Amanda Wixted

Amanda Wixted (born November 23, 1981) is a computer game programmer and founder of Meteor Grove Software.

Professional career

After graduating from the University of Arizona in 2005, Wixted took a job as a game programmer for SkillJam. There, she led a development team that created 10 mobile multiplayer games. Wixted also worked on a two-player turn-based strategy game while at SkillJam.

In May 2007, Wixted left SkillJam and began working at Namco Networks America Inc.. At Namco, Wixted began bringing classic games back by porting them to the iPhone and J2ME mobile devices. These games included PAC-MAN, Ms. PAC-MAN, Galaga and Dig-Dug. After about a year and a half, Wixted took a job at Zynga.

Wixted was hired as a network operator and server-side gameplay developer at Zynga. In 2009, the company launched a Facebook game called PetVille. Wixted developed the server-side gameplay features for PetVille. Previous to the release of PetVille, she was promoted to the tech lead for the iPhone team at Zynga.

As tech lead, Wixted widely expanded the company’s social gaming network on the iPhone. She led development teams on game applications such as LivePoker, Mafia Wars, Street Racing, Vampire Wars and FarmVille.

Hyperspace Inc. was her next workplace. In 2011, Wixted co-founded the company in the Greater New York City area. There, she worked on Turf Geography Club, a mobile location-based game.

Wixted then started Meteor Grove Software in Austin, Texas. As the owner and founder of the company, Amanda now consults on and developing IOS games and applications. The company started in January 2011.

Amanda is currently CTO of Homer, an award-winning educational startup that helps young kids learn and love to read.

Education

In high school, Amanda participated in the Gay Straight Alliance Club, Student Council, dance and lacrosse. In 2000, Amanda graduated from Stevenson School and moved on to the University of Arizona.

At UA, Wixted received a bachelor's degree in Computer Science while spending two and a half of her years there as a section leader and teaching assistant.

Personal life

On November 23, 1981, Amanda Wixted was born in Paris, France. At the age of two, she moved to Kuwait City, and at the age of nine, to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, and at age 15 moved again to attend Stevenson School, a boarding school in Pebble Beach, California.

After graduating from college, Amanda lived in a few different places in the United States. In 2014, Amanda Wixted married Timothy Fitz. The two currently live in Austin, Texas with their child Ruby. Ruby Polaris Wixted was born in Austin on March 27, 2015.