Joan Ganz Cooney

Production

Born November 30, 1929 · Phoenix, Arizona, USA

Also known as Joan Ganz

Biography

Joan Ganz Cooney (born Joan Ganz on November 30, 1929) is an American television writer and producer. She is one of the founders of Sesame Workshop (formerly Children's Television Workshop or CTW), the organization famous for the creation of the children's television show Sesame Street, which was also co-created by her. Cooney grew up in Phoenix and earned a B.A. degree in education from the University of Arizona in 1951. After working for the State Department in Washington, D.C. and as a journalist in Phoenix, she worked as a publicist for television and production companies in New York City. In 1961, she became interested in working for educational television, and became a documentary producer for New York's first educational TV station WNET (Channel 13). Many of the programs she produced won local Emmys. (From Wikipedia)

Awards & recognition

Literarian Award — Outstanding Service to the American Literary Community · 2010
National Humanities Medal · 2003
National Women's Hall of Fame · 1998
Bower Award — Business Leadership · 1995
Presidential Medal of Freedom · 1995