Congratulations to our
2022 Wonder Women Award Winners!
It’s a privilege and an honor to celebrate these remarkable leaders for their outstanding achievements and contributions in toys, licensing and entertainment. They continue to inspire us all!
The WiT Wonder Women Awards honors top female executives, thought leaders, entrepreneurs and other changemakers for their extraordinary accomplishments and impact within the toy, licensing and the entertainment industries. Held annually in New York City, this annual gala celebration coincides with Toy Fair New York.
SAVE THE DATE!
2023 WONDER WOMEN AWARDS
Sunday, October 1, 2023 | @Pier 60, Chelsea Piers, New York City
2022 Wonder Women Award Winners
Kenna O'Brien
Mattel
DESIGNER / INVENTOR
Arlene Biran
Spin Master
MARKETING /
PUBLIC RELATIONS
Paula Kupfer
Hasbro
DEAL MAKER
Brittany Oliver
ZURU Toys
RISING STAR / DEAL MAKER
Tiffany Suzuki
Crunchyroll
RISING STAR - LICENSOR/
ENTERMAINMENT
Rupa Parekh
Umani Studio
RISING STAR - STORYTELLER
Amanda Bright
Spin Master
LICENSEE / MANUFACTURER
Sara Knott
Hasbro
SOCIAL GOOD
Azhelle Wade
The Toy Coach
STORYTELLER
Vanessa Fung
Universal Brand Development
RISING STAR / DESIGNER INVENTOR
Sakita Withers
PlayMonster
RISING STAR - MARKETING/PR
Amanda Marschall
The Lego Group
RISING STAR - UNSUNG HERO
Jes Wolfe
Rebel Girls
LICENSOR / ENTERTAINMENT
The Lego Group
COVID HERO
Maggie Snow
Mattel
UNSUNG HERO
Dr. Lisa Williams
The World of EPI
RISING STAR-LICENSEE/
MANUFACTURER
Penny Bauder
Green Kid Crafts
RISING STAR - SOCIAL GOOD
Alaya High -
That Girl Lay Lay
Paramount
WONDER GIRL
Our 2022 Honorees
RETAILER OF THE YEAR - AMAZON
Accepted by ANNE CARRIHILL, Director, Toys & Entertainment, Amazon
Our 2022 Retailer of the Year honoree is Amazon, for the positive impact Amazon has had on our industry and everyone’s lives. Not only have they kept the world connected with safe, crucial deliveries of toys and goods for its massive customer base during this unprecedented time, but their myriad strategic programs—including Amazon Smile, which offers customers a way to support their favorite charitable organization, at no additional cost, when they shop Smile.Amazon.com; Amazon Small Business Academy; and Amazon Black Business Accelerators—have empowered entrepreneurs, businesses, and organizations with tangible resources, which have been a lifeline to countless companies and individuals.
ICON AWARD - JOJO SIWA
Global Superstar, Singer, Television & Film Star, Bestselling Author and Social Media Sensation
Our 2022 Icon Award honoree is the incredible force, JoJo Siwa. She is not only a powerhouse Nickelodeon star, pop star, social media sensation, author and consumer products global brand, JoJo is an activist, role model, and overall trailblazer in every way. She now also adds powerhouse LGBTQ+ icon for kids and adults of all ages who she has inspired throughout her journey and meteoric career.
CHANGEMAKER AWARD - STEVEN WOLFE PEREIRA
CEO, Encantos
We honor Steven Wolfe Pereira with our 2022 Changemaker Award for his purpose-driven and transformative leadership in diversity and inclusion. Through his intentional actions using both his personal social influence, and the work he leads at Encantos, the public benefit corporation he co-founded, he is a visionary business leader committed to allyship, advocacy and activism to create opportunities for under-served communities, and to break down unconscious bias and inequities related to race and inclusion.
2022 Award Categories
The DESIGNER | INVENTOR Award recognizes an individual for her excellence in product or property design including creativity, originality and iconic value, and who has made a significant contribution to innovation in the toy, licensing, and entertainment industries.
The LICENSOR | ENTERTAINMENT Award recognizes an individual who is an industry innovator exhibiting creative ways to bring brands to life with consumers through partnerships, curated retail programs in traditional and/or non-traditional distribution channels.
The LICENSEE | MANUFACTURER Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated industry leadership to develop and launch a new product or brand, modify existing product line, or develop a business process that dramatically improves how a product is delivered.
The MARKETING | PR Award recognizes an individual who has achieved outstanding and proven results with marketing communications that have impacted on consumer engagement and improved performance of a brand – including strategy, creativity, branded content, communications effect, and ROI.
