The Genius of Play Appoints New Committee Members

November 9, 2020 | The Toy Association today announced the appointment of five new members and three term renewals to The Genius of Play committee, who will help to inspire more families to play together and promote awareness of the benefits of play.

Newly selected members include: Melissa Hunter, founder of Family Video Network; Rachel Griffin, co-founder of PlayWise Partners; Stone Newman, chief revenue officer of pocket.watch; Michael Rinzler, executive vice president of Jazwares; and Steve Starobinksy, founder of Kids@Heart Agency and consultant for Diverse Marketing.

Existing members Jennifer Caveza, president of majorTOY; Michael Keaton, CEO of Toysmith; and Andrew Quartin, CEO of Thames & Kosmos, will serve additional terms. In August, The Genius of Play named Ashley Mady, head of brand development at Basic Fun!, as its new committee chair.

The committee will hold its first meeting later this month and begin work on expanding The Genius of Play’s existing programming and exploring new ways to amplify The Genius of Play as a resource within the toy industry and larger play community.

“We are excited for all the fresh ideas and diverse perspectives this new committee brings to the table,” said Ken Seiter, executive vice president of marketing communications at The Toy Association. “These are individuals who truly see the value in toys as tools for expanding our knowledge and our imaginations. We look forward to working together as we continue to position The Genius of Play as a leading play and learning resource for all.”