Janet Powers

Melanie Notkin is America’s premier Savvy Auntie, empowering the nearly 50% of American women who are not moms to celebrate all they do for the children in their lives, while living their own lives to the fullest. She launched SavvyAuntie.com, the first online community for aunts and godmothers, in the summer of 2008 to wide-acclaim. The website includes expert content designed specifically for aunts, activities, community and trendy gift ideas.Melanie identified this influential segment of women, which she has dubbed PANKs (Professional Aunts No Kids), when she herself became an aunt. In February 2009, she guest posted for Lisa Belkin’s parenting blog in The New York Times to explain the value of aunts and godmothers in family life. The term has also appeared in More Magazine, TrendCentral.com, Washington Post, The Record, The Star Ledger, Dallas Morning News among others. On July 26, 2009, she launched Savvy Auntie’s Day, the first national holiday to honor aunts and aunt-hood.As child lifestyle expert and