Alexa Champions

Recognizing Top Alexa Developers in the Community

John Gillilan

Los Angeles, California

John is a creative producer exploring the profound impact of voice on the creation and consumption of digital culture. As an emerging voice designer and developer, he has published fifteen Alexa skills, including Chop Chop, which was recognized as Best New Skill for Echo Show & Echo Spot in the Alexa Skills Challenge: Life Hacks.

John’s perspective on voice draws from 15+ years of experience in audio engineering, music production & supervision, talent & brand management, creative development, and programming on emerging platforms. At The Walt Disney Company and Maker Studios, John collaborated with some of the world’s most prolific video creators in an array of genres including kids, music, comedy, and gaming. His expertise is in growing audiences, developing new IP, and building new revenue streams in partnership with platforms, publishers, and brands. Prior to this current path, John’s passion for music and sound led him to work across the industry as a producer, manager, label owner, and music supervisor.

John holds a B.Sc in Music Industry from the University of Southern California. He grew up in Chicago, has extra pages in his passport, and eats a lot of fruit.

Select List of Alexa Skills Published

  • Chop Chop: Turn your Echo device into a hands-free kitchen companion serving up fun, easy-to-follow video tutorials on chopping fresh produce.
  • Music Sandwich: Play this interactive musical jukebox designed to help kids learn about music by making digital sandwiches with their voice.
  • Vintage Video: Watch vintage educational videos on dating, social etiquette, morality, and civics from the late ‘40s and ‘50s.
  • Rain At Mama’s House: A skill John built for his mom that plays rain sounds.
  • The Gorilla Channel: A voice-first meme extension.
  • George Washington's Life Advice: John’s contribution to the storied space facts skill genre.

Connect with Jess

John Gillilan picture

Contributions

  • Streams about all things voice from his studio in Little Bangladesh on Twitch
  • Writes about voice development, strategy and learnings at bondad.fm
  • Actively involved in voice events in Los Angeles and Orange County

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