PRESS RELEASE
Women In Toys Announces New Executive Committee and Board Appointment
New Committees Support Growth of Membership and New Initiatives
New York, NY – December 30, 2015 – Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WIT), the leading global professional women’s organization in the toy, licensing and entertainment industries, has elected a new Executive Committee, which will provide strategic direction and guide WIT in its efforts to provide members with business advancement, education, mentoring and recognition.
The following individuals have been elected to the WIT Executive Committee:
Chair: Ashley Mady – President at Brandberry
Vice-Chair: Genna Rosenberg – Principal at GennComm
2nd Vice Chair: Nancy Zwiers – CMO at Spin Master
3rd Vice Chair: Deb De Sherbinin – Founder/CEO at KidSmart
Secretary: Mary Kay Russell – Founder/CEO at MkayPR
Treasurer: Shannon Gray – Global Director of Operations and Logistics at WABA Fun
Additionally, WIT welcomes Nancy Zwiers, Chief Marketing Officer at Spin Master, to its board of directors. Zwiers, widely recognized as an industry thought leader, has been actively involved with WIT for the past two years as Mentorship Committee chair and Empowerment Committee co-chair. Under her leadership and along with co-chair Deb de Sherbinin, WIT executed strategic plans for its Empowerment Day program and related initiatives.
WIT’s board of directors also elected the following members as new committee co-chairs:
• Annie Parkhurst, Partner at PB&J Digital - Social Media Chair (new committee)
• Pamela Anderson, VP of eCommerce at Alex Brands - Website Chair (new committee)
• Laurie DeLuca, Founder, Innovation Grove, LLC - Design Co-Chair
• Stacie Speaker, Founder at Stacie Speaker Coaching - SoCal Chapter Chair
• Tami Murphy, Marketing Manager at The Haywire Group - New England Co-Chair
Comprised of influential women in toys, licensing and entertainment, WIT provides invaluable support, education, and leadership opportunities for its members at all stages of their careers, and empowers them to achieve, share and promote their success in the ever-changing industry landscape.
“As WIT enters its 25th year in 2016, we’re setting a clear focus on long-range plans for our organization’s growth, and our board is structured to provide the support required to meet our goals and overall mission.” says Ashley Mady, WIT President. “We expect our membership to double this year and have over 50 national and international events in the works, and our new committees will facilitate more member involvement than ever before.”
WIT also announced that several board members have stepped down after having served more than three years, including Sheila Griffin, Reisa Schwartzman and Rachel Molder. Past president Joan Packard Luks has been appointed to WIT’s Advisory Board. Mali Baum, Frances Cain, Roser Pujol and Kati Heljakka will also step down from the board to lead the WIT International Committee.
“We are extremely grateful to these ladies for the many years they have dedicated to WIT, and for their passion and dedication to making our organization better and stronger.” says Ashley Mady. “While we certainly will miss the contributions of these board members, we look forward to the new energy and fresh perspectives the new board and committees will bring.”
ABOUT WOMEN IN TOYS, LICENSING & ENTERTAINMENT
Founded in 1991, Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WIT) / The WIT Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization whose mission is to advance women through leadership, networking and educational opportunities. WIT serves and supports women at all stages of their careers, from entrepreneurs and startups to seasoned industry veterans. The WIT Foundation grants scholarships to deserving students enrolled in industry-related undergraduate programs. WIT has 25 chapters throughout the U.S., Canada, Hong Kong, France, the UK and Australia, with liaisons in Finland, Germany, India and Lebanon.