KidZania Emphasizes Safety and Trust With Appointment of Former Yahoo! Executive to New VP Role

SAN JOSE, Calif., May 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- KidZania, the global leader in location-based, kid's edutainment today announced the appointment of former Yahoo! executive, Catherine Teitelbaum, as Vice President, Trust and Safety, joining the growing U.S. management team.  KidZania, with eight parks in six markets globally, is on a rapid trajectory to expand into additional markets, including the U.S., over the next two years, and to launch a completely new online experience in early 2012.

Teitelbaum brings more than 10 years experience in children's education and safety products, including online community and content standard development and enforcement for all of Yahoo!'s broad network products, including Yahoo! Kids.

"Children are at the core of KidZania, both in the parks and online. We are absolutely committed to providing an experience for children and their families that is safe, inspirational, and empowering," says Cammie Dunaway, U.S. President and Global Chief Marketing Officer, KidZania.  "Catherine brings a wealth of experience to KidZania. We see this as an opportunity to be an industry leader in the online interactive world."

With consumer trust and safety as her continued mission, Teitelbaum is responsible for creating KidZania's policies for online data collection, community guidelines and moderation, and monetization. She will work directly with the product development, engineering, and creative teams to ensure KidZania's online products and services meet or exceed legal and industry standards.

Teitelbaum has managed a wide array of policy issues on child safety, education, privacy, community development and standards, user-generated content, abuse reporting, mobile products, safe search, and advertising standards. In her role as Yahoo!'s policy director, she helped lead the rapid growth and development of Yahooligans!, Yahoo!'s award winning kid site, and the launch of Yahoo! Education and Yahoo! Safely. She also served as editor-in-chief of Yahoo! Safely.  Prior to joining Yahoo! she worked for a decade as an elementary and middle school teacher and K-8 Technology Coordinator in Northern California. Catherine also has worked closely with child protection and Internet Safety non-profit organizations including CARU, the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children, the Internet Keepsafe Coalition, Wired Safety, I-SAFE, ConnectSafely, and Common Sense Media.

Teitelbaum has a BA in Rhetoric and English from University of California, Davis, received a California multiple subject teaching credential from the Santa Clara University, and multiple specialty credentials in Teaching English as a Second Language, Education Technology and Middle School Studies.

KidZania is a global brand with eight active parks and 13 under construction. The first KidZania opened in Mexico City in 1999, quickly becoming a premier destination. The second park opened in 2006 in Monterrey, Mexico, followed by Tokyo. Jakarta launched in 2007, with Osaka and Lisbon opening doors in 2009. Success in all markets led to early 2010 launches in Dubai and Seoul. To date, more than 14.5 million kids and parents have visited the parks globally. The trajectory continues with upcoming park openings slated for Bangkok, Shanghai, Santiago, Sao Paulo, Kuala Lumpur, and Mumbai, plus a KidZania "Drive" park in Mexico City where kids can drive from point-to-point. Expansion into Istanbul, Cairo, and Saudi Arabia is also planned, followed by the U.S.

About KidZania:

KidZania, Inc., headquartered in Mexico, is privately held. KidZania is recognized globally for its unique blend of entertainment and education for children. It has won numerous awards, including World's Top Family Entertainment Center by the IAAPA (International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions), and 2009 Global Leisure Operator of the Year. For more information about KidZania and the park locations, visit www.KidZania.com.

SOURCE KidZania