(404) 721-2656 | imgabrielavo@gmail.com
Hello! My name is Gabriela and I'm a developer and a voice actor (and so many other things). Strange combination right? I bet you're wondering how I found myself at this point in life. Let me tell you my story.
I'm Salvadoran American who was raised in the suburbs of Atlanta, GA. Growing up I loved drawing, reading, gaming, math and physics. I love solving puzzles and also coming up with creative solutions to problems. That's why I studied Computational Media at Georgia Tech which was a marriage between computer science and design. I specifically focused on game design which ranged from story making, programming, making a game engaging, and making a good interface. I also had the amazing opportunity to join a research group on campus called Emergent Gaming Group (EGG) that focused on studying and making pervasive game (gaming that extends into the real world, think of games like Pokémon GO).
After graduating, I ended up landing a job as a website developer for a car company in Austin, TX. Although I did not specifically study web design, I was able to use what I learned about intuitive game design and user interface and apply it to intuitive user experience on a website. I worked on many projects and on different teams. My main forte became front-end development but I also worked on back-end tasks. I made sure sites were easy to use, accessible, and worked across different devices. I also worked with clients across the world to meet their needs and specific localizations.
Although I enjoyed coding, I had one dream I wanted to fulfill and it meant leaving everything behind. I always dreamt of living abroad and experiencing a different culture. I studied and received my TEFL certificate and applied to teach English in South Korea. Luckily, I was accepted into the Seoul Metro Office of Education! I moved to Korea just after COVID-19 was publicly announced, which led to an interesting and stressful move and beginning of my life as an expat.
Living abroad was a huge eye-opener. I had to navigate life as a foreigner with a limited visa and with an elementary knowledge of the Korean language. And I had to learn cultural norms and standards, sometimes the hard, embarrassing way. Even with the difficulties, I had a lot of fun experience great food, the bustling city lifestyle, the rich culture, and the beautiful landscapes and architecture.
I was fortunate enough to work at a great elementary school with amazing students. I learned effective teaching techniques and how to deliver learning material in a fun and engaging way. I learned to project my voice and made sure to emphasize on enunciation, articulation, and pronunciation. I collaborated with my coworkers, who had varying levels of English proficiencies, and figured out how to communicate different ideas clearly in order to help lesson plan and keep classroom management, and create a healthy learning environment.
During the pandemic, like most, I spent a lot of time at home and I ended up jumping back into gaming. I discovered the world of online roleplay and eventually joined a server myself. I was very nervous to join because I had no experience and because of my own self-doubt in my voice and acting abilities. I made varying and dynamic characters and gave them life and voices. As I played, I realized how much fun I was having and my previous fears slowly dissipated.
I knew I would be returning to the US soon and with my new found passion, I saw the future as a blank slate to change my career into something that now gives me joy. I packed my bags, told all my friends I'm becoming a voice actor, and headed home. As soon as I was able to, I took courses at an Atlanta studio to learn about the industry and how to use my voice. I used all the skills, knowledge, and adaptability I picked up along the way to start my voiceover business at the end of 2024.
There is still a lot of work ahead of me as I build my voice acting career but even so, I still find it all enjoyable. I am learning many things like audio editing and sound treatment and also things about myself. I'm excited for this next period of my life and showcasing my accomplishments on this website.