Meet Kristy Eason

Today we’d like to introduce you to Kristy Eason. 

Hi Kristy, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start, maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
From the moment my father first pressed a Nintendo controller into my hands in the early ’90s, I knew I would be a gamer for the rest of my life. This love for games – an activity that, in my experience, brings so many people together – would persist well into my adulthood and start to manifest in other forms through things like board games and tabletop RPGs. 

It was my passion for games and everything in the “nerd sphere” that eventually landed me in clubs of like-minded people during my college years at Grand Valley State University. In one of these clubs – the Renaissance Festival club – I met a man named Brian who would go on to become one of my very best friends. 

Even after I moved back home to Michigan’s east side after college, Brian and I kept in close touch and visited one another often. He was the kind of guy who got himself into every fun nerd activity he could find, so I guess I’m not all that shocked that he found his way to Grand Rapids Comic Con back when it was just a tiny show. Brian headed up the convention’s gaming department, where he laid the groundwork for a board game library (among many other things!) so that attendees could learn and experience new games they might otherwise never have discovered. 

When the show got too big to handle, Brian was told he’d need an assistant – and, of course, I met his invitation with an enthusiastic yes. My very first event as his second-in-command was set to be October of 2016. Unfortunately, in August of that same year, I did the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do: I said goodbye to Brian as his battle against cancer came to an end. 

I remember the moment I realized that my first show was in less than two months, and I’d be doing it alone without my best friend. It was then that I learned why the Grand Rapids Comic Con is so special – its people. Everyone had only just met me, but they all held me up through my pain and helped me do everything I needed to make the gaming department successful. I will be forever grateful to all of them for that! 

Now I have somewhere around 6 or 7 shows under my belt, and I’m much more comfortable in my coordinator position. I’ve since added some help – my sister, Jessica, and our good friend, Lindsay – and the three of us make sure everything in gaming runs smoothly. 

GRCC is one of my many side gigs. I also run D&D for some local game stores and manage social media for RIW Hobbies out here in Livonia, a game store I grew up playing in (this year it celebrates its 25th year!). For my full-time day job, I’m a marketing writer for a PC gaming and software company. So, really, I’ve managed to somehow weave gaming into all aspects of my life – and I’d have it absolutely no other way. 

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back, would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
The longer your road becomes, the more bumps and potholes you’re likely to hit, right? Mine is no exception. 

When Grand Rapids Comic Con gaming got too big to handle for just one person, Brian was told he’d need an assistant – and, of course, I met his invitation with an enthusiastic yes. My very first event as his second-in-command was set to be October of 2016. 

In August of that same year, I did the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do: I said goodbye to Brian as his battle against cancer came to an end. 

I have been fortunate to have an incredible support system in so many areas of my life outside of the comic con, too. I owe them so much of my happiness. 

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’d like to think that, at this point, I’ve become known as “that girl with all the games.” The people I interact with at conventions and game stores all over Michigan have come to know me, and I’ve made a lot of really wonderful friends and connections that way. 

I run and teach a lot of Dungeons & Dragons and other TTRPGs. I absolutely love teaching families how to play so that they can go home and have adventures together – there’s no greater feeling. 

Whenever I do these kinds of events, my goal is to have people leave my table feeling enthused about what they’ve just played and empowered to go and teach it to someone else. 

I’m proud of my ability to create a warm and friendly environment in which people can play games and connect with other people. I love games and everything they do to bring people together – if I can be a conduit for that joy, then I feel like I’m doing wonderful things with my time. 

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
An open mind, a dash of patience, and an abundance of enthusiasm. I meet all kinds of people at the gaming table, and it’s important to me that I’m ready to receive them how they are and engage with them in a way that’s going to give them the best experience. 

I don’t ever want someone to walk away from my table feeling like their presence there wasn’t appreciated. I try my best to give my focused attention and encouragement to them as they learn. I’d like to think my excitement for games is contagious – my goal is to infect as many people as I can! 

Contact Info:

• Website: https://christineeason.journoportfolio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jenesislabariel/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/christine-eason-87717a48/
• Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@jenesislabariel