Welcome to She Pivots

Guest Introduction: Sherrie Westin

Childhood and Early Life

Communications and the White House

The Transformative Power of Motherhood

From ABC News to Sesame Street

Representation and Global Impact

The Experiment of Sesame Street

The Power of The Arts on Children

Making a Difference To Communities in Need

Financial Challenges and Becoming CEO

What I Learned From Mom

From Low Point to Launch Point

Do You Think You'll Pivot Again?

Children and AI

Closing Thoughts and Credits

Elmo, Big Bird, and Cookie Monster probably helped raise you, and the woman now leading Sesame Street traces her path there back to one transformative act: adopting her daughter Lily from China. Before joining Sesame Workshop, Sherrie Westin had already built a remarkable career at ABC News and as one of the highest-ranking women in George H.W. Bush's White House. On this episode, Sherrie shares how adopting Lily in 1995 sparked a profound pivot, and how that personal transformation shaped her 26-year journey at the helm of one of the most beloved nonprofits in the world. She opens up about leading the creation of Julia, Sesame Street's first autistic Muppet, securing a landmark $100 million grant to bring early education to refugee children across the globe, and navigating the financial uncertainty that ultimately led to a groundbreaking new deal with Netflix.

Chapters:

00:00.00 Welcome to She Pivots

00:25.836 Guest Introduction: Sherrie Westin

01:58.259 Childhood and Early Life

03:28.160 Communications and the White House

09:44.959 The Transformative Power of Motherhood

12:53.840 From ABC News to Sesame Street

17:56.682 Representation and Global Impact

23:48.774 The Experiment of Sesame Street

25:20.535 The Power of The Arts on Children

27:55.460 Making a Difference To Communities in Need

31:44.265 Financial Challenges and Becoming CEO

36:00.269 What I Learned From Mom

36:53.572 From Low Point to Launch Point

37:20.029 Do You Think You'll Pivot Again?

38:09.920 Children and AI

39:20.765 Closing Thoughts and Credits

 

Learn more about Sesame workshop’s mission at Sesameworkshop.org

 

Check out Sherrie’s new book: What I Learned From Mom: 27 Celebrated Individuals on How Mother's Wisdom Shaped Their Lives. 

 

Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a pivot story, leave us a rating (it really helps!), and share this episode with a woman in your life who you think needs a little inspiration.

 

She Pivots is a podcast created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight influential women voices, share stories of bold career moves, and inspire women with interviews about career reinvention and how personal pivots can redefine professional success.

 

Join our Substack community! Subscribe here for exclusive content and to connect with other pivoters: shepivots.substack.com

 

Learn more about the inspiring women in our pivoter community by following us on instagram @ShePivotsThePodcast, and check out our website shepivotspod.com for resources and updates. 

 

She Pivots is proud to be an iheart podcast.

Elmo, Big Bird, and Cookie Monster probably helped raise you, and the woman now leading Sesame Street traces her path there back to one transformative act: adopting her daughter Lily from China. Before joining Sesame Workshop, Sherrie Westin had already built a remarkable career at ABC News and as one of the highest-ranking women in George H.W. Bush's White House. On this episode, Sherrie shares how adopting Lily in 1995 sparked a profound pivot, and how that personal transformation shaped her 26-year journey at the helm of one of the most beloved nonprofits in the world. She opens up about leading the creation of Julia, Sesame Street's first autistic Muppet, securing a landmark $100 million grant to bring early education to refugee children across the globe, and navigating the financial uncertainty that ultimately led to a groundbreaking new deal with Netflix.
Chapters:
00:00.00 Welcome to She Pivots
00:25.836 Guest Introduction: Sherrie Westin
01:58.259 Childhood and Early Life
03:28.160 Communications and the White House
09:44.959 The Transformative Power of Motherhood
12:53.840 From ABC News to Sesame Street
17:56.682 Representation and Global Impact
23:48.774 The Experiment of Sesame Street
25:20.535 The Power of The Arts on Children
27:55.460 Making a Difference To Communities in Need
31:44.265 Financial Challenges and Becoming CEO
36:00.269 What I Learned From Mom
36:53.572 From Low Point to Launch Point
37:20.029 Do You Think You'll Pivot Again?
38:09.920 Children and AI
39:20.765 Closing Thoughts and Credits
&nbsp;
Learn more about Sesame workshop&rsquo;s mission at <a href="http://sesameworkshop.org">Sesameworkshop.org</a>
&nbsp;
Check out Sherrie&rsquo;s new book: <a href="https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/What-I-Learned-from-Mom/Jeffrey-D-Dunn/9798888451861">What I Learned From Mom: 27 Celebrated Individuals on How Mother's Wisdom Shaped Their Lives.</a>&nbsp;
&nbsp;
Be sure to subscribe so you never miss a pivot story, leave us a rating (it really helps!), and share this episode with a woman in your life who you think needs a little inspiration.
&nbsp;
She Pivots is a podcast created by host Emily Tisch Sussman to highlight influential women voices, share stories of bold career moves, and inspire women with interviews about career reinvention and how personal pivots can redefine professional success.
&nbsp;
Join our Substack community! Subscribe here for exclusive content and to connect with other pivoters: <a href="https://shepivots.substack.com/">shepivots.substack.com</a>
&nbsp;
Learn more about the inspiring women in our pivoter community by following us on instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shepivotsthepodcast/">@ShePivotsThePodcast</a>, and check out our website <a href="http://www.shepivotspod.com">shepivotspod.com</a> for resources and updates.&nbsp;
&nbsp;
She Pivots is proud to be an iheart podcast.

Join Emily Tisch Sussman as she sits down with a diverse group of women to explore how their personal experiences led to their pivot and eventually their success. She Pivots challenges the typical definitions of success and explores the role our personal stories play in our professional journeys. The series will celebrate those who have made bold moves with a view towards inspiring others to pursue their own non-linear paths. Be sure to subscribe and follow us on Instagram @ShePivotsThePodcast.

Join Emily Tisch Sussman as she sits down with a diverse group of women to explore how their personal experiences led to their pivot and eventually their success. She Pivots challenges the typical definitions of success and explores the role our personal stories play in our professional journeys. The series will celebrate those who have made bold moves with a view towards inspiring others to pursue their own non-linear paths. Be sure to subscribe and follow us on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/shepivotsthepodcast/">@ShePivotsThePodcast</a>.

She Pivots

Elmo, Big Bird, and Cookie Monster probably helped raise you, and the woman now leading Sesame Street traces her path there back to one transformative act: adopting her daughter Lily from China. Before joining Sesame Workshop, Sherrie Westin had already built a remarkable career at ABC News and as one of the highest-ranking women in George H.W. Bush's White House. On this episode, Sherrie shares how adopting Lily in 1995 sparked a profound pivot, and how that personal transformation shaped her 26-year journey at the helm of one of the most beloved nonprofits in the world. She opens up about leading the creation of Julia, Sesame Street's first autistic Muppet, securing a landmark $100 million grant to bring early education to refugee children across the globe, and navigating the financial uncertainty that ultimately led to a groundbreaking new deal with Netflix.

Sherrie Westin: The Woman Behind Sesame Street

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/0327ee55-6657-4b76-a124-b43a0167bf11/transcript