Recognized throughout the children's entertainment industry as a leading business and brand-builder, Michael's numerous achievements have helped shape today's era of animation production and distribution. In 2004, Michael spearheaded the creation of Cookie Jar Group, along with Toper Taylor. In a short period of time, he has been responsible for turning Cookie Jar Group into one of the world's preeminent edutainment studios.
Michael is also co-creator and executive producer of Cookie Jar Entertainment's hit show for preschoolers, "The Doodlebops". Michael's distinguished career in children's entertainment began in 1971, when co-founded Nelvana Limited. He played a pivotal role in transforming Nelvana into a world-class animation company and developed and produced many of television's most celebrated animated programming. He also pioneered many of the worldwide co-production, marketing and distribution techniques that have become standard industry practice.
Michael also co-founded Teletoon, Canada's leading animation network.
Steve Cooper VP and General Manager High Reach Learning®
Steve spent 10 successful years with The Timberland Company, a New Hampshire-based footwear and clothing manufacturer. While with Timberland, Steve held various senior management positions, including Senior Director and National Sales Manager for the company's North American Boots wholesale division.
In his role as Senior Director, Steve oversaw double digit annual sales growth which began in the late 1990's and helped the men's, women's and children's product lines to become a powerful presence in independent and national retailers across the country. He also helped spearhead Timberland's corporate ethic of community service through his involvement with City Year, a Boston-based member of the nationally-recognized Americorps program, and the recently-established Timberland Community Builders program.
As the revenue grew exponentially, Steve's focus shifted toward protecting brand equity in the marketplace. He led efforts to stabilize overall brand profitability and to maintain Timberland's position as the most recognizable premium non-athletic shoe brand in the world. Steve will utilize these experiences as he seeks to establish the HighReach Learning® brand as an industry leader in the early childhood market.
Steve is a magna cum laude graduate of the LaSalle University School of Business in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where he was captain of the Explorer's Metro Atlantic Conference Champion soccer team.
Thomas Purcell SVP of Finance for Cookie Jar Education
Thomas is a highly accomplished senior executive with over 20 years of financial and operational experience in both domestic and international organizations with a proven record for developing and implementing strategies that improve the company's growth potential, financial position and organizational process.
Prior to joining Cookie Jar Education, Thomas served as CFO for Catapult Learning, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Educate, Inc. and leading provider of public school, non-public school, and community-based education services. Thomas led the successful divestiture of the Education Station Business (NCLB tutoring) as well as the integration and consolidation of Catapult-Online within Educate, Inc. Prior to this position, Thomas spent 10 years with the Thomson Corporation, serving as CFO for Thomson-Prometric, an international computer-based testing company.
Leah Sprague VP of Dealer Sales for Carson-Dellosa
Leah joined Carson-Dellosa in November 1998 as the Advertising Manager, bringing with her extensive experience in communications.
Prior to her employment at Carson-Dellosa, Leah worked for Wake Forest University and R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company. With over 20 years of experience in Design, Printing, and Photography (15 of those years at the management level), Leah was promoted to Vice President of Sales and Marketing in 2002.
Since joining Carson-Dellosa and leading the sales and marketing initiative, sales, market penetration, and overall revenue performance have increased steadily year over year.
Leah earned an Associate of Applied Sciences degree in Graphic Design and Photography from Guilford Technical Community College in Greensboro, North Carolina.
