Steve Youngwood (pictured) is departing Sesame Workshop after nearly a decade, vacating his roles as CEO and board member.

President and longtime Sesame exec Sherrie Westin is taking over as interim CEO, while the board has hired an executive search firm to oversee a rigorous search for a permanent successor. 

Youngwood will step into an informal advisory role for an undisclosed period to help ensure a smooth transition in this major leadership shift. 

“It has been a highlight of my professional career to work alongside the talented and creative individuals on the Sesame Workshop team,” he said in a release. “I look forward to watching Sesame Workshop’s immensely positive social impact continue long into the future.”

This marks the end of a nine-year tenure for Youngwood, who joined Sesame in 2015 as COO and EVP of media and education and was elevated to CEO in 2021.

Under his leadership, the org scaled up the number of shows on its production slate and grew its global footprint across regions like China, Japan, Latin America, South Africa and the Middle East. In addition to leading growth in licensing, live entertainment and the school curriculum biz, Youngwood also oversaw Sesame’s research group, The Joan Ganz Cooney Center.

Westin joined Sesame in 1998 as EVP and chief marketing officer before rising up the ranks in senior roles focused on social impact and philanthropy. 

The org is busy readying a new, reimagined format for its long-running show Sesame Street that will debut next year as part of season 56. As outlined last November, the iconic series will lean into longer, 11-minute segments with a more narrative-driven approach designed to provide more character moments and higher emotional stakes.