NEW
YORK, July 1, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Today Sesame
Workshop's Board of Trustees named Sherrie
Westin Chief Executive Officer of the global impact
nonprofit behind Sesame Street. Westin is the first
woman to lead Sesame Workshop since its co-founder Joan Ganz Cooney. Westin had served as President
of the organization since 2021 before being named Interim CEO in
February.
"After an extensive CEO search, the Sesame Workshop Board of
Trustees unanimously selected Sherrie
Westin, who has proven herself to be deeply knowledgeable,
tireless in her efforts on behalf of children and families, and
passionately committed to our mission," said Gaby Sulzberger, Chair of the Sesame Workshop
Board of Trustees. "Sherrie is the inspirational leader the
Workshop needs, and she has the Board's absolute confidence and
support as she accepts this role and leads us into the future."
As President, Westin directed the Workshop's efforts to provide
impactful early learning through a broad variety of media as well
as targeted social impact and research initiatives reaching
children and families around the world. In her nearly 26 years
since joining the Workshop in 1998, Westin has led key
organizational efforts spanning programming, licensing, research,
education, and brand strategy, harnessing the power of media to
reach children at scale.
"Sesame Workshop's mission is to help children everywhere grow
smarter, stronger, and kinder — and no one has done more to advance
that mission than Sherrie Westin, a
seasoned leader with both proven experience and an unwavering
dedication to uplifting the lives of children," said
Joan Ganz Cooney, creator of
Sesame Street. "I can think of no better person to lead
Sesame Workshop as it addresses the most pressing needs of children
and families around the world."
Westin spearheaded a partnership with the International Rescue
Committee to bring critical early education to children in the
Middle East, which was awarded the
MacArthur Foundation's first ever "100&Change" $100 million grant, creating the largest early
childhood intervention in the history of humanitarian response.
This work has expanded to reach children affected by crisis in
Bangladesh, East Africa, Latin
America, and those who have been forcibly displaced from
Afghanistan and Ukraine.
"Children are the most important investment we can make in our
future. They are the reason Sesame Street was created 55
years ago, and why the need for our work is greater than ever,"
said Westin. "Carrying on Joan Ganz
Cooney's legacy is both humbling and inspiring, and I'm
honored to work with Gaby, the Trustees, and my colleagues to make
sure that Sesame Street can continue to help children thrive
for the next 55 years and beyond."
Westin has held leadership positions in media, nonprofit, and
public service. She served as Assistant to the President for Public
Liaison and Intergovernmental Affairs for President George H.W. Bush and held senior positions at
the ABC Television Network and U.S. News & World Report.
Named a "Leading Global Thinker" by Foreign Policy Magazine, one
of Fast Company's "100 Most Creative People in Business," and to
Forbes' "50 Over 50" list, Westin was also recognized with the
Smithsonian's "American Ingenuity Award" and the Thomas Jefferson
Medal for Citizen Leadership.
About Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop is the global impact nonprofit behind Sesame
Street and so much more. For over 50 years, we have worked at
the intersection of education, media, and research, creating joyful
experiences that enrich minds and expand hearts, all in service of
empowering each generation to build a better world. Our beloved
characters, iconic shows, outreach in communities, and more bring
playful early learning to families in more than 150 countries and
advance our mission to help children everywhere grow smarter,
stronger, and kinder. Learn more at www.sesameworkshop.org and
follow Sesame Workshop on Instagram, X, Facebook, and TikTok.
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SOURCE Sesame Workshop