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Cecilia Leibovitz, President: Cecilia isfounder and Creative
Directorof leading handmade children’s toy and gift retailer Craftsbury
Kids Inc. (craftsburykids.com). She has
fourteen years of experience in the handmade and eco-friendly children’s
industry. Prior to founding Craftsbury Kids,Cecilia ran two ecommerce
businesses specializing in handmade toys and baby products. She holds a
BA in English from Mount Holyoke College. |
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Dan Marshall, Vice President: Dan is the founder of the Handmade
Toy Alliance and co-owner with his wife of Peapods Natural Toys and Baby
Care (www.peapods.com),
a
brick and mortar retail store in St. Paul, Minnesota, which he has
helped to manage since 1998. Dan is a former board member of the Metro
Independent Business Alliance, a Twin Cities trade organization that
promotes locally-owned independent businesses. Dan holds a BA in History
from the University of Minnesota. |
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Jill Chuckas, Secretary: Jill currently owns and operates
a home
studio craft business called Crafty Baby (www.craftybaby.com),
known for its
fun and functional accessories for children. Crafty Baby products are
sold throughout the country at specialty gift shops, major catalogs and
via the internet. Jill holds a double BA in Child & Family Studies
and Psychology from Syracuse University and a Masters in Social Work
from New York University. After working as an elementary and middle
school social worker for 10 years, Jill devoted herself full time to her
company and family. Jill resides in Connecticut with her husband and 3
children. |
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Mary Newell, Treasurer: Mary is the owner of Terrapin
Toys, LLC,
makers of the nationally-distributed Mary's Softdough, which she
established in 1988. She is also the bookkeeper for Terrapin Guitars,
LLC, a online custom guitar business owned by her husband. She also has
ten years experience in member and information services at Register
Guard Federal Credit Union in Springfield, Oregon. Mary has a BS in
General Science from the University of Oregon and has completed the
SBA's Small Business Management Program. |
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Jolie Fay, Director: is the owner and designer of
Skipping Hipps (www.skippinghippos.com),
vintage
inspired outerwear with a modern twist. Skipping Hippos
clothing can be found in boutiques across the country, as well as in
several other countries, and are often at unique craft fairs from
Massachusetts to Seattle. Before having children, Jolie was a wedding
and event planner in San Francisco. Jolie's interest in children's
fashion started in college, at the Otis Parson's Institute of Art, where
she majored in photography. |
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Marianne Mullen, Director: is the founder and owner of
Polkadot
Patch Boutique, www.polkadotpatch.com. Polkadot
Patch is a children’s retail store dedicated to unique, colorful
products for children. With a passion to support artisans, Marianne
selects products that embody fun, originality, and are non-stereotypical
for children. Her background in Elementary Education has served her as
well as her retail experience in running Polkadot Patch. Marianne lives
in Vermont with her family and is often found creating art or reading
when not working! |
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Randy Hertzler, Director: Randy is the owner of euroSource,
LLC,
a family business that imports and retails specialty European Toys
online. Established in 1999 in Lancaster, PA, euroSource was a
professional outlet for a new stay-at-home dad and has grown to include
the children who are now teenagers. Randy also is owner of BigWindow
LLC which provides information technology services including
hosting and web surveys. He has a BS in Electrical Engineering and an MS
in Engineering Science from the Pennsylvania State University. |
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Kate Glynn, Director: Kate is the owner of A Child’s
Garden (achildsgardennoho.com),
a
store created in 2005 that sells wooden toys, cloth diapers, baby
carriers and children’s books, and the co-owner Impish (shop-impish.com), a
store that sells baby gear, children’s clothing, maternity and nursing
wear and nursery items which opened in October, 2008. Kate graduated
from Smith Collage with a BA in Child and Family Studies in 2006 and
before beginning her current career, she worked in early intervention
for at-risk preschoolers. Both of Kate’s stores are in Northampton, MA
where she is an active member of the Chamber of Commerce as well as a
founding Member of the Northampton Area Young Professionals. |
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Rob Wilson, Director: Rob is the Vice President of Challenge
& Fun (challengeandfun.com),
an
importer and manufacturer of unique toys located in Massachusetts
which distributes through specialty toy retailers nationwide. Rob is the
founder of CPSIA-Central, a web forum
devoted to discussing all aspects of the CPSIA. Rob has a BA in
International Relations from BYU, and an MBA from McGill University. He
lives in Massachusetts with his wife and two children. |
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