The Handmade Toy Alliance is a non-profit corporation formed on April 9, 2009.

Please feel free to contact any one of our business members or write to our general mailbox, savehandmadetoys@gmail.com.  However, several of our most active members are readily available to answer questions or provide group information.  Our primary press contacts are:

Dan Marshall Co-owner, Peapods Natural Toys & Babycare Store St. Paul, MN www.peapods.com dan@peapods.com 651-695-5559	Jill Chuckas  Crafty Baby, Owner, Designer Stamford, CT www.craftybaby.com jill@craftybaby.com 888-788-5168
Rob Wilson Vice President, Challenge & Fun Ashland, MA www.challengeandfun.com hta@challengeandfun.com 888-384-6200	Cecilia Leibovitz President, Craftsbury Kids Craftsbury, VT www.craftsburykids.com ceci@craftsburykids.com 347-631-0042

Cecilia Leibovitz, President: Cecilia is founder and Creative Director of leading handmade children’s toy and gift retailer Craftsbury Kids Inc. (craftsburykids.com). She has fourteen years of experience in the handmade and eco-friendly children’s industry. Prior to founding Craftsbury Kids, Cecilia ran two ecommerce businesses specializing in handmade toys and baby products. She holds a BA in English from Mount Holyoke College.

Dan Marshall, Vice President: Dan is the founder of the Handmade Toy Alliance and co-owner with his wife of Peapods Natural Toys and Baby Care (www.peapods.com), a brick and mortar retail store in St. Paul, Minnesota, which he has helped to manage since 1998. Dan is also a board member of the Metro Independent Business Alliance, a Twin Cities trade organization that promotes locally-owned independent businesses. Dan holds a BA in History from the University of Minnesota.

Jill Chuckas, Secretary: Jill currently owns and operates a home studio craft business called Crafty Baby (www.craftybaby.com), known for its fun and functional accessories for children. Crafty Baby products are sold throughout the country at specialty gift shops, major catalogs and via the internet. Jill holds a double BA in Child & Family Studies and Psychology from Syracuse University and a Masters in Social Work from New York University.  After working as an elementary and middle school social worker for 10 years, Jill devoted herself full time to her company and family.  Jill resides in Connecticut with her husband and 3 children.

Mary Newell, Treasurer: Mary is the owner of Terrapin Toys, LLC, makers of the nationally-distributed Mary's Softdough, which she established in 1988. She is also the bookkeeper for Terrapin Guitars, LLC, a online custom guitar business owned by her husband.  She also has ten years experience in member and information services at Register Guard Federal Credit Union in Springfield, Oregon. Mary has a BS in General Science from the University of Oregon and has completed the SBA's Small Business Management Program. 

Jolie Fay, Director: is the owner and designer of Skipping Hipps (www.skippinghippos.com), vintage inspired outerwear with a modern twist.  Skipping Hippos clothing can be found in boutiques across the country, as well as in several other countries, and are often at unique craft fairs from Massachusetts to Seattle.  Before having children, Jolie was a wedding and event planner in San Francisco.  Jolie's interest in children's fashion started in college, at the Otis Parson's Institute of Art, where she majored in photography.

Heather Flottmann, Director: Heather is the owner and designer of liliputians (liliputians-nyc.com), a NYC based children's clothing company founded in 2005. Liliputians handmade designs are sold on the liliputians web site and over four dozen online and brick and mortar boutiques worldwide. Heather holds a BA (Southern Illinois University) and MA in Art History (Hunter College). Prior to starting liliputians, Heather worked in NYC as a Registrar and Collections Manager for several museum-caliber private art collections. Heather lives in NYC with her husband and daughter Lily, inspiration for the liliputians label.

John Greco, Director: John started Greco Woodcrafting, LLC in April of 2008. John has 14 years of retail experience including 7 years of retail management in roles including both Operations and Sales manager positions for stores conducting $20 Million per year in sales. In addition to running Greco Woodcrafting, John is a happily married stay at home father of two, and has a B.A. in Political Science from The College of New Jersey.

Kate Glynn, Director: Kate is the owner of A Child’s Garden (achildsgardennoho.com), a store created in 2005 that sells wooden toys, cloth diapers, baby carriers and children’s books, and the co-owner Impish (shop-impish.com), a store that sells baby gear, children’s clothing, maternity and nursing wear and nursery items which opened in October, 2008. Kate graduated from Smith Collage with a BA in Child and Family Studies in 2006 and before beginning her current career, she worked in early intervention for at-risk preschoolers. Both of Kate’s stores are in Northampton, MA where she is an active member of the Chamber of Commerce as well as a founding Member of the Northampton Area Young Professionals.

Rob Wilson, Director: Rob is the Vice President of Challenge & Fun (challengeandfun.com), an importer and manufacturer of unique toys located in Massachusetts which distributes through specialty toy retailers nationwide. Rob is the founder of CPSIA-Central, a web forum devoted to discussing all aspects of the CPSIA. Rob has a BA in International Relations from BYU, and an MBA from McGill University. He lives in Massachusetts with his wife and two children.