STAFF

 

PRESIDENT: Ashley Fenwick-Naditch
Ashley is an Emmy Award winning Producer at Sesame Workshop, the non-profit educational organization behind Sesame Street, The Electric Company, Pinky Dinky Doo, and other hit children's multi-media properties. She is responsible for the development and production of new and existing children's programming and content across multiple platforms and has served as the Producer in charge of several award-winning websites and digital properties, including Sesame Street Family Connections, the bilingual (English/Spanish) social network for families, and the re-launch of the Pinky Dinky Doo interactive experience, which featured the company’s first user-generated podcast creator. She has produced games, interactive episodes, and innovative broadband content for The Electric Company and SesameStreet.org.

Prior to joining Sesame Workshop, Ashley spent several years at AOL where she oversaw tremendous growth in the company's entertainment news business, becoming a market leader in multi-platform entertainment news content with 20 million visits per month, as well as expanding the brand into several content partnerships and niche market opportunities with People, Entertainment Weekly, and InStyle magazines. She has also served as the head of a creative department at The Knot Inc., a multi-media company in New York, where she managed a unit of art directors, producers, designers and writers to brainstorm, write, and produce editorial and promotional layouts and leave-behind materials for two national magazines, five websites, and a television program.

Ashley holds an M.A. from New York University in children's educational television and graduated from Columbia University cum laude, with a B.A. in film studies. In 2010, Ashley was named on Digital Media Wire’s list of “25 Digital Entertainment Executives to Watch" and won an Emmy Award for her work on Sesame Workshop's The Electric Company. She resides in New York City with her family.

 

VICE PRESIDENT: Ginny Bloom
Ginny is Director, Original Series, Nickelodeon Networks and manages the production of several live action and animated series for Nickelodeon and Nick-at-Nite. A veteran of Nickelodeon for over five years, she is the Executive in Charge of Glenn Martin, DDS and also works on Nick News with Linda Ellerbee and The Kids Choice Awards. Previously she was the Executive in Charge on Three Delivery and Wayside. In this role she manages the creative direction of each series as well as the coordination efforts between programming, production, and the various other network lines of business.

Prior to her current position, Ms. Bloom held the positions of Manager, Original Series and Coordinator, Original Series at Nickelodeon Networks. In those capacities she coordinated the production of such shows as The Naked Brothers Band, My Family’s Got GUTS, Kappa Mikey¸ and Edgar and Ellen. She has also assisted with the production of network events such as The Kids Choice Awards, The Worldwide Fido Awards, and the pro-social campaign Let’s Just Play’s Go Healthy Challenge.

Prior to that, Ms. Bloom was a freelance production coordinator for various companies including A&E, Spike TV, Nickelodeon, and Nick Jr. She began her career as a page at NBC. Ginny graduated from the University of Pennsylvania with a BA degree in Communication and is a member of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences. She lives in Brooklyn.

 

SECRETARY: Kate Guttman
Katherine Guttman is a freelance Writer and Producer, with over ten years of experience in film and television production. Kate spent seven years at Sesame Workshop, working on Sesame Street and as the Associate Producer for Sesame Street's Home Videos, releasing over 11 titles each year. She oversaw all aspects of production, from concept research to post production through delivery to shelves. Prior to joining Sesame Workshop, Kate helped create a small independent film company, producing product videos and a feature-length documentary, worked in Miami on big budget features like The Bird Cage and Strip Tease and was a medical journalist for CBSHealthWatch.com.

Kate is currently a Post Production Supervisor at Original Media, producing docu-dramas for cable channels like TLC and HGTV. Kate's has published her fiction, personal essays and medical articles both in print and online. She is currently collaborating with a local fine artist on a number of small books and a graphic novel series for young adults. Kate graduated from Florida State University's prestigious School of Motion Picture, Television and the Recording Arts magna cum laude. She resides in New York City.

 

TREASURER: Myra Crespo
Myra Crespo is currently working at Sesame Workshop as an Accounting Manager. Sesame Workshop is a non-profit educational organization that maximizes the educational power of all media to help children reach their potential.

As manger she is responsible for preparing quarterly consolidated financial statements, maintaining budget and estimate for Digital Media and International Home Video and reconciling various corporate bank accounts including the Direct Mail campaign account which receives all private donations of cash and credit cards. Prior to working at Sesame Workshop Myra was Senior Accountant at Random House and MTV Networks.

When not working, Myra likes to spend her time volunteering for different organizations including feeding the homeless at the Bowery Mission, fundraiser committee member for the Women’s Center, Tribecca and Latino film festival screenings, and escorting talents at the Latin Grammy Awards.

Myra graduated from New York University with a degree in Accounting and Marketing.  She financed her degree through scholarships and work (loan free!).

 

 

DIRECTOR OF EVENTS : Sarah Wallendjack

Sarah been a member of Women in Children's Media since 2006 and has enjoyed attending clever events ever since. She is the Associate Producer of the PBS hit super hero literacy show Super Why! and is on the staff of Out of the Blue Enterprises, a children's content development, production, licensing and merchandising company. Prior to joining the Out of the Blue production team, Sarah worked on Nickelodeon's Wonder Pets!, Disney's Go Baby! and Disney's Johnny and the Sprites! She is a graduate of American University's Visual Media and Arts and Cultural Management programs. She enjoys scuba diving, the Muppets, and jumping on a trampoline.

