging Flesh and Blood since 2024 across all levels of events, serves currently as the USA South Central JCR, and brings a genuine interest in rules, policy, and the development of judges around him. He is focused on community, capturing the experiences of judges at every stage, and helping others find where they belong in the program.
Rodrigo “RodSaavedra4” Saavedra (Mexico, ES/EN) brings a background in coaching and developing emerging talent across diverse fields, from youth athletics to professional mentoring. He is focused on developing communication and leadership skills that help judges become pillars in building healthy communities across the Americas.
What We Are Working On
Our work in 2026 falls into a few broad areas, each shaped by the realities of the region.
- Storytelling and visibility. Real stories from real judges, told in their own voices, in the languages and contexts of the Americas. We want any L1 considering L2 to be able to find someone whose journey looks recognizable.
- Information flow and access. Newly certified judges should land in resources that explain what comes next clearly. The people supporting regional development should have visibility into who is progressing. We are working on closing both ends of that gap.
- Regional connectivity. The Americas spans a lot of territory. We are working on practical, low-overhead ways to connect judges across geography, starting where the gaps are most pronounced and learning from there.
- Mentorship support. A lot of mentoring already happens informally across the region. We want the structures we build to recognize and support that work, not replace it.
These are active workstreams, most in early stages. We will share more as projects mature.
Reaching Out
If you are an L1 wondering whether L2 is within reach, an L2 who mentors informally or wants to, or a Head Judge, TO, or senior judge whose work regularly touches newer judges, we want to hear from you. Reach out to any member of the team through Discord or email, or find us at an event near you!
This team is one part of a program-wide effort. We are coordinating with our counterparts in Europe and APAC, with the Content team, with LSS, and with Tournament Organizers across the Americas. The collective weight of the judge community is what makes the work move.
More to come throughout the year. Until then, see you on the floor.
Featured photo by John Brian McCarthy at Judges at Work.
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