Young Inventor Challenge®
Calling All Judges!
Interested in being a mentor/judge for the Young Inventor Challenge®? Virtual judges will spend approximately 2 hours reviewing entries from the comfort of one's home or office tentatively planned for the last week of October. If you are able to judge in person and experience first hand the excitement of the young inventors along with your colleagues, it will take no more than four hours of your time on the morning of November 9th at the Chicago Toy & Game Fair.
Registration for judging will open in the fall! Share your information now to be alerted when more information is available.
Young Inventor Challenge® Team
![Ahren Hoffman gold beige background.jpg](jpg/ahren%20hoffman%20gold%20beige%20background.jpg)
![Alicia Alexander.jpg](jpg/alicia%20alexander-3.jpg)
Alicia Alexander, Judge/Mentor Liaison
Thank you to our past judges & mentors!
Our 2023 Judges & Mentors TBA!
![Kelly Adams](jpg/b68856_645ca41cd82846a59739d484bdccc9cf_mv2.jpg)
Director of Product Development, Goliath Games & Pressman Toys
![Phil Albritton](jpg/b68856_2b7797c36a1c40b3900261d3ff27ba8f_mv2.jpg)
Creative Director, Toy Industry Podcaster, Consultant, Product & Packaging Innovator
![Gwen Austin](jpg/b68856_cc98294a3510460ba4bd9427e74544c4_mv2.jpg)
Creator at Gwen Austin Studios
![Kat Barlow](jpg/b68856_0f1a8a9a66b544219058800ad2f1b2bc_mv2.jpg)
Senior Product Manager at Think Fun
![Nikki Bauman](jpg/b68856_14ce3b37703c41dc9f74aa08f9ad004d_mv2.jpg)
Inventor Relations at Fisher-Price
![Eleanor Black](jpg/b68856_839325f7790a4bcaa78e99abc91f3ebf_mv2_d_1280_1280_s_2.jpg)
Client Relations at Fuse London, Ltd.
![Christian Castro](jpg/b68856_a9760ad0e8ac4eed8991b54a4cf3b522_mv2.jpg)
Design Director at What Do You Meme?
![Matt Colleran](jpg/b68856_873e2464350a487cb3cf0e361973e02a_mv2.jpg)
New Business Development Head - Clamour - Connecting elite Influencers & top brands - Former Yulu, Hasbro, Reebok, Abercrombie Mktg. Exec.
![Kyle Cosgrove](jpg/b68856_130960d86ffc4d769da363c4ee734c21_mv2.jpg)
Specialty Sales Manager at Crazy Aaron's Puttyworld, Inventor of the Hip Town card game by Endless Games
![Boaz Coster](jpg/b68856_26871afc8c274185ae863b3eb8ff0bd7_mv2.jpg)
Inventing and Marketing Playthings at Theora Concept Ltd
![Ian Cross](jpg/b68856_9bd7d257044347ffb677cf4013f381c0_mv2.jpg)
Vendor Manager at Publisher Services, Inc
![Helen Contreras-De La Cruz](jpg/b68856_e99efdf17a4d43d68884ddbae1b0475a_mv2.jpg)
Senior Manager, Inventor Relations at Mattel, Inc.
![Julie Doverspike](jpg/b68856_6487556047cc4ef3a1c787362812eda2_mv2.jpg)
Senior Product Manager at Goliath Games
![Chantal Drenthe](jpg/b68856_effd216ecee74b7492518d3773a810af_mv2.jpg)
Toy Inventor at Fuse London Ltd
![JM Duparc](jpg/b68856_0ee349f2df0346058fd6169386453365_mv2.jpg)
Chief of Creation at Identity Games
![Janelle Duthie](jpg/b68856_afcf39b7e91d4128b36c037fda948622_mv2_d_3136_1961_s_2.jpg)
Director of Marketing at NetBricks
![Paul Fish](jpg/b68856_7adfe69fd790481b9c5caa661910fe07_mv2.jpg)
Chief Marketing Officer, Senior Brand Management Executive, Chief Marketing Officer | Senior Brand Management Executive. Pablo Pescado Brand Management
![James Freeman](jpg/b68856_d84ed34bf0a64ab58192a2877574a9d5_mv2.jpg)
Board Game Designer and Backer Support Manager at Doomlings
![David Fuhrer](jpg/b68856_6c75a53becd14535816a7bf4865988ad_mv2_d_2442_3424_s_4_2.jpg)
Managing Director at BlueSquare Innovations
![Bob Fuhrer](jpg/b68856_bbe1cdde291a425780a0fdb09bf9c132_mv2.jpg)
Owner at Nextoy LLC and KenKen Puzzle
![Sara Furay](jpg/b68856_061b37bac9dd45a3a5c66f7edee9d33e_mv2.jpg)
Inventor Relations, Goliath Games
![Ed Gartin](jpg/b68856_561aaf10cf74441facfa691e123187fc_mv2.jpg)
Owner, Creative Catalyst at Paper Bag Creative
![Ruth Green-Synowic](jpg/b68856_40c037c9cd4e467eb8eb54b17692de9a_mv2.jpg)
President at Ruth Green Inc
![Dougal Grimes](jpg/b68856_238c58ed9919492db8e80087e98ffdbe_mv2.jpg)
Senior Director, Global Games Inventor Relations, Spin Master
![Dave Harris](jpg/b68856_ca1a8ef2648540f08f086afa1577b24a_mv2.jpg)
Senior Director, Inventor Relations and Strategic Partnerships at Mattel, Inc.
