Mentor of the Year
Recognizing an inspirational woman who has demonstrated exceptional dedication and commitment to mentoring others, who has gone above and beyond to support, guide, and inspire others to achieve their full potential.
Beth Moody
Mattel
VP Innovation Ventures
Beth Moody consistently turns business challenges into mentorship moments. Leading the Mattel Innovation Accelerator, she repositioned high-potential talent into expanded roles, pairing each move with active coaching to build leadership capability and visibility. In Global Consumer Insights, she guided a disrupted team through restructuring with direct, developmental feedback. Most recently, in building Mattel’s Innovation Venture and integrating a new group, she used complex decisions as real-time mentorship, modeling integrity, clarity, and humanity. Across each initiative, she delivers results while intentionally developing people through hands-on, practical guidance tied to real work.
Humaira Shaikh
The LEGO Group
Retail Commercial Optimization
What is extraordinary about Humaira is her natural gift for fostering genuine connections and her role as a dedicated advocate for the women around her. Humaira is a leader who prioritizes people over process, turning every interaction into an opportunity to offer guidance, share her wisdom, and offer a steady hand during complex challenges. She serves as an essential pillar of the team by building bridges across the organization, acting as a connector who helps others navigate their professional journeys with confidence.
Irene Li
ZURU
New Product Development Division Director
With over 9 years at ZURU, Irene Li has become a cornerstone of both product development and people development. As Department Manager of New Product Development, she leads a team of 30+ project managers across 28+ brands, overseeing the full product lifecycle with consistency and precision. What truly sets Irene apart is her commitment to mentoring—over her tenure, she has guided and developed hundreds of individuals, particularly early-career talent. Her ability to combine operational excellence with genuine care has made her a trusted leader and a defining influence on how talent is nurtured within ZURU.
Joni Pratte
Jazwares
Sr. Director, Product Design - Girls
Over the past three years, Joni has been an instrumental force in building and shaping the Girls’ team, and her impact has been nothing short of transformative. Joni played an integral role in building this team from the ground up, successfully expanding it from an initial group of three. She has also demonstrated exceptional leadership in developing her design team. Under her mentorship, two designers have been recently promoted, and many designers have been developed under her guidance. She also successfully led the launch of three major brands at Jazwares—Squish-a-longs, Miraculous, and Royale High—with additional projects currently in development.
Kourtnie Stephenson
Spin Master
Sr. Global Brand Manager - Action
Kourtnie has an exceptional instinct for what is next, spotting emerging trends, cultural shifts, and breakthrough brands before they hit the mainstream. With a sharp eye for great toys and a natural sense for what consumers connect with, she consistently sees opportunities others may look past. Whether evaluating new licenses, product concepts, or untapped categories, Kourtnie brings a rare mix of creativity and business instinct. Her perspective is modern, current, and confident, helping keep the business ahead of the curve. Kourtnie does not simply follow trends, she helps shape them!
Lorna McCracken
Hasbro, Inc.
Commercial Operations Sr. Director at Hasbro, EMEA & ASIA
Lorna consistently brings clarity and structure to complex, ambiguous environments, helping teams align on processes, ownership, and operating models. During a period of uncertainty around content governance and cross-functional responsibilities, she guided teams to organize work into clear pillars, reducing confusion and enabling progress. She fosters strong collaboration across global and regional stakeholders, aligning priorities and resolving challenges. By empowering individuals to take ownership and define solutions, Lorna builds confidence and accountability, transforming fragmented workflows into cohesive, high-functioning teams.
Maria Ungaro
Licensing International
SVP, Member & Partner Relations
Maria Ungaro has spearheaded mentorship across the licensing industry. She launched a high-impact “Scholarship Experience” program, transforming financial aid into a career pipeline. She built curated programming at global events like Licensing Expo and Brand Licensing Europe to provide hands-on industry exposure, while also pairing rising professionals with mentors through Licensing International’s formal mentoring program to ensure ongoing guidance. She also actively supports emerging industry talent by facilitating industry connections and sharing job opportunities. Maria has become a major mentor for the licensing community, equipping young talent with real-world experience, meaningful relationships, and clear pathways into the licensing industry.
Mélanie Watier
asmodee
VP, Purchasing and Marketing
Mélanie consistently goes above and beyond to support teams across asmodee, serving as a trusted coach and advisor. She helps colleagues navigate complex challenges while ensuring alignment with corporate objectives, often stepping in where guidance is most needed. Through her mentorship, she strengthens team effectiveness and builds confidence in others’ decision-making. Mélanie also champions a people-first approach, advocating for thoughtful, balanced solutions that support both business needs and employee well-being. Her ability to provide steady, reliable guidance, often behind the scenes, has made her an essential contributor to both team success and organizational cohesion.
Morgan Renken
Entertainment Earth
SVP, Operations & Human Resources
Morgan has demonstrated exceptional leadership through significant organizational change. She consistently steps up to lead struggling departments, regardless of workload. When we onboarded a new CEO, Morgan quickly became his trusted partner, helping him get up to speed while maintaining team stability. When I lost my father in 2025, Morgan provided support while helping me step into a Director role, balancing emotional intelligence with strategic development. She creates growth opportunities through monthly leadership meetings and perfectly timed weekly articles. Her ability to maintain stability during personal and organizational challenges while actively developing talent demonstrates remarkable perseverance and commitment.
Ranki Lo
Moose Toys
Far East General Manager, Sr. Leadership Team
Ranki Lo is an exceptional mentor who leads by example, using real-world challenges to develop and inspire others to reach full potential while fostering confidence, accountability and continuous learning.
- Mentorship through crisis leadership: Guided teams through major supplier shutdown, while maintaining business continuity and minimizing disruption across multiple programs
- Building capability through action: Introduces new tools, empowers high-potential passionate colleagues to lead pilots, champions new solutions and facilitates cross-functional workshops for team growth
- Collaborative leader: Established platforms for sharing best practices and lessons learned, driving continuous growth, knowledge sharing and stronger cross-functional collaboration to work seamlessly across functions and regions
