Tell us about yourself and the work you do here at Fred Rogers Productions.
As the director of product development at FRP, I work with teams to develop products and resources that showcase the values in our shows. Outside of work, I wear a few other hats, too—wife, mom of three, and keeper of six very fluffy chickens. I’ve always loved stories and creativity—growing up, my dream job was to have a career like Tom Hanks did in the movie Big. Lucky for me, that dream came true!
How long have you been at FRP (any good story about how you ended up here?)
I’ve been at FRP for nine years! Prior to that, I was living in Chicago and came across a job posting for a licensing manager. The due date for applications had already passed, but not one to give up, I submitted my credentials anyway. Since I was applying late, I had to make my cover letter stand out. So, I made a David Letterman-inspired list of the top ten reasons FRP should hire me. I received an email the very same day from *(CEO) Paul Siefken noting that he had never seen a cover letter like mine and wanted to set up a time to talk. Three weeks later, my husband and I were loading our car and preparing for the move back to Pittsburgh (my hometown!).
Do you have a favorite project you’ve worked on?
I have had the privilege of working on so many projects but the ones that stand out would easily be working with publishers to roll out Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Donkey Hodie, and Alma’s Way books. I truly love reading and getting lost in books, so having the opportunity to work with publishers is my absolute favorite. A close second and third would be the Daniel Tiger Ride-On Toy and the Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood skateboard.
What was your favorite TV show when you were a kid?
As an 80s baby, it’s hard to pick one so I’m going to give you two. One was a live-action show with puppets called Today’s Special. It took place in a mall, and a mannequin named Jeff would come to life if he was wearing a certain hat. A close second was the show Out of This World, about a girl who realized she was half alien and could freeze time if she brought her index fingers together and could unfreeze people by touching their shoulder. The 80s were wonderfully weird, and I credit these shows for fueling my very active imagination that has stayed with me as an adult.
What do you like to do when you’re not working?
When I’m not working, I’m taking dance lessons at Pittsburgh Musical Theater, playing paddle tennis, and cheering from the bleachers as my kids dominate the baseball fields.