Cory Ondrejka
Biography
Cory Ondrejka is senior vice president of digital strategy for EMI Music, creating new connections and business models between artists and fans. Prior to EMI, he was the cofounder of Second Life, the hugely successful and award winning virtual world, where he architected the core code and hired the team responsible for Second Life’s growth to over 12 million residents. Ondrejka is an adjunct professor in the Annenberg School for Communication at the University of Southern California. He is an authority on the development and use of virtual worlds in game, entertainment, education, government, military, and business applications. In addition, Ondrejka is an expert on the complex interrelation between innovation and learning, as well as the technological and social requirements of product development across entangled, geographically dispersed teams. Prior to Second Life, Ondrejka led the development of numerous videogames, including Road Rash 64. He is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy, where he completed degrees in both weapons and systems engineering and computer science.