Girls in Toys, Licensing & Leisure (WiT) honored the 2025 Wonder Women Award winners final night time at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. The annual gala, themed “All That Glitters Is Actually Gold,” acknowledged trade leaders throughout classes spanning model administration, licensing, design, advertising, mentorship, and extra.
“The Surprise Girls Awards is greater than a night of trophies — it’s a golden second the place our neighborhood shines,” says Nancy Molenda and Deirdre Cross, co-chairs of the Surprise Girls Awards. “Tonight we have a good time ladies who invent and design, market and mentor, license and lead — the very leaders who construct the merchandise we love and the partnerships that transfer our trade ahead. This occasion captures the
brilliance of what occurs when our WiT neighborhood comes collectively and proves that when certainly one of us wins, all of us win.”
Maya Rogers, CEO of The Tetris Firm, obtained the Vanguard Award for her management in reimagining Tetris as a worldwide way of life model. Different winners included Suzy Raia and the BBC Studios workforce in Model Franchise; Alex Yee of Disney in Catalyst for Change (over 500); Rachele Harmuth of CrunchLabs and MESH Helps, and Genna Rosenberg of GennComm in Catalyst for Change (underneath 500); and Tara Gartman of Paramount in Industrial Excellence.
Further honorees have been celebrated for achievements in design, digital innovation, inbound licensing, PR, advertising, mentorship, and management throughout massive and small corporations. Sponsors included Amazon, Mattel, Hasbro, Paramount, Bandai, Disney, Jazwares, The LEGO Group, Spin Master, and VTech. The occasion’s proceeds benefited WiT’s programming, mentorship initiatives, and scholarship fund.
The 2025 Surprise Girls Award Winners Are:
● Model Franchise: BBC Studios: Suzy Raia, Kirsten Fallon, Paulina Abrams, Jill Cook dinner, Katie Scalere, Kealan Casey, Josh Pavloff, Francesca Flanagan, Carolina Cabal, Shannon Cuthbert, Stephanie Mendoza, Melissa Majerowicz
● Catalyst for Change (underneath 500): Rachele Harmuth, CrunchLabs and MESH Helps, Genna Rosenberg, GennComm
● Catalyst for Change (over 500): Alex Yee, Disney
● Industrial Excellence: Tara Gartman, Paramount
● Designer/Inventor (Company): Kate Fakonas, Hasbro
● Designer/Inventor (Unbiased): Serena Fadlunn
● Digital Innovator: Christine Tran, Amazon
● Rising Expertise Chief: Kristin Dimension, The LEGO Group
● Inbound Licensing: Hollie Holmes, Moose Toys
● Licensing Agent: Heidi Schwartz, Common Branding & Media
● Advertising: Katie Buford, Mattel
● Mentor of the Yr: Tal Schrieber, Spin Grasp
● PR Excellence: Sara Rosales Montalvo, Jazwares
● Rising Chief (underneath 500) Workers: Audrey Torrence, Fundamental Enjoyable!
● Rising Chief (over 500) Workers: Megan Margolis, Hasbro
● Small Enterprise Proprietor of the Yr: Justine Tiu, The Woobles
● Unsung Hero (underneath 500) Workers: Ashlee Advantage, Relatable
● Unsung Hero (over 500) Workers: Stephanie North, Simply Play, Stephanie Fischer, Bandai
● WiT Champion: Julien Sharp, Asmodee
Based in 1991, WiT is a worldwide nonprofit that helps ladies within the toy, client merchandise, licensing, and leisure industries. The group connects professionals at each profession stage by mentorship, scholarships, and community-building, and 25 chapters worldwide drive development and alternative within the trade.
Study extra about WiT at womenintoys.com.
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