The RISING STAR Award recognizes an individual whose contributions have impacted the toy, licensing or entertainment industry during the first 5-10 years of her career, has demonstrated significant promise as an emerging leader and exhibits an ingenuity of thought with potential for substantial and lasting influence on the industry. Eight Rising Star Awards will be presented in the following categories:
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Licensor/Entertainment
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Licensee/Manufacturer
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Marketing/PR
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Social Good
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Covid Hero
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Designer | Inventor
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Storyteller
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Deal Maker
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Unsung Hero
The SOCIAL GOOD Award recognizes an individual who has demonstrated leadership or made outstanding contributions to purposeful, mission-driven programs that make the world a better place. Their efforts or products may include philanthropic, sustainability, diversity and inclusion or other initiatives, and may:
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Help our planet
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Act as a catalyst for change
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Solve an important problem
The COVID HERO Award recognizes an individual or company who has led or made an outstanding contribution to initiatives or programs to benefit others during the COVID-19 pandemic. Examples may include manufacturing PPE, making donations, establishing initiatives to engage children, or any other programs geared toward positively impacting the community or other individuals during this challenging time.
The DEAL MAKER Award recognizes an individual for her vision and skills in structuring deals and negotiating agreements. Whether an agent brokering relationships, a salesperson establishing programs and exceeding sales goals, or a retailer creating break-through retail programs, this person has made a significant contribution by forming powerful collaborations that impacted the bottom line.
The STORYTELLER Award recognizes an individual for her ability to create engaging content or visuals that become powerful stories, whether an influencer, ad exec, content creator, writer, illustrator, or animator. The award recognizes excellence in storytelling, including creativity, originality and long-lasting iconic value.
The UNSUNG HERO Award recognizes power players who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make the magic happen! Whether in operations, finance, costing, logistics, research, or legal, the Unsung Hero plays an integral role in her company and industry.
The WONDER GIRL Award recognizes an individual under the age of 18 whose creative vision, business savvy, entrepreneurial drive or compassionate heart shine bright beyond her youthful years. She’s either a kid entrepreneur who has started her own business or philanthropy, an influencer, or someone who has created and sold an idea, and/or made a meaningful contribution to the world.
GUIDELINES
2023 Nominations will open in February, 2023
General guidelines:
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Anyone may submit a nominee for a Wonder Woman Award.
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Self-nominations are welcome. You can (and should!) submit yourself for consideration.
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For companies nominating employees, please limit your nominations to one nominee per category.
Submission fees TBD, and are non-refundable.
On the nomination form, tell us why your candidate is deserving of a nomination, and include a bullet list of 3-5 major accomplishments. (Total 300 words or less)
Follow these helpful hints:
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Edit your submission carefully, as the content you provide will be published for voters to review.
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Focus on your nominee’s achievements and accomplishments instead of your personal relationship with her.
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Use a bullet-list when describing your nominee's accomplishments. This makes it easy for voters to read.
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Review the Voting Criteria on this page and try to address one or more of the questions shown, which will be considered when deciding the final slate of nominees.
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Provide any additional information we should know about your nominee. Files or links to articles, websites, etc. may be emailed to info@womenintoys.com.
VOTING CRITERIA & PROCESS
The voting criteria is as follows, and will be reviewed by the WIT Nominations Committee.
Have the nominee’s achievements or leadership accomplishments:
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Positively impacted her company, peers, or industry?
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Contributed to the growth or improvement of her company or the toy, licensing or entertainment industries?
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Served as a role model for other individuals or companies in the industry?
SELECTION PROCESS
All Nominee submissions will be reviewed by the Wonder Women Committee and WiT staff to ensure eligibility is met. A Nominee may be moved to a different category than originally nominated.
All Nominees will be contacted and have the opportunity to accept or decline their nomination prior to the official Final Slate announcement.
Voting for the winners will be conducted by the entire WiT community, including all active WiT members, Chapter Chairs, and WiT Board of Directors.
FAQ
What is the format of the WiT Wonder Women Awards?
The cocktail reception begins at 6:00 PM; the seated dinner and Awards program begins at 7:30 pm.
What is the suggested attire for the WiT Wonder Women Awards?
Evening or cocktail attire is the norm. Or come straight from Toy Fair in professional business attire.
Is there assigned seating at the event?
Yes. We will try our best to seat you with everyone in your party. Please include any seating requests in the notes section of your ticket purchase and we will try to accommodate. Assigned seating is only guaranteed for full table purchases.
Does the Wonder Women Awards sell out?
Yes, this event has sold out in the past and may sell out again so purchase your tickets today!
Are tickets refundable?
No, all ticket purchases are non-refundable.
I’m a journalist who wants to cover the WiT Wonder Women Awards on Sunday, February 20. Are there tickets for the media?
For press-related inquiries, please email info@womenintoys.com.
Directions to Pier Sixty at Chelsea Piers in New York City
Pier Sixty is housed within the Chelsea Piers Sports and Entertainment Complex, located at 23rd Street and the Hudson River. Vehicles may enter the complex from the West Side Highway between 22nd and 23rd Streets in Manhattan.