Connecting creators. Inspiring innovation. Elevating inclusivity. Advancing women.
Annual Virtual Event & Challenge
We are on a mission to attract more women and girls to the toy and game industry.
Kim Boyd, President, Licensing & Entertainment, Hasbro2025 Program
Hasbro Women Innovators of Play
3rd Annual Virtual Event
October 9, 2025
3rd Annual Challenge
Starting October 9, 2025
Hasbro Girl Innovators of Play (with Girl Up)
Girl Up x Hasbro Girl Innovators of Play- Joy Lab
May 30, 2025
Girl Up Project Awards Collaboration
Starting May 2025
Girl Up x Hasbro Project Awards- Innovation Lab
December 2025
Watch past programs
2025 Speakers
Kim Boyd
President, Licensing & Entertainment, Hasbro
Chris Cocks
Chief Executive Officer, Hasbro
Roberta Thomson
CEO, AI Studio, Hasbro
Eunice Lee
Chief Operating Officer, Scopely
Vivian Nguyen
Associate Principal Product Designer, Hasbro
Jodi Bondi Norgaard
Toy designer, creator of Go! Go! Sports line of dolls for girls; feminist advocate
Vlasta Komorous-King
Senior Design Director, IDEO
Liz DeSilva
Chief Creative Officer, Whatever! Company
Juliana Moreno
Co-Founder, Wild Optimists
Ariel Rubin
Co-Founder, Wild Optimists
Lisa Gilbert
President, NA & LATAM Commercial Sales, Hasbro
Christina Jansa
Vice-President, Toys, Target
Anne Carrihill
Director, Toys & Games, Amazon
Greta Carey
Director, Digital Marketing & Sales, Card Kingdom
Elizabeth Hargrave
Award-winning board game designer
Naomi Brugnatelli
Senior Manager, Inventor Relations, Hasbro
Natalie Podd
2024 WIOP Winner
Elise Hardman
2024 WIOP Winner
Ali Mierzejewski (Moderator)
Editor-in-Chief, The Toy Insider
2025 Schedule
10:00am
5 Mins
Welcome
Kim Boyd
President, Licensing & Entertainment @ Hasbro
Chris Cocks
Chief Executive Officer @ Hasbro
10:05am
20 Mins
Panel: From sketchbook to shelf: designing toys and products to inspire and delight today’s fans
There’s no one path to becoming a successful toy designer. Meet four talented product designers, each with wildly different backgrounds, on their career paths, style and inspiration, and how to build products that bring joy to today’s fans, from dolls to interactive pets to fan-fueled fashion statements.
Vivian Nguyen (Moderator)
Associate Principal Product Designer @ Hasbro
Jodi Bondi Norgaard
Toy designer, creator of Go! Go! Sports line of dolls for girls
Vlasta Komorous-King
Senior Design Director @ IDEO
Liz DeSilva
Chief Creative Officer @ Whatever! Company
10:25am
6 Mins
Spark Moment: Dreaming big with Wild Optimists
A day in the life of experiential game designers Juliana Moreno & Ariel Rubin (Wild Optimists).
Juliana Moreno
Co-Founder @ Wild Optimists
Ariel Rubin
Co-Founder @ Wild Optimists
10:30am
17 Mins
In conversation with... Eunice Lee (COO, Scopely) & Roberta Thomson (CEO, AI Studio, Hasbro)
Hasbro's Roberta Thomson joins longtime gaming industry executive Eunice Lee for an honest discussion about leadership lessons, fandom, and the future of play.
Eunice Lee
Chief Operating Officer @ Scopely
Roberta Thomson
CEO, AI Studio @ Hasbro
10:50am
5 Mins
Spark Moment: At Gen Con with Elizabeth Hargrave
Checking in with award-winning board game designer Elizabeth Hargrave at the largest tabletop gaming convention in North America.
Elizabeth Hargrave
Award-winning board game designer
10:55am
25 Mins
Panel: Shop talk: Power dynamics, pivoting, and the female POV
A powerhouse panel of leaders in sales and marketing offers their go-to-market tips, tricks for navigating seismic change, and thoughts on what's working and what's next in retail.
Ali Mierzejewski (Moderator)
Editor-in-Chief @ The Toy Insider
Lisa Gilbert
President, NA & LATAM Commercial Sales @ Hasbro
Christina Jansa
Vice-President, Toys @ Target
Anne Carrihill
Director, Toys & Games @ Amazon
Greta Carey
Director, Digital Marketing & Sales @ Card Kingdom
11:20am
10 Mins
2025 Design Challenge Kickoff
Naomi Brugnatelli
Senior Manager, Inventor Relations @ Hasbro
Natalie Podd
2024 WIOP Winner
Elise Hardman
2024 WIOP Winner
Women Innovators of Play Challenge
We will accept submissions from October 9, 2025 to November 13, 2025.
What are we looking for?
We are searching for the next great woman-led mass market toy or game! For this CHALLENGE, ideas will be judged on innovation, mass marketability, fun factor, playability, design, aesthetics, and manufacturability.
Who can submit?
Eligibility includes:
- Must be 18 years of age or older.
- Must be a resident of one of the following 11 countries: Australia, Canada (excluding Quebec), France, Germany, Hong Kong, Israel, Japan, New Zealand, Spain, United Kingdom, United States.
- People who submit must either.
- - Identify as a woman.
- - Lead a team (maximum of five people) and identify as a woman.
- Limit of two submissions per person whether as an individual, team lead, or member of a team. Submissions must be written in English.
What are the prizes?
The top 3 innovators will be announced in January 2026, and they will receive:
