More than a dozen Harker grads, current students and parents have teamed up to create an innovative new company called PenPalGirls (PPG).

This summer, PPG (www.PenPalGirls.com) announced the launch of its new line of collector-quality 18-inch dolls, couture doll clothes and unique accessories with the intention of introducing girls, ages eight and up, to the vibrant flavor of global cultures.

Founded by Harker parent and former Yahoo! executive Tina Pang Mayer, PPG draws inspiration from her experience as a Chinese immigrant growing up in America raising two multiracial daughters. “When my green-eyed daughter of Chinese, German, English and Irish descent told me that she and I were not Chinese because we didn’t speak the language, I felt a great need to introduce her to my customs and traditions,” Mayer said, explaining how she came up with the idea to share her heritage through the dolls, culturally-oriented accessories, and interactive letter-writing games and website content.

Mayer is joined in her PPG launch effort by her daughters Callie, grade 3, Pumpkin, grade 6, and their friends Agata Sorotokin, grade 10, Eugenia Sorotokin ’08, Nicholas Chuang, grade 12, Ester Teplistsky ’08, Andrew Swafford ’07 and Alex Loh ’05. Parents involved in the company are Peter Sorotokin, Eric Gonzales, Carolyn Lee, Larry Loh and Nina Chuang.

“Some wrote content or researched, others designed, did photography, business planning and production — our team is also a multicultural group, reflective of Harker’s entrepreneurial spirit,” noted Mayer.