Sinking Ship Entertainment has launched a new licensing and merchandising department, with industry exec Karen Samnick tapped to lead the charge.

Based out of New York, Samnick will focus on developing and growing the merchandising strategies for Sinking Ship brands like Odd Squad, Annedroids and the upcoming Dino Dana. She will work closely with heads of sales and distribution Marilyn Kynaston and Kate Sanagan, who joined the company following Sinking Ship’s acquisition of Toronto’s Picture Box Distribution in February.

Samnick holds more than two decades of licensing experience in the entertainment, agency and manufacturer side of the business. As senior director of licensing and new brand development at Nickelodeon, she directed all aspects of a multi-property, multi-category licensing business. She later worked at Out Of The Blue, where she served as the VP of outreach and PBS Station relations, creating and implementing strategies to grow the Super Why brand.

Samnick’s arrival comes as Sinking Ship looks to grow its distribution division into a multi-platform sales team. The company has also just secured a live-tour deal with producer Mills Entertainment for the Odd Squad brand, which will debut this fall across the US.