On some workdays, AviaGames CEO Vickie Chen has a companion at the office: her rescue dog, Kiki.
Kiki was adopted from a shelter after being rescued in California’s Central Valley. When she first came home, she was extremely shy. With time, patience, and companionship, she became more comfortable around people and other animals.
For Chen, experiences like this have reinforced a lesson that reaches far beyond animal rescue: trust is rarely built in a single moment. It develops through consistency, patience, and care.
That same philosophy appears in how she leads AviaGames, works with her team, thinks about building trust with players in real money games, and approaches charitable causes.
Leadership Built Around Trust
Chen has spent years working in the fast-moving gaming industry, but she does not believe every new trend deserves to be followed.
When considering an opportunity, she looks at whether it addresses a genuine user need, strengthens the company for the long term, and fits its values. Short-term attention matters less if it does not lead to a better experience or greater trust.
Her leadership style has also changed as AviaGames has grown.
In the company’s earlier years, Chen was closely involved in many decisions. Over time, she realized that a growing organization could not depend on one person to solve every problem.
She began focusing more on helping employees develop their own judgment, take ownership, and make decisions independently.
To Chen, leadership is not about making everyone depend on the CEO. It is about building a team that can continue moving forward even when the CEO is not involved in every detail.
Lessons From Animal Rescue
Some of Chen’s strongest lessons about patience came outside the office.
During the pandemic, she began noticing stray cats while walking Kiki. Feeding them eventually turned into helping with rescue efforts, medical care, vaccinations, spaying and neutering, and adoption.
One small white cat particularly stayed with her.
Chen had fed the cat for years and slowly earned her trust. When she noticed the cat struggling to breathe, she arranged a veterinary appointment and went to look for her a couple of hours beforehand. She expected the cat to appear when she heard Chen’s voice, as she normally did.
She never came.
Chen never saw her again.
The experience reminded her that waiting can have consequences, especially for animals living outdoors. It strengthened her belief that meaningful change does not always begin with a large initiative. Sometimes it simply begins with deciding to act.
Turning Personal Values Into Action
Chen’s passion for animals eventually became connected with AviaGames’ charitable work.
Through initiatives such as Play for Paws, the company has supported animal welfare organizations. Chen has also participated personally as a volunteer rather than limiting her involvement to corporate donations.
Avia has supported additional animal welfare programs involving food donations, medical treatment, rescue efforts, and sterilization funding. Chen views these efforts as long-term commitments rather than one-time campaigns.
The company has also supported other causes, including initiatives benefiting foster youth.
For Chen, the principle is simple: social impact does not have to start big, but it does need to be genuine and consistent.
Recognition Along the Way
Her work has also received recognition from outside AviaGames.
Chen has been recognized by the Silicon Valley Business Journal as a Woman of Influence and by Forbes China as an Industry Leader. In 2025, she received a Silver Stevie Award for Best Female CEO of the Year.
In 2026, she received the Platinum Award in the Outstanding CEO category at the TITAN Women in Business Awards, recognizing her leadership and role in Avia’s growth.
But awards are only one part of her story.
You Can Be Gentle and Still Be Decisive
Chen often tells emerging women leaders that they do not need to imitate someone else’s idea of what leadership should look like.
In her view, a person can be gentle and decisive, empathetic while still maintaining high standards.
It is an idea she has carried into her participation in Meta’s Women in Games Mentorship Program and into her approach to managing people.
Whether she is helping an employee develop confidence, supporting an animal learning to trust again, or building relationships with players, the same principles appear repeatedly.
For AviaGames CEO Vickie Chen, leadership comes back to trust, patience, responsibility, and giving others the opportunity to grow.
