A change agent and thought leader, I believe innovative thinking and strong values can create meaningful change within an organization, industry, even the world. I am passionate about building awareness and providing best practices for creating diversity. As a public speaker, I help and encourage others to take their best idea, step over fear, find courage, tap into their passion, and persist through adversity.
Jodi is a speaker and facilitator at The Kaleidoscope Group.
She is the founder of Dream Big Toy Company and the creator of the award-winning Go! Go! Sports Girls line of dolls, books, and apps for girls encouraging healthy and active play over fashion and body image. Her book, More Than a Doll: How Creating a New Brand of Dolls Turned into a Fight to End Gender Stereotypes, is forthcoming in 2020. Jodi is an entrepreneur, consultant, TEDx speaker, and activist in the movement pushing media and retail to do a better job portraying girls beyond stereotypes.
Jodi is a leader in the toy industry breaking gender stereotypes since 2009 when she launched the plush sports dolls built-in specification to a real girl’s body. Her inspiration came in 2007 after shopping for a doll with her then 9-year-old daughter and finding a doll with belly-baring clothing, high heels, and make-up, named ‘Lovely Lola.’ Initially, industry leaders dismissed her product because a sports doll was not mainstream. “Girls want fashion dolls,” she heard, over and over. She was not convinced and knew mainstream ideas never create change. By 2015, she had made significant strides and her product was launched in Walmart stores. In October 2016, the Go! Go! Sports Girls brand was acquired by Jazwares, an established cutting-edge toy company.
She has been featured on national media including The Today Show, The Real Story with Gretchen Carlson, Forbes, Upworthy, Parents, Shape, Self, Runner’s World, Advertising Age, Good Housekeeping, Chicago Tribune, New York Times, and Huffington Post. In 2016, Jodi was invited by The White House under the Obama administration to participate in conferences on breaking down gender stereotypes in media and toys.
Jodi is co-chair of the Toy Association Diversity and Inclusion Committee, a board member of Kaskey Kids – an award-winning line of sports action figures, a founding member of The Brave Girl Alliance – a think tank of girl empowerment experts, and a former board member of Girls on the Run – Chicago. For information on Jodi’s speaking topics, please go to www.jodibondinorgaard.com.
