SESAME WORKSHOP - Key Persons

Alison Bryant

Job Titles:

Member of the Operations Team
Chief Research, Data, and Impact Officer

Alison Bryant, Ph.D. is Chief Research, Data, and Impact Officer at Sesame Workshop, where she oversees all research, data strategy, analytics, and impact measurement. She and her team ensure that research and data insights fuel strategic priorities, promote continued innovation, and further the Workshop's global thought leadership on the power of media and outreach to educate and support kids and families. Dr. Bryant also oversees the Joan Ganz Cooney Center, Sesame Workshop's independent research and innovation lab. Dr. Bryant is a renowned expert on the development and impact of media, technology, and play on consumers. Previously, she led AARP's world-class Research Center and Technology & Digital Equity social impact area. At AARP, she transformed the Research Center with a focus on re-envisioning data storytelling, integrating insights, building research products, and expanding the impact of their work. Prior to AARP, Dr. Bryant was the founder and CEO of PlayScience, a research and design firm that led innovation around branding, content creation, and development for major global companies and partnered with marquee family brands including Sesame Workshop, Disney, and Girl Scouts. Alison was also Senior Director of Digital Research for the Nickelodeon/MTV Networks Kids & Family Group. Dr. Bryant was an assistant professor of communications at Indiana University and has edited two books on children's media and families. She holds a B.A. in Political Science and Gender Studies from Davidson, an M.A. in Telecommunications and Film from the University of Alabama, and a Ph.D. in Communication from USC. Dr. Bryant lives outside of Washington, DC with her husband and their five children.

Alvin Fu

Job Titles:

Vice President and General Manager of Greater China

Alvin Fu is Vice President and General Manager of Greater China for Sesame Workshop. He oversees the development and implementation of the organization's long-term strategic vision to help the next generation of children in Mainland China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan grow up smarter, stronger, and kinder. Fu is responsible for the expansion of Sesame Street's commercial business, generating new business models, and securing strategic partners across key areas of business, including consumer products, content production and distribution, English learning and formal education, and themed entertainment. He is also developing community outreach programs, educational assets, and a whole-child approach to learning that maximizes benefits to children and harnesses the full potential of the Sesame Street brand. Prior to joining Sesame Workshop, Fu was President and CEO of Wanda Studios Qingdao, where he was tasked with building one of the largest studios in the world. Before that, he served as Managing Director of Home Entertainment at 20th Century Fox China. During his tenure there, Fu transformed the Home Entertainment division from a physical to digital platform business and drove a substantial revenue increase. Fu has also held various roles at Heinz and Gillette and has a track record of high achievement in sales. Fu graduated from the University of Hong Kong and earned an MBA from the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. He resides in Shanghai with his wife and son.

Amy Beth

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Trustees

Anita Tandon

Job Titles:

Marketing Advisor and Startup Confidant

Ann Rubenstein Tisch

Job Titles:

Founder and President, the Young Women 's Leadership Network

Brett Robinson

Job Titles:

Member of the Operations Team
Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Finance, Technology, and Facilities

Sesame Workshop has named Brett Robinson Chief Financial Officer and Executive Vice President of Finance, Technology, and Facilities. In his role, Robinson will be responsible for advising on all fiscal matters, including annual and long-term planning/forecasting, accounting, budgeting, risk management, compliance, and analysis. He will also oversee the IT and Engineering divisions and play a key role in ensuring that Sesame Workshop has the right tools, systems, and technology in place to support a dynamic work environment and a culture that supports growth and evolution. He will help track and identify key metrics to drive the organization's work and impact.

Carla Harris

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Trustees
Vice Chairman, Global Wealth Management and Senior Client Advisor, Morgan Stanley

Deborah Lehr - CEO

Job Titles:

CEO
Founding Partner

Diana Lee - CHRO

Job Titles:

Chief Human Resources Officer
Executive Vice President of Human Resources
Member of the Operations Team

Diana Lee is the Executive Vice President of Human Resources at Sesame Workshop where she is responsible for leading the human resources strategy and function including staffing, compensation, benefits, performance management and organizational and individual development. Prior to joining the Workshop, Lee was with Al Jazeera America, the 24/7 cable news channel, where she started up the human resources function for the rapidly expanding organization. Previously, she served as the Chief Human Resources Officer at Sojitz Corporation, a global Japanese trading company. Lee was the Senior Vice President of Human Resources at MTV Networks, where she led the centralized human resources function for Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central and other brands. Lee started her human resources career in the financial services sector serving as Director of Worldwide Performance Management at American Express and as Assistant Vice President at JP Morgan Chase. Lee holds a B.A. in Art History from Oberlin College.

