Toronto, Canada-headquartered brand management company The Licensing Shop has hired the former VP of North American sales for PBS Distribution, Alexandra Ries, to support the retail strategy and development of its booming Shopkins licensing program.

Ries will be based in Dallas, where she will work with Shopkins licensees and retailers to develop and coordinate exclusive multi-category merchandise programs.

While at PBS Distribution, Ries managed the sales and retail business for hit kids brands like Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Caillou and Wild Kratts. She also oversaw pricing strategy, retail marketing and product development.

Before PBS, Ries was a founding member of Dallas’s NCircle Entertainment in 2006. There she served as VP of sales and business development and came up with retail video launch strategies for new brands The Octonauts, Mike the Knight, The Gruffalo, as well as relaunched iconic and mature brands such as The Wiggles and Super Mario Bros in the home entertainment market.