Melissa Bernstein is the co-founder and Chief Creative Officer of Melissa & Doug, the global toy company committed to igniting imagination and a sense of wonder in all children so they can discover themselves, their passions, and their purpose. Bernstein, a graduate of Duke University, credits her creativity to a childhood of boredom, relying on only her imagination to fill the blank canvas — with magic. Concerned this generation of children is missing out on the kind of unstructured downtime and child-led play that enables them to find their passions and purpose through exploration, Bernstein is leading a movement to Take Back Childhood. A mother of six, she dreams of a day when kids are free from overscheduling, undue pressure, and digital distractions so they may develop into free thinkers and realize their full potential. She lives in Westport, Connecticut with her husband (and co-founder), Doug, and their family.