Dr. Beverly Daniel Tatum

Job Titles:

President Emerita, Spelman College

Erica Blob - COO

Job Titles:

Chief Operating Officer
Partner

Florence Ann Romano - CEO, Founder

Job Titles:

CEO
Founder

Frans Hijkoop

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Trustees
Chairman - Board of Trustees, Sesame Workshop, Former Executive Vice President, Chief Human Resources Officer, MetLife, Inc
Chairman, Board of Trustees

Gabriela Arenas - SVP

Job Titles:

Member of the Operations Team
Senior Vice President
Senior Vice President, Global Licensing and Product Licensing

Gabriela Arenas is Senior Vice President, Global Licensing and Product Licensing, at Sesame Workshop. In her role, Gabriela oversees the strategic development, direction, and implementation of the consumer products licensing and venue merchandise activities across all major categories of goods including toys, apparel, home furnishings, stationery, and gifts. Prior to joining Sesame, Gabriela served as Group Director of Licensing, North America and Latin America, for HIT Entertainment/Mattel, where she successfully launched an extensive Thomas the Tank Engine consumer products program across Latin America-significantly increasing the revenue and driving sell-through in key categories of business. While at HIT, she also held the role of Vice President, Licensing, Latin America, where she managed consumer product sales, marketing, and retail operations, and Brand Director, where she led brand direction and content strategies for key entertainment properties. In addition, Arenas has worked at Mattel, Inc. Fisher-Price in the capacity of Marketing Director and Senior International Marketing Manager. Gabriela earned a bachelor's degree in Communication and Science, and an Executive Post Graduate certificate in Marketing from Universidad Anahuac in Mexico. She attended New York University for Global Marketing and e-Commerce Business Management. She resides in New York City with her family.

Gabrielle Sulzberger

Job Titles:

General Partner

Hillary Strong

Job Titles:

Chief Development Officer
Member of the Operations Team
As Chief Development Officer, Hillary Strong Leads the Expansion of Sesame Workshop 's Philanthropic Development Efforts.

She serves as the head strategist for growing sustainable revenue streams and fostering a culture of philanthropy and stewardship within the organization. Prior to joining Sesame Workshop, Strong served as Chief Development Officer at New York Public Radio (NYPR), overseeing revenue growth, major gifts, and institutional and planned giving, as well as special events and campaign functions. She was instrumental in creating the annual Race Equity Action Plan for NYPR and partnered with Board members to increase Trustee diversity. Throughout her career, Strong has spearheaded large fundraising campaigns for major arts institutions including The Whitney Museum, where she served as Director of Institutional Advancement for over 10 years. In this role, she managed a growing team that raised $90 million in capital funding, transforming the institution as it moved to a new location in Lower Manhattan. She was responsible for Corporate, Foundation, Family Foundation, and Government Support and established endowments for educational and research programs. Strong has also held leadership positions across several nonprofit organizations and cultural institutions including The Guggenheim Museum, Dress for Success, and the Charles Wright Museum of African American History. She received a B.S. in Sociology and Cultural Anthropology from Grand Valley State University and also studied at Kingston University in London, where she earned a certificate in Sociology.

Hosh Ibrahim

Job Titles:

Board Director / Mo Ibrahim Foundation

Innocent Nkata

Job Titles:

Managing Director of Sesame Workshop International South Africa
Writer

Innocent Nkata is the Managing Director of Sesame Workshop International South Africa, the organization behind Takalani Sesame, the South African adaptation of Sesame Street. He is also a social change leader with a passion for changing children's lives and moving Africa forward. Over the past 24 years, Innocent has served African communities with various reputable NGOs at local, national, regional, and global levels, holding various senior leadership roles at Health Systems Trust, ActionAid, Soul City, Oxfam, CAFOD, and PLAN International; as well as serving on the UN Democracy Fund's Advisory Board. Away from work, Innocent is a writer with a lifelong passion for storytelling, using creative writing to translate complex social and political issues into entertaining stories. He holds a Bachelor of Social Work degree, an MSc in Development Management, and an MPhil in Human Rights. Innocent is married to Rosemary and they have three children-Susan, Anesu, and Wayne.

Irene Hong Edwards

Job Titles:

Principal and Head of Investor Relations / Lovell Minnick Partners

Jason Graefe

Job Titles:

Chairman / VP, Strategic Adviser and Chief of Staff for the CEO, Microsoft

Jeanette Betancourt

Job Titles:

Member of the Operations Team

Dr. Betancourt is the Senior Vice President for U.S. Social Impact at Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street. She directs the development and implementation of community and family engagement initiatives making a difference in the lives of vulnerable children and their families. These research-based initiatives are designed to impact children's early learning, health and well-being, and provide strategies and resources to counteract the effects of trauma while fostering the critical connections that adults have on children's lives. Prior to joining Sesame Workshop, Dr. Betancourt created programs in adult learning and early childhood education at Teachers College, Columbia University. She is a licensed bilingual speech and language pathologist and educational therapist. She participates on several national and local boards and has contributed to the start of charter schools. Dr. Betancourt has a BA and MA in Speech and Language Pathology, an MS in Bilingual Reading/Special Education, and an Ed.D. in Special Education.

