Kristi
Bluhm
Passion-driven creative executive with nearly 20 years of experience leading teams to build profitable, innovative, and emotionally resonant brands — from concept to shelf.
Big ideas. Flawless execution.
Big ideas.
Flawless execution.
I thrive in multi-faceted challenges. Over nearly two decades, I've led cross-functional teams at companies like Jazwares, Jakks Pacific, and MGA Entertainment — bringing award-winning toys, plush lines, fashion designs, and consumer products from sketch to shelf.
My work has a wide background, spanning brand building, concept design, trend research, product storytelling, vendor negotiation, team building, and budget management. I bring a marketer's instinct for what resonates, an engineer's respect for what's buildable, an operations manager's oversight for reasonable deliverable timelines, a designer's eye for functional beauty, and a leader's commitment to team growth and excellence.
I'm a natural collaborator and mentor with a growing fluency in AI-powered creative tools. Motivated by meaningful work.
Gallup CliftonStrengths
What I bring
to the table
Creative Direction & Design
From industrial design sketches to full brand identities — I lead creative vision across toys, plush, fashion, footwear, and automotive categories with an eye for what's emotionally resonant and market-ready.
Product Strategy & Development
End-to-end product ownership from ideation through launch. I've managed 25+ SKUs per season, $40M+ revenue lines, and cross-functional teams across design, engineering, marketing, and supply chain.
Brand & Marketing Strategy
Translating product stories into compelling brand narratives. I've developed integrated strategies for major licenses including Disney Princess, Sofia the First, and proprietary lines — aligning creative with commercial goals.
Team Building & Leadership
Hiring, mentoring, and building cultures of excellence and ownership. I've onboarded and grown design teams while fostering collaboration across competing priorities and tight timelines.
Trend Research & Insights
Materials specialist with deep expertise in tracking cultural moments, consumer behavior, and category trends — turning insights into actionable design and product direction.
Project Management & Operations
Streamlining development pipelines, managing budgets, negotiating $100K+ in vendor savings, and coordinating across 20+ local and global stakeholders to keep complex programs on track.
Selected
Project Work
A cross-section of the work that defines my career — spanning toys, fashion, transportation design, plush lines, and trend strategy across major global brands.
Award-Winning Toy Design & Development
Led design across outdoor, preschool, and role-play categories at Little Tikes. Highlights include Makin' Mud Pies (Toy of the Year Nominee + Parent's Choice Silver Honor), Neighborhood Market (Parent's Choice Recommended), and iTikes Map (Walmart Top Toy 2012).
Trend-Led Fashion & Footwear Design
Materials and trends specialist with hands-on experience designing footwear and fashion for brands including Payless ShoeSource. Featured work in the LA Hope in the City Fashion Show.
Pet Product Brand Development
Full product line strategy, design direction, and development for the Pawz Pets brand — from concept through production-ready specs and market positioning.
Disney Princess & Major License Management
Oversaw 100+ SKUs annually for Sofia the First and Disney Princess. Managed global stakeholder alignment across 20+ partners from concept through retail-ready launch.
Mazda 3-Wheel City Vehicle — Capstone
Thesis project exploring form, function, and emotion in urban transportation. A three-wheeled Mazda-branded city vehicle designed for a unique driving experience — reinforcing "Zoom-Zoom."
New Line Concept: Squish-a-longs
Directed the creative development of the Squish-a-longs line from concept to launch — driving brand awareness and fan engagement for both Squish-a-longs and Squishmallows with 1,200+ characters.
Full portfolio binders available upon request
Request Full PortfolioAwards &
Achievements
Toy of the Year Nominee
Makin' Mud Pies — Little Tikes
Parent's Choice Silver Honor Award
Makin' Mud Pies — Little Tikes
Parent's Choice Award Recommended
Neighborhood Market — Little Tikes
Patent Holder
Bug Shell — Legend of Nara Battling Bugs
Walmart Top Toy
iTikes Map — Little Tikes
Inventor, designer, and creative leader with a track record of building winning products that delight consumers and deliver commercial results.
The toolkit
Ready to build
something remarkable?
Whether you're launching a new product line, building a creative team, or need a strategic partner who can move from concept to sales — I'd love to connect.