Women in Toys, Licensing & Entertainment (WIT) announced the honorees for its 16th Annual Wonder Women Awards are: Pam Lifford, President of Warner Bros. Global Brands and Experiences, who will receive WIT’s Mentor of the Year Award; and Stephanie McMahon, WWE Chief Brand Officer, who will receive the WIT Changemaker Award.
As President of Warner Bros. Global Brands and Experiences, Lifford is responsible for strengthening consumer engagement across the company’s characters and Global Franchise businesses, including Warner Bros. Consumer Products, Themed Entertainment, and fan-focused brands, DC, HBO, and Cartoon Network properties. Her oversight also includes domestic and international licensing, worldwide marketing, business and legal affairs, finance, and retail business development related to entertainment franchises. In Lifford’s first year at WBCP, she increased overall business by 47 percent. She spent 12 years at Disney, where she became a member of the consumer products executive leadership team as Executive Vice President. Lifford also served as EVP at Quiksilver, Inc., and earlier in her career, held positions at Road Runner Sports and Nike. With more than 25 years of experience, Lifford was also recently installed in the Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA) Hall of Fame.
As WWE Chief Brand Officer, Stephanie McMahon is responsible for the company’s Brand, Community Relations, and Pop Culture strategies, and represents WWE as its global brand ambassador. She has been the driving force behind WWE’s women’s evolution to give female performers an equal share of the spotlight both in and out of the ring. Adweek has included McMahon in their list of the Most Powerful Women in Sports for the past four years and recently recognized her as a 2019 Brand Genius. She was also recently named to Forbes’ Most Influential CMOs report. In 2014, McMahon and her husband, Paul “Triple H” Levesque, established Connor’s Cure, a fund dedicated to fighting pediatric cancer, which has raised $3 million to date and has helped more than 400 families.
“Pam Lifford and Stephanie McMahon are two extraordinary and exemplary women business leaders, and we are thrilled to honor them for their commitment and overall impact on advancing women both within and beyond their own organizations,” said Genna Rosenberg from GennComm and Jennifer Caveza, from ViacomCBS, Wonder Women Awards Co-Chairs.
The 16th Annual Wonder Women Awards, held on Sunday, February 23 at Pier Sixty, Chelsea Piers, coinciding with Toy Fair New York, honors top female executives, thought leaders, entrepreneurs and, other changemakers for their accomplishments and impact within the toy, licensing, and the entertainment industries.
To purchase tickets/tables, or to sponsor the WIT Wonder Woman Awards or purchase a Digital Tribute Book ad, please visit www.WomenInToys.com.
WIT’s 2020 sponsors, include Hasbro, Mattel, Disney, The Bandai Foundation, ViacomCBS, Jazwares, Amazon, LEGO, PlayMonster, Spin Master, VTech, and others. Proceeds from this event are used to fund scholarships, develop and maintain a full calendar of programs and networking events, and support initiatives for WIT’s members and its community.