Women in Toys, Licensing and Entertainment Announces Finalists for WIT’S 30th Anniversary Wonder Women Awards

Women in Toys Finalists Wonder Women

Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WiT) announces the slate of Nominee Finalists for its 30th Anniversary Wonder Women Awards, which is set to return to New York City on Sunday, February 20, 2022 at Pier Sixty coinciding with Toy Fair New York. The annual event hosted by WiT, a nonprofit organization and global community whose mission is to advocate for the advancement of women and a more inclusive and equitable workforce, will recognize outstanding industry leaders  in toys, licensing and entertainment for their impactful contributions over the past two years.

“Our slate of Finalists includes incredible women who continued to innovate and make their mark on our industry during the past two years of COVID and massive disruption in our industry,” said Genna Rosenberg and Jennifer Caveza, WIT Wonder Women Co-Chairs. “We look forward to the industry learning more about their extraordinary contributions as they vote for 2022 Wonder Women Winners in advance of the upcoming Awards dinner.”The winners will be announced at the event on Sunday, February 20, 2022.

The Finalists for this year are:

DESIGNER/INVENTOR

Carla Schneider – WubbaNub

Carolina Arce – Jazwares

Jackeline Gonzalez – Universal Brand Development

Kenna O’Brien – Mattel

Launi King – DPEP (Disney)

Mel Hershey – Hasbro

Tahlia Gee – Moose Toys

Vina Arriaga – Fuse

LICENSOR/ENTERTAINMENT

Alpana VIrani – Universal Brand Development

Jennifer Kobashi – Mattel

Jes Wolfe – Rebel Girl

Jordyn Curtis – LEGO Systems, Inc.

Karri Bean – DPEP (Disney)

Kerri Estreich – Sesame Worksho

Kerry Tucker – pocket.watch

Susan Brandt – Dr. Seuss Enterprises

Tara Craze – Hasbro

Yvette Sittrop – Moose Toys

LICENSEE/MANUFACTURER

Allyson Sullivan – LEGO Systems, Inc.

Amanda Bright – Spin Master

Aneisha Vieira – ZURU Toy

Carly McGinnis – Exploding Kittens

Julie Gwaltney – TOMY

Karen Branson – IMC Toys

Melissa Kustell – Hasbro

Riza Javellana – Mattel

Tiffany Good – TOMY

COVID HER

Anna Mowbray – ZURU Toys

Holly Peacock – Spin Master

Karen Balduf – Mattel

Mary Mason – Little Medical School

The LEGO Group

Monica Monteiro – Hasbro

Stacy Lellos – Workman Publishing

Susie Jaramillo – Encantos

ViacomCBS

SOCIAL GOOD

Alicha Treerotchananon – Magic Dolls Thailand

Amanda Gummer – Good Play Guide

Cynthia Nishimoto – Bandai America

Jennifer DuBuisson – The LEGO Group

Kate O’Loughlin – SuperAwesome

Mary Couzin – Chicago Toy & Game Group

Pamela Gill-Alabaster – Mattel

Sarah Jordan – Mastermind Toys

Sarah Knott – Hasbro

Sharon Keilthy – Jiminy Eco Toys

Tammy Smitham – Spin Master

Terri-Nichelle Bradley – Brown Toy Box

Yla Eason – Olmec Toys

MARKETING / PUBLIC RELATIONS

Arlene Biran – Spin Master

Beatrice Chow – Sesame Workshop

Dana Moncrief – Moose Toys

Devin Tucker – Mattel

Erika Sava – ZURU Toys

Lisa Orman – KidStuff Public Relations

Mary Pietrucha – VTech

Renee Guida – The LEGO Grou

Shannon Spisak – Dr. Seuss Enterprises

Shannon Vacca – Universal Brand Development

Susan Anderson – Mastermind Toys

Teresa Pearson – Hasbro

DEAL MAKER

Chelsea Wood – IMC Toys

Claudette Munoz Molina – The LEGO Group

Elizabeth Moody – Seven Towns

Jessica Vivolo – Jazwares

Karen Margolis – Bandai America

Paula Kupfer – Hasbro Inc.

Sara Taylor – Spin Master

Sherrie Conn – ZURU Toys

Siobhan Elvin – ViacomCBS

Tatania Minguet – Mattel

Trina McFarland – TinkerTini

RISING STAR / DESIGNER/INVENTOR

Joanna Paul – Whatsitsface

Lorena Montalvo – TOMY

Vanessa Fung – Universal Brand Development

Hilary Richards – BOO BOO BALL

STORYTELLER

Azhelle Wade – The Toy Coach

Christina Royston – TOMY

Jenni Townsend – Moose Toys

Liz Lamb-Ferro – Hasbro

Liz Maglione – Mattel

Nana Bouwens – Memory Print Nederland b.v.

Niki Lopez – ViacomCBS

Raquel Roca – IMC Toys

Stacey Kovalsky – USPA Global Licensing

Stephanie Guo – Spin Master

UNSUNG HERO

Alison Whitaker – Moose Toys

Amy Yoslov-Llaneta – TOMY

Beth Colosi – VTech

Catherine Souza – The LEGO Group

Coco Chan – ZURU Toys

Debbie Hancock – Hasbro

Erica Lenard – Joyful Consultin

Hannah Palfrey – Fuse

Jennifer Petsche – PlayMonster

Joyce Mesch – Otis College of Art and Design

Maggie Snow – Mattel

Michele Martell – Martel Media House

Mimi Stella – What Do You Meme LLC

Nissa Benjamin – Jazwares

Sara Gibber – Make It Real

Sara Newbold – ViacomCBS

Toni Stevens – Spin Master

WONDER GIRL

Nicole Laeno – Influencer, The Lego Group

Cassie & Sabrina Glow, Glow Girls Kid Voiceover

Anastasia Radzinskaya – Like Nastya

Alaya High – That Girl Lay Lay, ViacomCBS

Love, Diana, pocket.watch

RISING STAR / DEAL MAKER

Brittany Oliver – ZURU Toys

Molly Robbins – USPA Global Licensing Inc

RISING STAR / LICENSOR/ENTERTAINMENT

Alex Yee, DPEP (Disney)

Claire O’Sullivan, Hasbro/eOne

Haley Yates – ViacomCBS

Tiffany Suzuki, Crunchyroll

RISING STAR / LICENSEE/MANUFACTURER

Jamie Emmick – Beverly Hill Teddy Bear

Dr. Lisa Williams – The Fresh Dolls (World of EPI)

RISING STAR / SOCIAL GOOD

Louisa Parast, Hasbro

Maria Altamirano – Lego Systems

Louisa Parast – Hasbro

RISING STAR / STORYTELLER

Danielle Battaglia – TOMY

Rupa Parekh – Umani Studio

RISING STAR / MARKETING/ PUBLIC RELATIONS

Chedney Rogers, Hasbro

Jenna Kay – Moose Toys

Jenna Marson, Dr. Seuss Enterprises

Jordan Swenson – TOMY

Molly Martin, The LEGO Group

Rachael Reid – Spin Maste

Sakita Withers, PlayMonster

Sabrina Taraborelli – Mattel

RISING STAR / UNSUNG HERO

Amanda Marschall – The LEGO Group

Jessica Anderson – TOMY

Keilany Whyte – Jazwares

Source:AbnMedia