Hasbro’s female gaming innovators return tomorrow, and here’s your official reminder to watch!
This free annual event will take place virtually on October 10, 2024, and will bring together a number of speakers to demonstrate Hasbro’s commitment to investing in the next wave of female innovators.
This year’s lineup includes Hasbro CEO Chris Cocks and President of Global Brand and Franchise Management Kim Boyd, as well as a number of top names, including Ali Mierzejewski, co-editor-in-chief of our consumer-facing sister publications Toys Insider and Pop Insider person.
The campaign aims to promote an inclusive and equitable toy and game community, encourage more women to participate in the field, inspire the next generation of young women and girls to unleash their creativity, and increase awareness and exposure to creative career paths. The 2024 virtual event will conclude with the launch of Hasbro’s second annual Women in Gaming Innovator Challenge, which encourages female inventors to submit their toy and game ideas to receive funding, mentorship and a trip to Hasbro headquarters Chance.
The speakers we’ve lined up for this year’s conference include some of the brightest minds from a variety of influential fields, from clinical psychologists changing the way we parent, to renowned astrophysicists and NASA scientists, to chessboards Game narrative designers, our speakers and programs will inspire women to use their talents and create their best work. This event is just one part of our broader commitment to building a stronger, more inclusive community of female toy and game inventors.
—Kim Boyd, President, Global Brand and Franchise Management, Hasbro
2024 Speakers
- Kim Boyd, President of Global Brand and Franchise Management, Hasbro
- Chris Cocks, CEO and Director of Hasbro
- Amanda DiSanto, Senior Narrative Design Manager, Hasbro Board Games
- Ellie Dix, 2023 Women in Gaming Innovators Challenge Winner
- Jane Douglas, host and gaming influencer
- Gina Goetter, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer, Hasbro
- Dr. Becky Kennedy, clinical psychologist, author, founder and CEO of Good Inside
- Juli Lennett, Vice President and Industry Advisor, Circana Toys
- Andreana Lozano, Head of Narrative (Exodus), Archetype Studios
- Ali Mierzejewski, editor-in-chief of Toy Insider and Fashion Insider
- Christine O’Connor, Vice President of Consumer Insights, Hasbro
- Emily Teng, Senior World Builder, Magic: The Gathering, Wizards of the Coast
- Michelle Thaller, Ph.D., astrophysicist and science communicator at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
- Tanya Thompson, Senior Director of Inventor Relations, Hasbro
- Roberta Thomson, Executive Vice President and Chief Communications Officer, Hasbro
- Jeffrey Wisenbaugh, Director of Community and Content at Meta
- Emma Worrollo, Play-Doh Imagination Coach, Content Creator and Gen Alpha Brand Builder
“We know that as an industry we have a lot of work to do to welcome more women and underrepresented inventors into the fold,” said Angus Walker, Hasbro’s director of inventor relations. “At the same time, the need to connect people through toys and games has never been greater. Rather than wait for change to happen, we decided to be at the forefront and create this opportunity to cultivate and promote talented female creators. We We’re proud of the Hasbro Women’s Play Innovators Program and we can’t wait to see where the next great toy or game idea might come from.
To learn more about Hasbro Women Innovators of Play 2024 and to register for the presentation, click here.
This article gets to know Hasbro’s female gaming innovators! First appeared in The Toy Book.
