My mission changed from entertainment to education

Billy Joe has spent 30 years in the interactive space, creating award-winning games, simulations, educational programs, and “gamified” training products. He has launched a new EA Sports franchise, built products for Nickelodeon, delivered a flight simulator for the United States Air Force, and created and maintained online educational programs to improve critical thinking, math, and vocabulary skills.

He has been building educational products to fight trafficking since 2017, because his children were being groomed by a sex predator, whom he had known as a friend for years.

For his nonprofit, Radical Empathy Education Foundation, he developed an immersive Virtual Reality (VR) experience which, in 15 minutes, demonstrates how anyone could be psychologically manipulated into becoming a victim of human trafficking.

He co-founded PBJ Learning with his partner, David Deeds, to provide online certificate-level human trafficking prevention training around the world.

He is a member of Central Texas Coalition Against Human Trafficking (CTCAHT) and the Tarrant County 5-Stones Taskforce, and continues developing relationships with experts, advocates, and survivors in this fight.

PBJ Learning Online Anti-Human Trafficking Certificate Course

Welcome to a new way to learn about human trafficking.

You may be curious about human trafficking, you may be required to take training for your job or school, or you may be looking for contact hours of education as Continuing Education Units (CEU or CEC).

This course is far beyond a typical PowerPoint presentation. You truly get involved through your phone or computer browser. Multiple forms of teaching, critical thinking, and interactivity are incorporated to make the course interesting and informative for all students.

Beginning with a pressure-free assessment to gauge your improvement, there is over 30 minutes of video alongside 90 minutes of relatable lessons. Real-life stories, definitions, and statistics are brought to life through multiple interactive activities. It is victim-centered, research-based, and has measurable learning outcomes.

Radical Empathy’s Virtual Reality Training

Can you really learn how to use a shovel by reading a book?

My point, exactly. So, how do you expect people to fully understand how to recognize and avoid psychological manipulation through a PowerPoint presentation?

The power of interactive technologies and immersive, game-like experiences provides educators a new way to reach learners most engaged through interaction. As an educational tool, Virtual Reality is the most immersive method to convey material. It generates empathy to make learners care about a topic and is truly “Experiential Education,” well-known to be the best way to learn.

Radical Empathy Education Foundation (REEF) is dedicated to ending human trafficking in one generation. We have partnered with PBJ Learning to provide a complete education solution that utilizes cutting edge virtual reality technology (VR) and an online certificate course that helps children, teachers, and parents understand how anyone could be pulled into selling themselves for sex. Videos of our VR experience and its strengths here: FOX 7 | PBS 

We are open to all forms of collaboration and partnership. Contact me at billy@reefcares.org

Co-founder, Creative Director, PBJ Learning

My current work at PBJ Learning and Radical Empathy Education Foundation is creating and using interactive educational projects to raise empathy for victims of human trafficking.

Since 2016, I have learned the field, met with the leaders of multinational organizations in the fight, including survivor groups and law enforcement. With that knowledge and research, we have created an interactive, online educational program, called Human Trafficking Essentials, available at pbjlearning.com.

PBJ Learning’s online course leverages the power of technology to allow access to anyone, anywhere, at any time.

President, Radical Empathy Education Foundation (REEF)

Eliminating Human Trafficking by transforming public awareness of human trafficking through interactive products, materials and training.

REEF is dedicated to ending human trafficking in one generation. We have created a “Three Phase” educational program that utilizes cutting edge virtual reality technology (VR) to help children, teachers, and parents understand how anyone could be pulled into selling themselves for sex. 

Business Development Director, Project Manager: Meta 3D Studios

Transforming Meta 3D Studios into an original and work-for-hire app and game developer. Our original Virtual Reality and Augmented Reality apps are garnering attention in local media

Created opportunities for clients to have amazing apps and games created, provided expert solutions and support, and assisted with projects from Virtual and Augmented Reality apps to full screen animation and compositing for television and games. 

Some of our incredible clients: A+E, Discovery Education, Mythbusters, Mattel, University of Texas, Syfy Channel, and Portalarium!

Gamification Subject Matter Expert: VMC Game Labs / FastPath Learning

Since 2011, implemented gamification techniques into games and led gamification efforts within internal company groups. Gamification is the use of game techniques along with big data to motivate and increase engagement of your employees and customers.

What is important to note is that it does not necessarily mean that something has to be a game to be “gamified.” Here’s a blog post I wrote about planning for gamification.

Co-founder, Chief Creative Officer, Executive Producer, Customer Experience Director: Sneaky Games

Responsible for game quality, fun, timeliness, budgets, quality assurance, and providing world-class community management / customer support / customer service.

​Designed and Executive Produced Fantasy Kingdoms (Facebook).

Co-founder, VP of Development, Executive Producer: Critical Mass Interactive

Responsible for development, testing, and delivery of hundreds of high-quality game projects on budget and on schedule for clients such as Electronic Arts, United States Air Force, Universal, NCsoft, Sony Online Entertainment, THQ/Relic, and Majesco.

Co-founder, Executive Producer: BigSky Interactive

Produced and shipped SpongeBob SquarePants: Revenge of the Flying Dutchman on PlayStation 2 and Nintendo GameCube (NTSC and PAL). 

Responsible for staffing, budgeting, scheduling, meeting franchise requirements, keeping the publisher informed and satisfied.

Project Director, Associate Producer, Lead Designer: Electronic Arts / Origin Systems, Inc.

Lead designer on the multi-million dollar franchise title Wing Commander: Prophecy

Coordinated art, game programming, core Vision Engine technology, design, audio, movie team, business team, creative services, hint guide creation, translations, quality assurance, during entire project.

​Launched EA Sports Rugby franchise with EA Sports’ Rugby World Cup ’95 (NTSC and PAL) on Sega Genesis.