Ron Dubren is an American toy and game designer, author, and artist. Dubren grew up in Chicago, Illinois. He attended the University of Wisconsin for his undergraduate degree in Physiological Psychology. In 1965, Dubren moved to New York City to further his education at New York University. While studying for his doctorate, Dubren became attracted to the New York art scene and in nurturing his creative side. He joined the American Health Foundation as a research psychologist in 1973. Two years later, he received his PhD in Clinical Psychology. In 1978, Dubren decided to leave the field of psychology for more artistic pursuits.

As Dubren worked on his writing, he realized his talent for creating word puzzles. He became a self-employed feature puzzle writer, selling his creations to various syndicates for publication in newspapers. Finding success with word puzzles, Dubren next focused his attention on strategy and board games. He attended the American International Toy Fair (commonly referred to as the New York Toy Fair) in 1980 to learn the ropes of the game industry. That same year, Dubren founded Ron Dubren & Associates (RDA) to develop and license original products. He soon sold his first creation: Chinese Chess. Dubren concentrated mainly on games during the 1980s, successfully selling dozens of inventions. He also worked on developing video games, computer games, and VCR games. Dubren continually attended the annual Toy Fair and provided consulting services for other game design firms.

In the 1990s, Dubren shifted his attention to toys and the possibility of incorporating new technology into their design. In these endeavors, he collaborated with several electrical engineers, including Greg Hyman. By 1992, Dubren and Hyman had formed a partnership which ultimately resulted in the wildly popular Tickle Me Elmo doll. Following the Tickle Me Elmo sensation, Dubren and Hyman developed spin-offs of the doll, featuring other Sesame Street characters and various versions of moving/talking Elmos. Since 2008, Dubren has shifted his attention to writing and creating art, though he is still active in product development for the toy and game industry.