About Atlas Games

John got his start in the gaming industry by writing articles for Dragon magazine while he was still in high school. His writing paid his way through college, and he started Atlas Games in 1990 while he was still pursuing his BA in Philosophy at Carleton College, as a way to publish his own work. He still handles the business side of Atlas Games today.

Do not ask John about woodworking, chainsawing, jelly-making, or mead brewing or we’ll be here all day.

Michelle has been with Atlas Games for over 20 years. In that time she's brought more than a hundred card games, board games, and RPG books to market, and has won numerous awards for them — the Parents Choice, Tillywig, Origins, GAMES 100, Diana Jones, and ENnie Awards to name a few. Today she's both Atlas Games' Co-owner and Chief Creative Officer.

Michelle is a current Board Member of the Diana Jones Award, past Board Member of the Game Manufacturers Association (GAMA), has been a Gen Con Costume Contest Judge several times, and has appeared as Guest of Honor at premier conventions like Gen Con, Origins, and others in the US and abroad.

Michelle has a PhD in Literary Studies, and wrote her dissertation on the topic of authorship and roleplaying games (yes, she really is a "Doctor of Gaming").

Jenae Pedersen is the Administrative Manager at Atlas Games, though petitioning to changing her title to Proofreading Princess. She’s a real neat freak, who must constantly put order to the chaos surrounding her, or she’ll go mad.

She moved to Duluth to attend the University of Minnesota Duluth for a degree in Psychology. Three years, and almost a degree later, she panicked and realized she wanted to switch to a major where she would actually find a job after getting out of college. She graduated shortly thereafter with a BBA in Organizational Management.

Jenae is a newbie to the gaming world, but quickly finding happiness in the witty banter and strategy involved.

A common and useless exercise in those dark, smoky espresso joints across the continent is to debate whether Woody actual exists or is just the ever-fading remnant of a post-Thompson-esque weekend that everyone has had at least once. And while there have been sightings going back to the 80's, none were by reliable witnesses. The claims are as varied as the people making them:

His hair was long/mohawk/shaved bald.
He wore a gaudy suit/kilt/imaginative towel.
He worked at Lion Rampant/Atlas Games/Steve Jackson Games/TSO, etc.
His addictions included soccer, soccer, and [redacted].

If you need more proof that he doesn't exist, simply look at the pictures on his phone. No actual human being could have that many pictures of motorcycles, his niece, and ancient woodworking tools. That's simply not how real people are wired, eh?

Shane runs Replay Workshop. He tends to find himself either covered in plastic or making sense of the madness. While living a nomadic life, Shane has resided in Florida, Las Vegas, Nashville, the Twin Cities, and now Duluth. During that time, he gained experience managing people, products, and buildings. He has been happily married since 2012, and is the proud father of 3 goofballs.

Jackie Sue came to Atlas Games during the pandemic, looking for a change. Now, she's our self-proclaimed Expert of Customer Service, fearlessly charting the icy waters of customer inquiries, as if Lake Superior were merely a warm-up. 

Juggling the chaos of marriage and four kids, she finds comfort in the consistency of baking, indulging in the whimsical realms of creativity, and nurturing an expanding menagerie of houseplants. As if she doesn't have enough living things to take care of already! But hey, who needs calm and quiet when you can have flour explosions, fickle plants, and paint splatters, right?

Let's meet Ben Hartfield, a guy who adds a dash of quirkiness to every aspect of his life. His gaming choices are influenced by his older brother, who always steers him toward playing as the bad guy in RPGs and board games. It's an odd little twist that keeps things interesting at the gaming table.

Ben's not just about gaming, though. He holds a BFA in Graphic Design from Concordia University, NE, which lets him add his creative flair to a variety of projects. At Atlas Games, he juggles several roles, with his primary focus being the dependable assistant to Michelle Nephew.

Away from work and games, Ben is a passionate MN Wild fan. He loves the team, even though it occasionally takes a toll on his mental health. And through all of life's ups and downs, he's got a wonderful, supportive wife by his side, making every adventure all the more special. Ben is an interesting mix of fun, creativity, and a touch of unpredictability.

Ross started working part-time in the Atlas warehouse, and has since moved to full-time. He helps out with everything from the warehouse, to the Replay Workshop, to web support. Ross moved to Duluth to attend the University of Minnesota Duluth where he received a B.S. in Computer Science. He has had a love for games from the time he was a child, which drew him to working at Atlas Games and eventually pulled him all the way in! Outside of work, Ross is an avid sports fan and will be supporting the local Minnesota teams until the day he dies. He also enjoys spending time hiking the Duluth trails, writing about the aforementioned sports, and relaxing with his girlfriend and two cats.