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
From the iTikes Interactive Map (Walmart Top Toy 2012) to Makin’ Mud Pies (Toy of the Year Nominee + Parent’s Choice Silver Honor) to the Neighborhood Market (Parent’s Choice Recommended) — six years of bringing beloved, award-recognized products from concept sketch to store shelf.
Wearable Art & Fashion Design
Featured in the Los Angeles Hope in the City Fashion Show in 2010 and 2011. This garment reconstructs LA Weekly newspapers into a dramatic, fully wearable evening gown — materials thinking applied to high fashion.
Squish-a-longs by Squishmallows
Directed the creative development of the Squish-a-longs line from concept through launch — bringing over 1,200 characters to market and increasing brand awareness for both Squish-a-longs and Squishmallows. Managed 25+ SKUs per season, cross-functional teams, and $100K+ in vendor cost savings.
Sofia the First & Disney Princess
Oversaw design, development, and approvals for 100+ SKUs annually across dolls, playsets, plush, and fashion packs. Managed alignment across 20+ local and global stakeholders from concept through retail-ready launch.
Footwear Design & Trend Research
From sketch to spec — trend-led footwear design spanning Sporty, Feminine, Urban Metallic, and World Traveler categories. Accessories and footwear developed as coordinated family lines to extend retail sales opportunity.
Mazda Flight — 3-Wheel City Vehicle
Senior thesis exploring urban transportation design. A three-wheeled city vehicle offering a driving experience more akin to a motorcycle. Includes brand identity, user research, sketching, 3D rendering, and a hand-built 1:4 scale model.
Pawz Pets — Product Line Development
Full product line strategy and concept ideation for a new pet product brand. Systems thinking applied to interchangeable play — designing modular playhouses, puzzle treat toys, and interactive accessories from initial sketch through concept validation.
Full-Spectrum Development Skills
A visual map of the complete development toolkit: trend research, line architecture, timeline planning, ideation, sketching, tech packets, concept validation, breadboarding, 3D modeling, color selection, copywriting, QA/safety, consumer testing, packaging, and FEP review.
A Track Record of Winning Products
Five industry-recognized products across six years at MGA Entertainment and Little Tikes — spanning tech-enabled play, outdoor play, and role-play categories. Each award reflects consumer delight and commercial success in a competitive retail landscape.
Brands I’ve Brought to Life
From Disney Princess and Sofia the First to Squish-a-longs, Mega Man, Dog Man, Super Mario, and Little Tikes — a career-spanning roster of beloved consumer brands developed across toys, plush, fashion, and interactive play categories.
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.