Associate Bio
My passion has always been creating toys that encourage children to use their imagination and creativity.
From research and analysis of the market, to idea generation and design, all the way through to sourcing and liaising with manufacturers; I have 20 years of experience and broad knowledge of the whole process necessary to bring an idea to mass production.
I was responsible for the whole of Product Development for Fiesta Crafts Ltd for 16 years, working on thousands of ideas and commercialising 600+ products during my role as Product Development Manager and Head Designer.
My design consultancy (est.2019) was born from the desire to utilise my expertise and skills for meaningful and considered designs; to work on more diverse projects and with a variety of companies that share her ethos: to design toys to enrich, stimulate, educate and solve problems.
My aim is to explore the use of a different perspective to design, one that cares about how things are made and why, that values individuals and resources, and is dedicated to the longevity of the toy market for the next generation of children.
Current / Notable Projects
I work with a variety of individuals and international companies designing products based on clients’ specific briefs and working as an advisor for the development and production of new product ranges.
I also create original IP, new concepts and inventions for toys and games.; these are presented to specific companies and licensed for the international market.
I am an advocate and researcher in the areas of sustainability and eco-design, outdoor learning and child-led play.
I have been taking part in panel discussions and trade press features and I am also a contributor to Bookboon’s e-learning expert talks in English and Italian.
Current / Previous Clients
My first experience in the industry was with the outstanding Mr Roger Ford at his NPD Partnership toy invention studio where I had the opportunity to learn from the best and pitching products to Hasbro.
I was then responsible for the whole of Product Development for Fiesta Crafts Ltd for 16 years.
Year-on-year I developed the range, expanding into different markets and taking the company from a mainly UK centred to an international level, whilst always following an ethos of designing for creativity and imagination.
My designs won numerous awards – Hamleys Toy of the Year, The Giftware Association award for ‘Best Toy’ and three London Toy Fair awards to name a few.
