Sesame Workshop, the nonprofit organization behind Sesame Street, named Kim Díaz as its new vice president of creative development.
Díaz joined Sesame Workshop in 2016 after serving as a writer, producer, and puppeteer on Sprout’s The Sunny Side Up Show. In her new role, Díaz will develop and lead the creative development strategy for new long-form and short-form series, specials, and other programming initiatives which align with Sesame Workshop’s mission and creative vision. Additionally, she will be tasked with developing and vetting new program ideas and securing distribution for each new property.
“Kim is an invaluable leader, full of collaborative energy and thoughtful insight that furthers our mission,” says Kay Wilson Stallings, executive vice president of creative and production at Sesame Workshop. “I know she will continue to bring her immense creativity to all of our content, fostering new ideas into incredible programming that helps kids grow smarter, stronger, and kinder.”
Over the past few years, Díaz led Sesame Workshop’s creative development pipeline, an initiative that creates content for partners including Apple TV+ and HBO Max.
“I am deeply passionate about creating educational entertainment for preschoolers and beyond,” Díaz says. “Growing up in an urban neighborhood in Queens, I remember watching Sesame Street and thinking that it was the only show out there that looked like where I lived. It’s an honor to be a part of helping kids like me see themselves through our beloved characters and brand-new programs.”
Díaz recently worked on a number of projects, including Charlotte’s Web; Sesame Street specials, Elmo Gets a Puppy and the upcoming The Nutcracker: Starring Elmo and Tango; Elmo & Tango’s Mysterious Mysteries for Sesame Street’s Seasons 52 and 53; and the Emmy-nominated YouTube short, The Monster at the End of Your Story with Grover and Elmo.
Look for more news from Sesame Street in The Toy Book‘s 2022 Innovation & STEM issue, available Nov. 15.
