Michael Anthony Mike Iavarone

About Michael Anthony Mike Iavarone

Hey there!I\'m a Sound Designer at Hexany Audio in Los Angeles. I spend my days designing and creating sound effects for video games using tools like Reaper, virtual synthesizers, SoundMiner, and iZotope RX.Working at a full-service game audio studio like Hexany means no two projects are ever the same — on any given day I might be designing creature vocals, UI sounds, or melee and magic abilities for a MOBA. What keeps me sharp is a genuine curiosity about the deeper side of sound — synthesis, psychoacoustics, and the science behind why different sounds make us feel a certain way. That curiosity is what pulled me into this field in the first place, and it\'s what keeps me pushing to get better at it.I took a bit of a winding road to get here. After graduating from Rutgers and driving across the country to Los Angeles, I spent four years working in advertising, political data analysis, and publishing — all while spending my evenings and weekends learning audio production and sound design. That path eventually led me to Hexany, and I haven\'t looked back. I\'d like to think those earlier years weren\'t a detour — in fact, they laid a strong foundation for how I approach my work today — from how I think about what a sound communicates to a player, to how I translate a client\'s creative vision into something that elevates their game.Outside of work, when I\'m not off the grid hiking and exploring, you\'ll likely find me grinding through a roguelike like Hades or Slay the Spire, or digging through YouTube Music for new genres and artists to dive into.Always happy to connect. Cheers!

Experience

1. Sound Designer

   Hexany Audio

   Jan 2025 — Present · Los Angeles, CA, US

   As a Sound Designer at Hexany Audio, I design and create sound effects for video games and interactive media across a wide range of genres. My work spans creature vocals, combat and abilities, UI, ambiences, and more — with each project bringing a different set of creative and technical challenges. I also assist with coordinating sound design team field and studio recording sessions.Tools & Software: Reaper, SoundMiner, iZotope RX, Twisted Wave, virtual synthesizers, and Wwise.

Education

• Rutgers University

  Bachelor’s Degree, Information Technology and Economics | Business Administration Minor