WSSEA Staff

Jake Voss

Jake Voss served as the Director of Esports for Tacoma Public Schools from 2021-24, where he has been instrumental in integrating competitive video gaming into the school's athletic programs. Under his leadership, esports has gained recognition as a legitimate sport, allowing students in grades 6-12 to participate in organized leagues and tournaments across popular titles like Valorant, Rocket League, Smash Bros, and Overwatch 2. His efforts have significantly enhanced student engagement and provided new avenues for teamwork and strategic thinking within the educational framework of Tacoma schools.

In addition to his role at Tacoma Public Schools, Jake has been an active member of the Washington State Scholastic Esports Association (WSSEA) board since Spring 2023 and now serves as the Executive Director. In this capacity, he contributes to promoting healthy gaming habits and fostering community among high school esports participants throughout Washington State. His work with WSSEA emphasizes the importance of digital citizenship and inclusivity in gaming, further supporting the growth of esports at both high school and collegiate levels.

First Console: Pong

Currently Playing: Mario Kart

Preferred Interface: Switch

Favorite Playstyle: Retro & Racing

Favorite Game: Galaga

Owen Craig - Sponsorship Liaison 

Owen Craig is a technology leader is Nooksack, Washington, where he serves as the Director of Technology for the Nooksack Valley School District. In this role, Owen has significantly contributed to the integration of technology in education and spearheading initiatives that help prepare students for careers in tech. His personal favorite achievement is founding an Esports and Technology club at the High School that includes over 30 students, highlighting his ability to inspire and mobilize youth into technology-related endeavors.

First Console: NES

Currently Playing: TowerBorne, Path of Exile 2, Palworld

Preferred Interface: Mouse and Keyboard

Favorite Playstyle: RPGs

Last Game Completed: Vampire Survivors

Trevor Wood - HS Tournament Lead

Trevor is an English teacher and Video Game Club advisor at Lake Stevens High School where he established the Viking Esports program in 2021. His dedication to scholastic esports has led him to take on several key roles with WSSEA, including Advisory Board Vice President, High School Tournament Lead, and Competitive Council Lead. Trevor's drive to empower students and enthusiasm for gaming shine through, both in his classroom and his esports efforts. Known to his students as a staunch Classic WoW apologist, an overconfident Wolf main, and an energetic esports commentator, Trevor is also an absolute menace on the sticks when it comes to Halo.

First Console: X-Box (2001)

Currently Playing: World of Warcraft Classic, Deadlock

Preferred Interface: The Duke

Favorite Playstyle: First Person Shooter or Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games

Favorite Game: FTL: Faster Than Light

Matthew Ross - Website and Social Media

Matthew W. Ross started his Esports journey in his freshman year when he and a couple friends took it upon themselves to wire the High School computer lab together so they could play Warcraft 2 and Decent after school. Since then, he has had over 20 years of experience working in K12 Education Technology. For a few years, Matt started SWWaG, an Esports Tournament for the Southwestern Washington area schools. But has since integrated with WSSEA's mission for a state-wide scholastic Esports platform. When he's not up late cooking up new ideas for promoting Esports,  he enjoys spending valuable time with his family.

First Console: Commodore 64

Currently Playing: Helldivers 2, Street Fighter 6, Planetside 2, Legend Of Zelda - Echos of Wisdom, Marvel Snap

Preferred Interface: Mouse and Keyboard

Favorite Playstyle: Massively Multiplayer Collective Effort, or Deep Story and Lore games.

Last Game Completed: Legend of Zelda - Tears of the Kingdom

Favorite Game: Portal 1 and 2

Nathan Paine - MS Tournament Lead

Nathan Paine is an experienced educator and Esports program leader with a proven track record of success. He spearheaded a highly successful middle school Esports program that thrived for three years. Following that achievement, Nathan has organized and managed hundreds of after-school programs across both high school and middle school settings. His expertise includes overseeing Esports initiatives for seven teams across three different schools, showcasing his dedication to fostering teamwork and innovation in scholastic Esports.

First Console: Nintendo 64

Currently Playing: Apex Legends, Marvel Rivals, Rocket League, Valorant

Preferred Interface: Anything by Corsair

Favorite Playstyle: Real Time Strategy or Roguelikes

Favorite Game: League of Legends

Jason Giancola

Bio coming soon...