Play Advisory Council

Dr. Toni Linder

Dr. Toni Linder

President of Early Learning Dynamics LLC

Toni W. Linder, Ed.D., is a Professor Emeritus at the University of Denver and the current President of Early Learning Dynamics LLC, where she provides training and consultation on early childhood issues. Her career spans over five decades, primarily focused on early childhood special education, play-based assessment, and transdisciplinary intervention.

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Academic and Professional Background
Toni Linder, Ed.D. began her academic tenure at the University of Denver in 1977 and retired from DU in 2011. During her time at DU she rose from Assistant Professor to Professor, serving in leadership roles such as the Coordinator of Graduate Studies and Director of Child and Family Studies. She also played a key role in founding the Fisher Early Learning Center on the university's campus. Throughout her career, she has been recognized for her contributions, including being named the University Lecturer at the University of Denver in 1994 for her scholarly and creative work.

Research and Publications
Dr. Linder is a prolific author best known for developing the Transdisciplinary Play-Based Assessment (TPBA) and Transdisciplinary Play-Based Intervention (TPBI) systems. Her major works include:

  • Multiple editions of TPBA and TPBI, providing functional approaches to working with young children.
  • The "Read, Play and Learn!" series, an inclusive curriculum integrating literacy and play.
  • Over 150 keynote addresses and presentations at national and international conferences across countries such as China, Australia, and South Africa.

Global and Local Impact
Beyond academia, Dr. Linder has been involved in significant international and humanitarian projects:
  • China: Developed an inclusive curriculum and provided training for teachers, including those working with children affected by the 2008 Sichuan earthquake.
  • Trinidad and Tobago: Awarded a Fulbright Scholar award in 2020 to develop training programs for early childhood special education.
  • North Carolina: Developed Early Learning Progressions used by teachers for assessment and program planning.
  • Grants: Secured 10 grants from the Office of Special Education Programs for personnel preparation and interdisciplinary training.

Dr. Matt Brown

Matt Brown

Science of Play Expert

For over 20 years Matt Brown has developed a reputation as an expert in play by inventing hundreds of educational games and toys for children and families built on the science of play. He has consulted with both Fortune 500 and early stage companies to incorporate play in order to become more innovative and competitive. He has been an SVP at Scholastic, President of Klutz, Vice President of LeapFrog, Chief Gaming Officer of Conteneo and Chief Strategist at Speck Design.

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Matt co–founded companies including big BOING, an integrated strategy, innovation and development company that partnered with Kraft, Disney, Coca Cola, Nickelodeon, Hasbro, Learning Curve and others to invent, design and launch (or completely overhaul) major domestic and international brands. His portfolio of brand and product launches exceeds $250MM. Matt is an advisor for PBS Kids, Kibeam Learning, Hasbro Play Panel, Dash Robotics, GoAnimate and Power Play.

Today, Matt is using his knowledge of play, design, education and human behavior to help build a more vibrant and resilient city of Santa Fe, NM as its Director of Economic Development.