Sesame Workshop CEO Exits, Interim Chief Appointed

A new CEO is on the way to Sesame Street. Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind the beloved educational children’s series, announced Tuesday that CEO Steve Youngwood decided to step down as Chief Executive Officer and as a member of the Board of Trustees. Sesame Workshop President Sherrie Westin, who has been with the company since 1998, has been appointed as Interim CEO. The company also announced that Youngwood will remain available to Sesame Workshop in an informal advisory role to help ensure a smooth transition, and that the board has hired an executive search firm to find a permanent CEO. 

“Under Steve’s leadership, Sesame Workshop has expanded its reach andimpact globally, and is well positioned for ongoing success. On behalfof the Board, I thank Steve for his commitment to Sesame Workshop, ourmission, and people and wish him the best in his next chapter,” said Gabrielle Sulzberger, Chair of the Sesame Workshop Board of Trustees.

Youngwood said, “It has been a highlight of my professional careerto work alongside the talented and creative individuals on the SesameWorkshop team. I look forward to watching Sesame Workshop’s immenselypositive social impact continue long into the future.”

Formerly the Executive Vice President & General Manager of Digital Media & Entertainment Products at Nickelodeon, Youngwood joined Sesame Workshop in 2015. In 2018, Youngwood and Westin were elevated from Executive Vice Presidents to Divisional Presidents; as the then-Chief Operating Officer for the Workshop and ExecutiveVice President for Media & Education, Youngwood was named President ofMedia & Education and Chief Operating Officer.

According to his bio, Youngwood has held varioussenior management positions in TV and consumer productsfocusing onNickelodeon, Paramount and Comedy Central properties, and previously served on the Board of Directors for the educational toy company Leapfrog Enterprises. Youngwood is an Interactive Emmy Award and Webby Award winner and is also on the Board of Directors of the not-for-Profit Northside Center for Childhood Development.

Previously Sesame’s Executive Vice President, Global Impact and Philanthropy, Westin is a 25-year veteran of Sesame Workshop who led the company’s efforts to serve vulnerable children through mass media and targeted initiatives in the United States and around the world. As Sesame Workshop’s chief philanthropic ambassador and President, Global Impact & Philanthropy, Westin led the creation of Sesame Street in Communities, Sesame’s comprehensive initiative designed to give children the tools they need to overcome traumatic experiences.

Sulzberger said of Westin, “Sherrie is a highly regarded executive whoknows Sesame Workshop well and has played an important role in advancingour mission. The Board is incredibly grateful to Sherrie for steppinginto the Interim CEO role. We are confident that with her unique mix ofskills, experience, and insight, Sherrie is the right interim leader todrive the organization forward while we work to identify our nextpermanent CEO.”

Westin added, “Sesame Workshop’s mission has never been morecritical and I am honored to step into this role on an interim basis. Weare fortunate to have an incredibly deep bench of purpose-drivenindividuals, and I look forward to working closely with the entire teamas we advance the important work underway to meet the needs of youngchildren in an evolving media and education landscape. We will continueinvesting in our best-in-class programming and launching new resourcesto provide access to quality early learning to children around theglobe.”

Sesame Workshop recently announced that Sesame Street will be reimagined for its 56th season in 2025 along with the new five-minute animated series Tales From 123.