Melissa Bernstein

Melissa Bernstein is an entrepreneur, creative, and mother of six who co-founded the toy company Melissa & Doug with her husband in 1988 out of their parents' garage, building it into a highly successful business with over 6,000 toys designed to foster children's imagination and self-discovery through open-ended play. In 2020, following a personal journey of self-discovery amid struggles with existential depression, she co-founded Lifelines, a company creating well-being products to help adults relieve stress, rediscover wonder, and build resilience. She is also a keynote speaker on topics including mental health, entrepreneurship, and overcoming adversity.[1][2][3]