Sesame Workshop
Sesame Workshop (formerly Children's Television Workshop) is a nonprofit educational media organization based in New York City. Founded by Joan Ganz CooneyJoan Ganz CooneyJoan Ganz Cooney is a television producer who originated the preschool educational series Sesame Street. She co-founded the Children's Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop) with Lloyd Morrisett and led the organization for many years.Open the full entry and Lloyd MorrisettLloyd MorrisettLloyd Morrisett (1929–2023) was an American experimental psychologist and foundation executive who co-founded the Children's Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop) with Joan Ganz Cooney and was a co-founder of the children's educational program Sesame Street.Open the full entry, it produces Sesame StreetSesame StreetSesame Street is an American preschool educational television program produced by the nonprofit Sesame Workshop (formerly Children's Television Workshop). It premiered in 1969, is known for its research-based curriculum and its Muppet characters, and has spawned local co-productions in many countries.Open the full entry and other children's programs and runs early-education projects in many countries.
Contents20 sections
Key facts
1968Children's Television Workshop Is Founded
In 1968 Joan Ganz Cooney and Lloyd Morrisett co-founded the Children's Television Workshop.[1]
April 1970Tax-Exempt Status
In April 1970 the organization received federal tax-exempt status under employer identification number 13-2655731.[2]
1971–1980Expanding the Program Slate
In 1971 the Workshop added a second program, The Electric Company, and in 1980 it introduced the science program 3-2-1 Contact.[3]
1980Sesame Place Opens
In 1980 Sesame Place, a Sesame Street theme park, opened in Langhorne, Pennsylvania, on 55 acres; it is now operated by United Parks & Resorts under a license from Sesame Workshop.[4]
2000Renamed Sesame Workshop
In 2000 the Children's Television Workshop changed its name to Sesame Workshop; Gary E. Knell was then president and chief executive officer.[3]
Late 2000Full Ownership of the Muppet Characters
In late 2000 Sesame Workshop borrowed $100 million to buy full ownership of the Sesame Street Muppet characters from the German media company EM.TV & Merchandising.[5]
August 2002Sale of the Noggin Stake
In August 2002 Sesame Workshop sold its 50 percent share of the digital children's channel Noggin to Nickelodeon. The two partners had launched Noggin in early 1999, and Knell said the proceeds would offset a good part of the debt.[5]
2006Sesame Street for Military Families
In 2006 Sesame Workshop and the U.S. Department of Defense’s Office of Military Community and Family Policy launched Sesame Street for Military Families, offering free resources to help military families with deployments, moves and grief; the initiative marked its 20th anniversary in September 2026.[6]
2007Joan Ganz Cooney Center Established
In 2007 Sesame Workshop established the Joan Ganz Cooney Center, named for its co-founder, as an independent research and innovation lab within the organization.[7]
August 2015HBO Deal Amid Losses
When the HBO deal was signed, chief executive Jeffrey Dunn said the organization’s losses had kept growing in recent years.[8]
December 20, 2017$100 Million MacArthur Grant
On December 20, 2017, the MacArthur Foundation announced that Sesame Workshop and the International Rescue Committee had won its 100&Change competition, which drew 1,904 proposals, receiving a $100 million grant over five years for early education of children displaced by conflict in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Syria.[9]
The project aimed to reach an estimated 9.4 million young children through educational content, 1.5 million of the most vulnerable children through direct services, and 800,000 caregivers through home visits.[10]
2020Steve Youngwood Becomes CEO
In 2020 Jeffrey Dunn retired and chief operating officer Steve Youngwood succeeded him as CEO; Youngwood had joined Sesame Workshop from Nickelodeon in 2015.[11]
March 2022Sesame Place San Diego Opens
In March 2022 a second Sesame Place park opened on 17 acres in Chula Vista, California, on the former site of Aquatica San Diego.[4]
May 22, 2023Royalty Arbitration Award
On May 22, 2023, an arbitration panel awarded Sesame Workshop about $12.6 million in royalties from United Parks & Resorts, which paid it in the fourth quarter of 2025.[12]
February 6, 2024Leadership Transition
On February 6, 2024, Youngwood stepped down as CEO and trustee in agreement with the board, which named president Sherrie Westin interim CEO and engaged an executive search firm to find a permanent leader.[13]
Westin, who joined Sesame Workshop in 1998, became CEO in 2024.[14]
June 2025Fiscal 2025 Finances
In the fiscal year ended June 2025, Sesame Workshop had total revenue of about $180.7 million and total expenses of about $169.7 million, with net assets of about $514.2 million at year end.[2]
March 12, 2026Lawsuit Against United Parks & Resorts
On March 12, 2026, following mediation, Sesame Workshop sued United Parks & Resorts in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, alleging breaches of the license agreement and seeking its termination; as of August 2026 United Parks had moved to dismiss aspects of the claims and the case was ongoing.[12]
As of October 2026: The Organization Today
As of October 2026 Sesame Workshop is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization and says it reaches children in 190 countries.[15]
Westin serves as president and CEO and Gabrielle Sulzberger, a senior managing director at Centerbridge Partners, chairs the board of trustees; Cooney and the late Morrisett are listed as co-founders and lifetime honorary trustees.[16]
Related Organizations, Websites, and Public Accounts
Sesame Workshop: Official website: https://sesameworkshop.org/ (opens in a new window)[15]
X: Official account: https://x.com/SesameWorkshop (opens in a new window)[15]
YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is Google’s video-sharing and creator platform, founded in 2005 by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim and acquired by Google in 2006. Built around video uploading, viewing, and creator earnings, the platform has developed Shorts, YouTube Music, Premium, YouTube TV, and products for children, and is headquartered in San Bruno, California, United States.Open the full entry: Official account: https://www.youtube.com/@SesameWorkshop (opens in a new window)[15]
Sesame Street: Official website: https://www.sesamestreet.org/ (opens in a new window)[15]
Joan Ganz Cooney Center: Official website: https://joanganzcooneycenter.org/ (opens in a new window)[7]
Sources
- Joan Ganz Cooney - Sesame Workshop (opens in a new window)
- Sesame Workshop - Nonprofit Explorer - ProPublica (opens in a new window)
- Sesame Workshop | Encyclopedia.com (opens in a new window)
- United Parks & Resorts Inc. Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2025 (opens in a new window)
- Sesame Workshop sells its stake in Noggin cable network (opens in a new window)
- Sesame Street for Military Families Celebrates 20 Years with New Resources to Help Families Stay Healthy, Active, and Ready (opens in a new window)
- About Us – Joan Ganz Cooney Center (opens in a new window)
- 'Sesame Street' is heading to HBO (opens in a new window)
- Sesame Workshop & International Rescue Committee Awarded $100 Million for Early Childhood Education of Syrian Refugees (opens in a new window)
- Sesame Workshop and International Rescue Committee Awarded $100 Million for Early Childhood Education of Syrian Refugees (opens in a new window)
- Steve Youngwood steps down as CEO of Sesame Workshop (opens in a new window)
- United Parks & Resorts Inc. Form 10-Q for the quarterly period ended June 30, 2026 (opens in a new window)
- Sesame Workshop Initiates Leadership Transition (opens in a new window)
- Sherrie Westin - Sesame Workshop (opens in a new window)
- About Us - Sesame Workshop (opens in a new window)
- Our Leadership - Sesame Workshop (opens in a new window)