![Mary.Higbe](jpg/b68856_7dc6ec15db2543cd83cd4b7527be56f6_mv2.jpg)
Director of Marketing at Goliath Games
![Rachel Higgins](jpg/b68856_72431d99318c4dd2bb49627cf59cf267_mv2.jpg)
Director of Sales and Marketing at Publisher Services, Inc
![Wolfgang "Arlo" Hitzeman](jpg/b68856_512e89846e85435a956bc44d57223bb9_mv2.jpg)
Owner and Creative Designer at Creative Konzepts
![Adam Hocherman](jpg/b68856_0d2cc13701fa4336b757bbf56f9122a4_mv2.jpg)
Vice President of New Business at PlayMonster
![Ahren Hoffman](jpg/b68856_25033c15948749faa4d4f2d53e13488c_mv2.jpg)
Ahren Hoffman Director of Education & Training at American Specialty Toy Retailing Association (ASTRA)
![Jenni Jalava](jpg/b68856_6676c2125dcb4d27bb46c257a01a970a_mv2.jpg)
Product category director at MARTINEX OY
![Megan Hinterman Kanous](jpg/b68856_d72b5469095242b799c04602183464e8_mv2.jpg)
Business Development Manager at Publisher Services, Inc
![Rebecca Klemm](jpg/b68856_4ec80627fb794e548532f33dedac443a_mv2.jpg)
The Numbers Lady
![Alicia LaFrance](jpg/b68856_52e5e4b7cba341519a8cbe073f093223_mv2.jpg)
Project Management | Product Development | Licensing - Idea Planet
![Dan Klitsner](jpg/b68856_6509b4768f0743528766b32033fef0e7_mv2.jpg)
Founder at KID Group
![Miller Klitsner](jpg/b68856_7d152fa48b6f4d4e99401ef86552cc20_mv2.jpg)
Freelance Unity Developer, Teacher, Artist
![Michael Kohner](png/b68856_fa7045e57347469e9bc4864fdbe3cc66_mv2.png)
President, The Michael Kohner Corporation
![Gary Levenberg](jpg/b68856_c5eb49ad42ff4376a827c1367693b5dc_mv2.jpg)
Co-Founder/Partner at KID Group
![Rich Mazel](jpg/b68856_dd6653e809274e88a6572589ec2d1978_mv2.jpg)
Vice President of Innovation at Spin Master
![Nick Metzler](png/b68856_45694340287d4a8e8835cc2b7aa26df7_mv2_d_2380_2364_s_2.png)
Incubation and New Business Specialist + Game Designer - Games at Spin Master
![Ben Michielson](jpg/b68856_d325ebae3a074afe8779c69e7c5f3285_mv2.jpg)
Game Designer and Product Development Manager at MEGABLEU
![Elizabeth Moody](jpg/b68856_36471624be21458c86d549d80cad0b6a_mv2.jpg)
Head of New Business Development at Seven Towns Ltd
![Colin Morgan](jpg/b68856_6a99c49754624c5e88f8c619730efb21_mv2.jpg)
Founding Partner at Hoyt Games
![Ravi Narula](jpg/b68856_e0a7a6d933d54372a2cc2b892c733625_mv2.jpg)
Entrepreneur and Business Elevator at The Future Playground
![Malte Niebelschuetz](jpg/b68856_cccc603952f64a43945420cb74c4d1ed_mv2.jpg)
Founder and CEO, Shore Buddies
![Casey Norman](jpg/b68856_eced497e16b5430b98c262dcf96a2aee_mv2_d_1932_2576_s_2.jpg)
Managing Director Genie Toys
![David Norman](jpg/b68856_2a9913e2f1bd4822bd65ff9042868321_mv2.jpg)
Toymaker, and President at Goliath, Pressman Toy Corporation and Jax Ltd.
![Leila Nosrati](jpg/b68856_cce52c29a6834e1ba50a01e7dd3f4f13_mv2.jpg)
Inventor Relations, Consumer Products & Toys, Licensing, Product Development, Open Innovation Programs and Retail Strategy for Master Toy Advisors
![Or Wai Kim](png/b68856_1ce5a23db7f44e80a0f10f1f7e46bef7_mv2.png)
CEO, Longshore
![Gary Pyper](jpg/b68856_d31deb58540445cd87498c35f0c48e0c_mv2.jpg)
Founder, Fun-damental Invention, Ltd.