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Lori Bajorek is president and CEO of the National Esports Association (NEA), through which she champions esports in education. She pioneered what is considered the first educational program for esports and continues to build upon her 16 years of experience creating and implementing game-centered programs for enhanced K-12 learning, including establishing academic standards and developing curriculum. She continues to work globally with school districts and leading tech partners to further esports in education, elevating student engagement, attendance, and academic success.
Microsoft named Bajorek an honoree of the 2022 Microsoft Legacy Project, alongside luminaries like Jane Goodall, Jane Fonda, astronauts, a Nobel Prize laureate, and athletic pioneers. In 2022 she also presented her first Tedx Talk, on the topic of esports in education. Under Bajorek’s leadership, the NEA was ranked third in the country in 2021 among esports entities “on the cutting edge of gaming” by Yahoo! Sports.
Bajorek speaks often at events and conferences on several esports’ topics, including education, engagement, inclusion, and women in gaming. She studied at Emma Willard School, a leading college-prep private school, and earned a bachelor’s degree in child psychology from the University of Buffalo. She and her husband, Ronald, are the proud parents of two grown children — Alia, a professional comedian, and Trip, a talented gamer.