IT families: Alexander Pukhov and Liza Morozova

Alexander Pukhov, city — Almaty, technical lead 3d environment artist. Senior 3d Artist, LinkedIn

Elizaveta Morozova, city — Almaty, video game developer, LinkedIn

About Us

Liza. We are an IT family with a combined experience of 26 years in video game development. Sasha participated in the creation of such projects as League of Legends, World of Warcraft, and Fortnite, as well as worked on big-budget films, creating 3D graphics.

Sasha. Liza participated in the development of World of Warcraft, Devil May Cry 5, and Fortnite. We met when I was interviewing Liza for the Team Lead Environment Artist position for the Fortnite project. From that moment, our joint story began — first professional, and then personal.

How we came to the IT field

Sasha. I got into IT even while studying at university. I learned that you could create mods for games, and it seemed incredibly interesting. That’s where it all started — I began studying development and gradually immersed myself in the video game industry.

Liza. I came to IT quite a long time ago. First, I was a designer and studied at the “Symbat” academy. Then I became a Twitch streamer, and once a community manager for World of Warcraft approached me with an offer to work for free on the game as a tester. I agreed, worked for six months — and that’s exactly where my career in video game development began. 

Distribution of responsibilities

Liza. We have two cats — perhaps that’s our biggest responsibility. In general, we try to organize our household to save time and energy. All household tasks are outsourced: we have cleaning services, and we usually order food. We only cook when we feel like it.

We spend our free time together — playing D&D, computer games, or just relaxing.

Sasha. I am engaged in 3D printing figurines, and Liza is engaged in creativity. She paints and tries different hobbies when inspiration strikes. This way, we try to keep the home a place where you can relax, rather than dealing with routine.

Family traditions

Sasha and Liza. We live in the moment: if we want to do something — we just do it right away. We are not sure that in 10-15 years we will have established family traditions, as we are closer to spontaneity and freedom of choice.

As for values — for us, the most important things are respect, personal boundaries, and support. We both work a lot, so we try not to interfere with each other, but to be there when needed. We value honesty, the ability to listen, and giving space. Also, development and curiosity are important to us — we are constantly learning, experimenting, and trying new things.

Combining household chores and work

Liza. Combining household chores and work is not easy. Therefore, we try to clearly separate work processes and everyday life. Work takes up most of the time, and we do not mix household chores with it. Cleaning handles household chores, and we usually order food to avoid spending time cooking. Sometimes we cook ourselves — only if we are in the mood. This helps maintain a balance between work and personal life without being overloaded with household trivialities.

Recommendations for a happy family life

Sasha. Our main advice is to always speak openly. Do not hold grudges, do not accumulate emotions, and do not wait for the other person to figure it out themselves. If something bothers us, we immediately discuss it calmly and honestly.

We respect each other's personal space and freedom. Each of us can be alone when needed — and that is normal. Thanks to this, we have no conflicts over trivial matters or serious reasons. For us, it is important not to argue, but to understand and support each other.

How IT families differ from others

Sasha and Liza. A family where both partners work in IT is no different from others. In our case, perhaps the only feature is that we both work from home. It is convenient: you can approach at any moment, discuss work issues, or just consult with each other.

We have many common interests, and this brings us closer. But we do not consider this unique to the IT field. The main thing is not the profession, but how people understand and support each other.