Women in Toys Announces Finalists for its 30th Anniversary Wonder Women Awards

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. And the Finalists 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 Girls
• Jordyn Curtis – LEGO Systems, Inc. 
• Karri Bean – DPEP (Disney)
• Kerri Estreich – Sesame Workshop
• 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 Toys
• Carly McGinnis – Exploding Kittens
• Julie Gwaltney – TOMY
• Karen Branson – IMC Toys
• Melissa Kustell – Hasbro
• Riza Javellana – Mattel
• Tiffany Good – TOMY

COVID HERO

• 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 Group
• 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 Consulting
• 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 Master
• Sakita Withers, PlayMonster
• Sabrina Taraborelli – Mattel

RISING STAR / UNSUNG HERO

• Amanda Marschall – The LEGO Group
• Jessica Anderson – TOMY
• Keilany Whyte – Jazwares

“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.” 

Voting for the Wonder Women Awards is open to all WiT members, from Monday, December 20, 2021 through Friday, January 14, 2022, and the winners will be announced at the event on Sunday, February 20, 2022. 

Tickets to the Wonder Women Awards are available for purchase here.

WiT would like to thank its generous sponsors, including Amazon, Hasbro, Mattel, ViacomCBS, SpinMaster, LEGO, Jazwares, The Bandai Foundation, VTech, and the many sponsors who underwrite WiT’s year-round programming. Proceeds from this event are used to fund scholarships, develop and maintain a full calendar of programs and networking events, and power initiatives for WiT’s members and its community.