WHO WE ARE
Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and global community that champions and advocates for the advancement of women through leadership, networking and educational opportunities.
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Advance. Connect. Advocate.
WiT is committed to developing women leaders, and to building a more robust pipeline of women leaders in our industry. We do this by providing unparalleled programming, resources, connections, and opportunities that support our members at every stage of their careers. Our members open doors for one another, are eager to share their knowledge, and are dedicated to creating positive change in our industry.
WiT Executive Board
Janice Ross
WiT President
Managing Partner
Brand Fresh Management
Janice Ross is the founder and Managing Partner of Brand Fresh Management and serves as volunteer president of Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WiT) and The WiT Foundation.
A multi-disciplined licensing and branding executive, she was named Game Changer in 2017 by License Global Magazine. With over 25 years of global experience in the consumer products and entertainment industries, Janice develops and executes innovative licensing initiatives, high-impact consumer product strategies, and retail programs for diverse brands.
Prior to founding Brand Fresh Management, Janice held top-level roles leading teams at powerhouse companies including American Greetings as Vice President of Global Licensing and Business Development, and LEGO/Create TV as Head of the Americas, where she co-produced successful direct-to-videos for the BIONICLE franchise.
Janice is a passionate and purposeful advocate for the advancement of women. Under her transformational leadership at WiT, the mission-driven organization has launched a number of high-impact initiatives, and has grown exponentially both in programming and member engagement. Serving a vast and diverse global community, WiT is committed to unlocking the full potential of women to drive innovation, creativity, exceptional teamwork, and a sense of purpose.
Janice received a bachelor’s degree in Psychology from UCLA. She is a mom to boy/girl Gen Z twins and resides in Los Angeles with her husband.
Cristina Liquori
Treasurer
Head of US Marketing
LEGO Group
Mary Kay Russell
WiT Executive Director
Board Members
Advisory Board
Andrew Kerr
Sutikki
Ann Kearns
AMK Licensing
Anne Marie Kehoe
Walmart (Retired)
Anne Pitrone
Pitrone & Associates
Ashley Mady
Zigazoo
Barbara Isenberg
North American Bear Co.
Debra Joester
Joester Loria Group LLC
Genna Rosenberg
GennComm
Jay Foreman
Basic Fun!
Joan Packard Luks
The Serenata Group
JoAnn McLaughlin
Disney
Kim Carcone
The Toy Association
Maura Regan
Licensing International
Michael Rinzler
Nancy Zwiers
Funosophy, Inc.
Patti Becker
Becker Associates LLC
Pam Kaufman
Paramount
Stephen Stanley
Jazwares Costume Play
Steve Totzke
Mattel
Our Staff
Mary Kay Russell
Executive Director
Peg Brom
Community Manager
Sarah Greenberg
Program & Events Manager
Allie Benham
Marketing Manager
Sandra Lepianka
Operations Manager
Committees
Get involved with WiT by joining a committee today!
Our Founders
Over 30 years ago, a small group of women came together at New York Toy Fair in pursuit of connections and opportunities in the toy industry. Today, the WiT network ecosystem has evolved to include the consumer products, toy, licensing and entertainment industries. Founded in 1991, and now over 4,000 members strong, WiT is the preeminent professional organization serving women in our industry, and in pursuit of a more inclusive and equitable workforce.
Anne
Pitrone
Founder & CEO, Pitrone & Associates
Susan Matsumoto
Partner,
Kennedy-Matsumoto Design