Stephen R. Balzac
Steve has over twenty years of experience in the high tech industry and is the former Director of Operations for Silicon Genetics, in Redwood City, CA, where he was responsible for shipping their flagship product. Steve also led the development of numerous serious roleplaying simulations, including a Pandemic Flu simulation for the US National Capitol Region. He has spoken at several conferences, been a guest lecturer at MIT and WPI, and appeared on panels on computer game design. His articles have appeared in a number of journals, including The Journal of Interactive Drama, The IBM Systems Journal, The Lincoln Journal, Mass High Tech, and the Worcester Business Journal.
Steve serves on the boards of the New England Society of Applied Psychology (NESAP) and the Society of Professional Consultants (SPC). Steve is a member of the Operations Committee of the American Judo & Jujitsu Federation. No stranger to the challenges of achieving peak performance under competitive and stressful conditions, he holds a fourth degree black belt in jujitsu and is a former nationally ranked competitive fencer. He has published numerous articles on the application of sport psychology techniques to business.
Building effective development organizations, improving team morale, focus, and enthusiasm, developing effective communications between team members, reducing employee turnover, helping businesses identify and attain strategic targets, and applying sport psychology techniques to business have been some of his most successful projects.
Steve has bachelor's and master's degrees in computer science and engineering from MIT, and a master's degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, with a focus on motivation, performance, and group dynamics, from Capella University. He is an adjunct professor of Industrial/Organizational Psychology.
Steve has over twenty years of experience in the high tech industry and is the former Director of Operations for Silicon Genetics, in Redwood City, CA, where he was responsible for shipping their flagship product. Steve also led the development of numerous serious roleplaying simulations, including a Pandemic Flu simulation for the US National Capitol Region. He has spoken at several conferences, been a guest lecturer at MIT and WPI, and appeared on panels on computer game design. His articles have appeared in a number of journals, including The Journal of Interactive Drama, The IBM Systems Journal, The Lincoln Journal, Mass High Tech, and the Worcester Business Journal.
Steve serves on the boards of the New England Society of Applied Psychology (NESAP) and the Society of Professional Consultants (SPC). Steve is a member of the Operations Committee of the American Judo & Jujitsu Federation. No stranger to the challenges of achieving peak performance under competitive and stressful conditions, he holds a fourth degree black belt in jujitsu and is a former nationally ranked competitive fencer. He has published numerous articles on the application of sport psychology techniques to business.
Building effective development organizations, improving team morale, focus, and enthusiasm, developing effective communications between team members, reducing employee turnover, helping businesses identify and attain strategic targets, and applying sport psychology techniques to business have been some of his most successful projects.
Steve has bachelor's and master's degrees in computer science and engineering from MIT, and a master's degree in Industrial/Organizational Psychology, with a focus on motivation, performance, and group dynamics, from Capella University. He is an adjunct professor of Industrial/Organizational Psychology.