Jeffrey N. Watanabe

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Trustees
Retired Founder, Watanabe Ing LLP, Former Chairman

Jeffrey Weiss

Job Titles:

Principal, Five Forty Investments

Jenna Arnold

Job Titles:

Author & Activist

Jenne Mack

Job Titles:

Executive Producer and Host, in the Grey

Joan Ganz Cooney

Job Titles:

Co - Founder and Lifetime Honorary Trustee

Joan Ganz Cooney, originator of the preschool educational series Sesame Street, was co-founder in 1968 of Children's Television Workshop (renamed Sesame Workshop June 2000) and served as President and Chief Executive Officer until 1990. She then served as Chair of the Executive Committee of Sesame Workshop's Board until 2020, when she was elected to serve as a Lifetime Honorary Trustee. In November 2007, she introduced the Joan Ganz Cooney Center at Sesame Workshop, dedicated to advancing children's learning in a digital age. Mrs. Cooney is presently a Director at the Peter G. Peterson Foundation and a Life Trustee of the Paley Center for Media, The New York Presbyterian Hospital and WNET. She held Board positions with the Chase Manhattan Bank, Xerox Corporation, Johnson & Johnson Corporation, the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company, the National Child Labor Committee, and Edison Schools, Inc. She is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations. Mrs. Cooney has received numerous awards including a Daytime Emmy for Lifetime Achievement in 1989 and, in 1990, was inducted into the Television Academy Hall of Fame and received the Founders Award from the International Council of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences. In 1995, President Clinton awarded Mrs. Cooney the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor, and in 1998, she was inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame. Mrs. Cooney was honored with the Annenberg Public Policy Center's award for Distinguished Contribution to Children and Television, noting Sesame Street as being "the quintessential children's educational program" and most recently, she was honored with the National Endowment for the Humanities Award by President George W. Bush.

Joseph P. Salvo - Chief Legal Officer, EVP

Job Titles:

Executive Vice President
General Counsel
Member of the Operations Team

Kathleen G. Elsesser

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Trustees
Global Chair Consumer Retail and Healthcare Groups, Investment Banking Division, Goldman Sachs

Kay Wilson Stallings

Job Titles:

Member of the Operations Team
Executive Vice President, Chief Production and Creative Development Officer

Lee Eastman

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Trustees
Partner, Eastman & Eastman

Lloyd Morrisett

Job Titles:

Co - Founder and Lifetime Honorary Trustee

Manabu Nagaoka

Job Titles:

Vice President, General Manager, and Executive Producer, Japan, and Head of Sesame Street English

Mariam Alsikafi - Chairman

Job Titles:

Chairman of the Board

Marlene Hess

Job Titles:

Member of the Board of Trustees

Mary Menell

Job Titles:

Co - Fouder and Chairman

Maureen Trantham

Job Titles:

Member of the Operations Team
Senior Vice President, Head of Strategy and Social Impact & Philanthropy Operations

Melanie Grisanti

Job Titles:

Senior Vice President, Production Management

Michael G. Manasse

Job Titles:

President and Chief Operating Officer, Peterson Management LLC

Michael Preston

Job Titles:

Senior Vice President and Executive Director, Joan Ganz Cooney Center

Michele Flournoy - CEO, Founder

Job Titles:

Co - Founder
Managing Partner

Michelle Marra

Job Titles:

Consultant

Miriam Rivera

Job Titles:

CEO, Co - Founder and Managing Director Ulu Ventures

Mohammad Shah Alam

Job Titles:

Executive Director

Mohammad Shah Alam is the Executive Director of Sesame Workshop Bangladesh, home of Sisimpur. Prior to Sesame Workshop, Alam was the Literacy Program Director at Room to Read Bangladesh for six years. Before that, he spent seven years with the Sisimpur project from 2005 - 2011 with Nayantara Communications, the co-producer of Sisimpur at that time. He also worked for organizations including BRAC, Save the Children USA, and Plan International Bangladesh. Alam studied Primary Education at University of Dhaka and Development Studies at East West University, Bangladesh. He went to the Maastricht School of Management in the Netherlands for an Executive Program of Strategic Management and did Post Grad Diplomas in International Relations and Development Planning. He is an author of children's storybooks and published several titles.