 

MEMBER EVENTS CHAIR: TBD

 

PANEL EVENTS CHAIR: Karen Halpenny
Karen is the Panel Events Chair, focusing on innovative and educational panel discussions that provide members with valuable information and an opportunity to meet the leaders in different fields of children's media. By day, Karen is an Editor at Sesame Workshop, the non-profit creative force behind Sesame Street and the Electric Company, so she spends a lot of her time thinking about either Muppets or punctuation. She works on books ranging from educational workbooks to soft cloth books, from traditional storybooks to the latest eBook technology, overseeing the publication of 20 to 30 titles per year.

Her enthusiasm for nostalgic Sesame Street material is apparent in her contributions to the Old School DVD series as well as Sesame Street: A Celebration - 40 Years of Life on the Street. Originally from the educational publishing world, Karen worked as an editor on McGraw Hill's Treasures, a Language Arts textbook series, as well as at Pearson Learning Group and Scholastic. She graduated from NYU with a B.S. in Communications. When Karen is not at work or at WiCM events, she likes to read, run, and go to the movies more often than is fiscally responsible.

 

WORKSHOP EVENTS CHAIR : Jenn DiLullo
Jennifer is a Senior Field Producer for Teachscape Inc., a professional development organization working on a nationwide Public Education study funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. Prior to Teachscape, Jennifer had extensive experience as a Reality Television Producer on A&E’s Flip This House, Tru TV’s Haunting Evidence, and Bravo’s Queer Eye for the Straight Guy. In addition, she worked in event management for clients such as the Clinton Global Initiative. A graduate of NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts, Jennifer started her career in television working at HBO Family on the Emmy Award Winning documentary Goodnight Moon and Other Sleepytime Tales.

 

MEMBERSHIP CHAIR: Debra Stewart
The Membership Chair is responsible for managing and bolstering member relations and, as such, is Women in Children's Media members' primary resource and point of contact. She is in charge of developing and keeping current a plan to increase membership and awareness. With her finger on the pulse of WiCM, the Membership Chair also works with the Development team to determine and regularly evaluate membership perks and the added value of joining the organization.

email: membership@womeninchildrensmedia.org

 

 

COMMUNICATIONS CHAIR: Kristen Schrader

By day, Kristen works as part of Comcast Sports Group’s business and legal affairs department that manages fourteen regional sports networks and Versus, Comcast’s national sports network. She works hand in hand with department attorneys primarily with Versus in coordinating, drafting, and processing all agreements for the network’s programming, talent, operations, business development, new media, and original productions.  Kristen also oversees the rights and clearances for original programming for Versus and the RSNs and works with third party production companies on an ongoing basis to manage any potential issues and assure compliance with corporate Standards and Practices.

Kristen has more than twelve years of television production experience, having begun her career in local news.  Early on, she worked as the lead editor in Special Projects for the Fox O&O in her hometown of Kansas City.  There she garnered numerous regional Emmy nominations and won as “Best Editor.” She moved on to producing and assignment managing for New England Sports Network (NESN), the flagship station of the Boston Red Sox and Boston Bruins.  As a key member of the team launching the network’s first ever News Division, she coordinated NESN’s coverage of the historic 2004 Red Sox World Series win and three New England Patriots Super Bowl Championships.  Along with producing several documentaries on legendary New England athletes, Kristen produced and edited a monthly winter sports magazine series premiering on NESN and nationally syndicated to ski resort channels.

Before joining the legal department about a year ago at Comcast’s headquarters in Philadelphia, Kristen served as the Manager of Sports Programming Development for CN8, Comcast’s regional news, sports, and entertainment network.  She worked with producers on managing and enhancing all of the network’s sports franchise shows, including series covering Olympic gymnastics with Shannon Miller, ice skating with Nancy Kerrigan, and competive dancesport with Dancing With The Stars pro Ashly Costa.

Kristen holds a B.A. in TV/ Film and an M.S. in Journalism/ Advertising, with a concentration in child development, from the University of Kansas.  Her first love has always been children’s television, and she has worked as a scriptwriter and script supervisor on various independent children’s pilots.  Currently, Kristen is in development on several new children’s media projects under her independent production company, Schardi Entertainment, including serving as Co-Executive Producer of a DVD series that merges her extensive background in sports with her love for children’s TV.  She lives with her husband and three children in Philadelphia, PA.

email: communication@womeninchildrensmedia.org

 

COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATORS: Kasey Powers, Ariel Magnes

WEBSITE PROGRAMMING AND DESIGN: Madhur Khandelwal

WEBSITE DESIGN: Mike Penta

GRAPHIC DESIGN: Sarah Wilson http://swilson.co.nz

Advisory Board

These women were responsible for the founding of the organization in November, 2004.
Livia Beasley
Stacie Billis
Yvette Buono
Claire Curley
Laura Gallagher
Meredith Halpern
Melanie Pal
Joanne Ruelos
Tiffany Washington
Sasha Wolff

 

 

To inquire about staffing, please contact Ashley at info@womeninchildrensmedia.org

 

WiCM Refund and Security Policy