Chief Creative Officer | Doodat Inc | Redondo Beach, CA ​

2019 - Present

Started up a virtual Design-on-Demand full-service consulting firm, focused on toys and juvenile products.  Acquired projects from major toy companies and assembled teams to successfully deliver.

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• Little Tikes - Managed play pattern and content line architecture, oversaw asset management with Moonbug Entertainment, created UX flows and sound design for Little Baby Bum line.

• Educational Insights - Developed concept for an educational construction toy line by creating product storyline creation, line architecture and aesthetic, managed design and 3D modeling for costing.

• Spin Master - Developed character, developed user interface and managed interactive scripts for robot action figure.

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Sr Design Manager | Mattel Inc | El Segundo, CA ​

2016 - 2018

Directed concept design and development for high-profile tech-based, product initiatives for Barbie, the premier global girls' brand. Presented ideas to C-level management.  Engaged with external companies such as Apple, Microsoft, Google, Amazon, and IDEO on behalf of Barbie Brand.

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• Incorporated cultural and technological trends, to invent a physical/digital 360 system of play to future proof the Barbie brand without adding cost to existing toy line.

• Collaborated with the strategic partnerships group and internal cross-functional teams, to identify and evaluate latest and most relevant technologies in marketplace for possible Barbie applications.

• Championed process of designing and developing digital/physical high-complexity products through sharing, educating, and developing skill sets to drive best practices.

• Brought STEM into Barbie Brand, adding cultural relevance to brand. Collaborated with strategic development group to introduce idea of Tynker partnership with Barbie to upper management, resulting in launch of a company-wide partnership with Tynker.  

• Co-designed curriculum that tied coding concepts to 6 of Barbie's careers, managed partner communications on the design side, and directed 6 art coding lessons, making sure they were on brand, gender-neutral and fun.

• Participated on a panel for Black Girls Code and gave presentation about robots that expanded girls' vision of robot design to include forms such as a Barbie Horse.

• Co-invented Barbie® Hologram, designed and developed a fully-responsive, emotionally engaging digital assistant for children.

• Designed 1st ever voice and touch-activated Barbie Horse, Barbie® Dream Horse™, achieving production turn over for manufacturing in 3 months.

• Directed Mattel HK office and China manufacturers, to improve quality, and timelines. Recommended solutions to maximize productivity and control costs.

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Principal Designer | Mattel Inc | El Segundo, CA ​

2012 - 2016

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Designed and invented tech-based products and platforms for many of Mattel brands, including Barbie and Monster High.  Created and presented concepts for social, connected, and maker products.

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• Created new segment in toy, physical/digital application, winning TAGIE Award for excellence in electronic toy/game (2012).

• Actualized and implemented cutting-edge thinking by inventing and designing Barbie® Photo Fashion Doll™, introducing animated photo filters to consumers before Snapchat (2011).

• Awarded US Patent for invention and design of Barbie® Photo Fashion Doll™.

• Earned recognition by Time to Play among Most Wanted Toys of 2012

• Won Parenting Magazine - Best in Play 2012.

• Earned Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award for most innovative, engaging new product of the year (2012). 

 

Principal Owner | Doodat Design | Redondo Beach, CA​

2001 - 2012

Built successful full-service design firm focused on designing, creating content and user experience for girls, boys, infant, and preschool-educational toys. Formed relationships and consulted with most major toy companies.  Representative projects include:

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• The Disney Store - Managed design and development of educational Playhouse Disney toy line. Acted as liaison between Disney franchise and outside development firm which streamlined the process.

• Electronic Arts - Managed design and development of EA Voice Command Pitching Machine Quarterback, and Sure Shot Basketball, transferring excitement of sports simulations from digital realm to physical world, and presenting interactive training tools with instructional coaching to help athletes ages 5 and up hone techniques.

• Disney Consumer Products - Developed brand direction and approval process for Baby Einstein.  Directed licensees of the Baby Einstein and Winnie the Pooh Infant product lines, helping deliver best product quality and play experience for Disney Infant Toys and Travel and Gear consumer.

• Little Tikes - Designed educational content and curriculum. Implemented play pattern by refining technology and creating programming algorithm, and managing scripts, original music, and audio for Little Tikes' Play Smarter ™ educational toy line. Received nomination for 2008 Toy of the Year (TOTY) Award.

• Jakks Pacific - Ran brainstorms, managed design and licensor relationship for Hello Kitty, Cabbage Patch Kids brands.

• Pop Rocket Toys - Supported the launch of  Baby Einstein™ and JoJo’s Circus™ toy lines by designing and developing the product lines and liaising with Disney  Streamlined production by establishing and implementing a design development process for domestic and Asia office.

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Director - D&D | JRL Enterprises, Inc. | New Orleans, LA

1999-2001

Managed user interface and industrial design for an educational software company with products targeted to US public school systems.

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• Designed and developed a rotationally molded computer desk for that was low-cost and supported customized K-12 school installations.

• Designed user interface for software and created lesson programming template. 

• Produced Leap To Success, a funny game show-themed video to educate students about test-taking skills. 

Sr. Design Manager  | Mattel Toylab | Redondo Beach, CA    

1999 - 1999

One of four members who started up a new division of Mattel, Inc that developed strategic partnerships and generated high-tech toy concepts for all Brand Groups.

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• Brought innovation by investigating and implementing strategic partnerships and alternative manufacturing methods.

• Found and developed new technologies to be used in toy and educational product concepts.

• Generated toy concepts for all Mattel brands using newly discovered technologies.

• Managed concept development process, presentation material production, and general office operations.
   

Design Manager | Mattel Media | El  Segundo, CA                                1995 – 1999

Led the design team that refined high-level ideas into complete product concepts.  Mattel Media was one of the first companies to create software authentically targeted to girls and to integrate physical toys with personal computers.  

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• Created software concept demos that were used to generate sales.

• Located and adapted technology that supported concept functionality while working within constraints of cost, schedule, and manufacturing. 

• Preserved product vision and styling through art directing and collaborating with internal vendor operations.

• Designed and developed the following products at Mattel Media:  Talk with Me Barbie™, My Interactive Pooh™, and Barbie Photo Designer Digital Camera &CD-ROM™. 

 

Sr. Project Designer | Barbie Preliminary Design | El Segundo, CA

1994 - 1995

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• Created original concept designs for Barbie doll features that included electronics and mechanisms.

• Collaborated with model makers, fashion designers, and the soft goods department to prepare and develop presentation models.

 

Project Designer | Barbie Preliminary Design | El Segundo, CA

1991 - 1994

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• Presented product concept sketches for doll accessory designs (houses, horses, cars, etc.), and invented products to fill marketing product slots and rationals.

• Trained in Alias® industrial design software.

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Girls’ Toys - Senior Designer | Hasbro, Inc. | Pawtucket, RI

1989 - 1991

• Designed and developed new product concepts and line extensions for Cabbage Patch Kids, My Little Pony, Sweety Pups, New Kids On the Block, Sindy, Bubblins, and Flirt Squirts

• Presented concepts using b-sheets and prototypes

• Generated layout drawings, exploded views, cost input, and product graphics

• Collaborated with engineering, marketing, costing, sculpting, and model shop

 

Additional Relevant Experience

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Inclusive Design  |  Playground design for the Junior Blind | Los Angeles, CA

• Worked on concept design and development of the first playground designed exclusively for visually impaired children.​​