SheTech Interns Interview Dana Ware
Dana Ware, CCO at ARound and former Creative Director at The VOID, shares her journey through VR/AR, overcoming tech challenges, motherhood in gaming, and inspiring young women to pursue STEM careers.
People & Culture
From The VOID to Around: Dana Ware’s Journey in Augmented Reality
Dana Ware, Chief Creative Officer at ARound and former Creative Director at The VOID, is a pioneer in augmented and virtual reality. Her journey from traditional film to the cutting edge of immersive technology is anything but conventional—and deeply inspiring for young women exploring STEM. ARound is a New York City-based augmented reality (AR) company specializing in transforming live events—particularly sports games—into interactive, shared digital experiences.
“I make games and different forms of entertainment using emerging technology for location-based experiences,” Ware explains. “That could be at a stadium, a boutique venue, or even a Dave & Buster’s.”
Ware is based in Salt Lake City and works remotely, collaborating daily with designers and engineers. “If something’s not working, we solve it together. Sometimes it’s a design issue; sometimes it’s on the engineering side. It’s all about teamwork.”
Ware’s journey began at UCLA, where she earned a master’s in television and media production. Early on, she created installation pieces for museums, which introduced her to interactive storytelling. But it was her first experience with an early Oculus headset that truly changed everything.
"I started in traditional media and doing television and film, and also, many installation pieces for museums, and that set the stage for interactive storytelling, because I was able to make these installation pieces where people could view and consume content differently, and I would have them participate by interacting with the art" she continued with “When I was first exposed to an early version of the Oculus virtual reality headset, it completely shifted my perspective. I knew right then that this was the platform I wanted to build for. VR and AR became the way I wanted to tell stories, the way I wanted to engage people. Even though there wasn’t much interaction in the device yet, I knew this was where I wanted to go.”
She later earned master’s degrees in both game development and fine arts at the University of Utah, deepening her expertise in immersive design.
Ware shared with us a significant moment she had with her daughter while working:
“I have a daughter, and she’s truly one of my biggest champions. She loves testing and playing all the games I work on. She’d come with me to LA, to SoFi, and run wild across the empty field on rehearsal days, laughing and having the time of her life. I treasure every chance to fold her into my work. At The VOID, she got to experience a project where her digital avatar was mapped perfectly to her little body. We stepped into that world together, side by side. I could hear her tiny voice, see her small hand reaching out in the virtual space. It created a memory I’ll carry in my heart forever. Through a project I built to help others create special moments, I got to make one of the most meaningful memories of all for her and for me.”
She also shared that her favorite type of projects to work on are "worlds that people love and connect to such as Jumanji. The projects I've done with big studios. It's a treat to take the characters I love and give you an intimate moment with them. The Transformers Project that we have at Dave's N Busters, there's a part where Optimus Prime picks up the vehicle you are in and has a very intimate conversation with you, he's holding you up to his face while you have moments with your hero. Those are the moments that I love to lean into."
One of her most cherished memories involves her daughter, who frequently helps test her projects. “At The VOID, she got to test an experience where your avatar maps to your body. We did it together. I saw her little digital hand wave at me. That moment—connecting with her in a virtual world I helped create—meant everything.”
She loves working on projects that bring beloved characters to life. “With the Transformers project at Dave & Buster’s, Optimus Prime literally lifts your vehicle and talks to you. Creating intimate moments with heroes—those are the experiences I live for.”
In May 2023, Ware joined ARound as CCO. "They called me, I didn't know what to anticipate when I was on the call with the CEO, he just explained to me he had seen my work at The VOID, but he was doing a job and wanted me on his team. I was conversing with another huge AR company for a position at the time and got an offer. But I decided to come to ARound because of all the opportunities I saw and the ability to create augmented reality in a safe environment, so I don't have to worry about augmenting your reality so much that you put yourself in harm."
She also shared the challenges during the transition to ARound." The hardest thing about transitioning to Around for myself was that I transitioned into a Chief Creative Officer role. It was my first time becoming a CCO. Just that title felt mysterious because you don't know many; you don't have a Rolodex of a bunch of Chief Creative Officers. Then the second part to that is, if there was a Rolodex of those people, how many of them would be women? that was another part of being a senior leader that's a female, and being able to run a team that is majority male, that was very intimidating to me, I'm fortunate that I have some people on my team that have worked with me across multiple companies now, and I find the people I trust and I believe in them, and they believe in me and we're able to grow with each other"
Looking ahead, Ware is optimistic. “The pace of creation is astonishing and we’ve barely begun to unlock what’s possible. Just in this room, there’s potential for entirely new content types. I could be here as an avatar, bridging realities. Out in the world, we’re only beginning to harness these technologies to help deaf individuals communicate or to meaningfully enhance lives. We’re standing at the edge of a vast frontier and we’re only just starting to explore.”
Reflecting on her time at The VOID, Ware says, “I wanted to create something immersive that told the stories that I wanted to tell, that could allow me to lean into all the emerging technology. I lucked out with The VOID. It was everything. I found my tribe when I found The VOID. And I am so grateful to all the different experiences I've created and made with the teams there."
Ending the interview, Dana Ware shared advice for high school girls interested in STEM careers. “Find mentors. Chase opportunities. Don’t hold back just because there are so few women in this field. Surround yourself with people who will lift you up, even if you’ve never met them. Role models matter. That’s why I keep pushing so hard with Women in Games: the more women we help rise, the more we change the game for the next generation.”
Serena Dearden and Arianna Berchan-Bridges are SheTech student board members and SheTech Media Interns for 2024-2025. The SheTech Media Internship, provided through TechBuzz News, provides Serena and Arianna with networking opportunities and journalism experience. Their articles are published on TechBuzz News, Silicon Slopes, and in other media channels.
Serena and Arianna have founded clubs at their school to advocate for female representation in STEM fields. Serena, a senior at NUAMES, recently graduated with her associate’s degree from Weber State. Arianna, recently completed her junior year at Highland High School. She passionate about electrical and software engineering. Together they are committed to inspiring other women to pursue careers in STEM.