Welcome to Ziah Fogel’s Creative Universe

Ziah Fogel is a visionary product leader with a diverse background spanning game, mobile, and web development, as well as animation and visual effects. Thriving on the cutting edge of technology, she collaborates with some of the world’s most innovative companies and talented individuals.

Background and Journey:

Ziah’s odyssey began with a dual degree in Computer Science and Cinema Production at the University of Southern California. In the first decade of her career, she seamlessly fused creative and technical expertise at renowned film and VFX studios, including Industrial Light & Magic, Pixar Animation Studios, Double Negative, and Framestore. Her indelible mark graces iconic films such as Finding Nemo, The Incredibles, Cars, Ratatouille, and Wall-E.

Transition to Product Management:

In 2013, Ziah seamlessly shifted into product management, starting as the Product Lead on Touch Surgery. Her innate talent for crafting visually stimulating, medically accurate computer graphics animations, coupled with an unwavering focus on customer needs, marked the inception of her flourishing product career.

As a Senior Product Manager at Twilio, Ziah led a comprehensive redesign of the account console, enhancing user experience and driving market expansion through a specialized package for resellers. At Autodesk, she worked as a Senior Product Manager on Shotgrid software, spearheading the development of innovative tools for real-time data-driven production analysis, empowering efficient workflows for developers and creative professionals.

Leadership at Niantic Labs:

Joining Niantic Labs in 2018 as a Senior Product Manager, Ziah initially focused on the Lightship developer platform, integral to all Niantic titles, including Pokémon Go. In 2019, she directed her visionary leadership serving as the Director of Product and Executive Producer for Niantic’s AR-first mobile game, Peridot. Under her guidance, Peridot launched in May 2023 as a groundbreaking pet simulation game, seamlessly blending augmented reality and artificial intelligence.

Key Strengths:

Ziah’s prowess lies in her leadership, management, and organizational skills, manifested through her ability to navigate complexity, make informed decisions, and thrive in high-stress environments. Bridging the gap between artistic vision and technical execution, she brings a unique combination of aesthetic sense and technical proficiency to every project.

Passion for Cutting-Edge Technology:

With an avid interest in AI, Ziah follows industry trends and actively collaborates with experts in the field. Her hands-on experience integrating cutting-edge AI/ML systems into Peridot showcases her commitment to leveraging technology for enhanced user engagement.

Beyond Work:

Outside her professional pursuits, Ziah loves to travel and is a divemaster. A versatile creative soul, she dabbles in ceramics, brews coffee as a barista, and captures moments through her lens, sharing captivating photos on Instagram. Explore her filmography on IMDB and catch a glimpse of her work on Vimeo.

Connect with Ziah on LinkedIn and embark with her on an exciting journey of creativity, innovation, and a relentless pursuit to shape the products of the future.