May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month (AAPI), a time to celebrate the contributions of the AAPI community in the U.S. We are proud to embrace the collective achievements they’ve made throughout our history and to recognize the incredible challenges they have faced in a variety of industries. 

In keeping with this year’s theme, “Advancing Leaders Through Opportunity,” we asked our employees to share what it means to be an Asian American and how they are empowering each other to succeed.  

Today, we’re spotlighting Vyas Thottathil, a Senior Executive Producer at Zynga, as part of our month-long AAPI employee spotlights

Tell us a little bit about your background, culture, and career.

I belong to the beautiful state of Kerala in southern India, though I spent most of my life in Dubai, Bangalore, Hyderabad — and now, Vancouver. Having grown up in a diverse and multicultural environment in Dubai, I feel at home in Canada.

With an academic background in Computer Engineering and Business, I have worked in both Enterprise Resource Planning and Game Development for the last 26 years, mostly in engineering management and production roles.

Tell us about joining ZAPI (Zynga Asians & Pacific Islanders) and what the employee resource group means to you?

ZAPI helps bring a feeling of community by offering opportunities for us to meet and interact with people of different cultures. The ERG, employee resource group, is open to all and helps to build a culture of inclusion, engagement, empowerment, and trust. ZAPI encourages everyone to bring their best self with authenticity and representation.

What does Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month mean to you? 

I have always loved living in a diverse and multicultural environment of mutual respect and support. AAPI Heritage Month is a reminder to recognize, include, and value the rich cultures of our diverse workforce.

Do you have an inspirational figure in your life? Who are they and how have they helped you along on your journey?

As strange as it may seem, my inspirational figure is my 15-year-old daughter. 

She fearlessly takes on challenges and is laser focused on her goals. Her attitude of getting things done without cutting corners surprises me everyday. She is the very definition of a growth mindset and makes me want to set the same high standards for myself.

Looking back at previous experiences, what makes Zynga stand out the most?

I am a Zynga boomerang! What sets Zynga apart is the quality of talent and the level of ownership that each employee is entrusted with. I missed the fun, fast pace and quick decision making at Zynga. The fact that there are so many boomerangs at Zynga speaks volumes about Zynga’s work culture and core values.

What’s something you love that you want to share?

Dogs!

To me, the unconditional love you get from a dog is truly hard to surpass. If you don’t have one already, I’d highly recommend getting one if you can. They truly help you handle any kind of stress and have made a huge difference to my life!