Sesame Workshop has promoted Valerie Mitchell-Johnston from sr. counsel to vp of legal and business affairs, responsible for advising, counseling and closing contracts for the Workshop in all content development and production activities. Mitchell-Johnston oversees issues for the domestic production of SESAME STREET and international co-productions such as OUT THERE and TAKALANI SESAME in South Africa.

In addition to, Mitchell-Johnston also will oversee a new co-production in Bangladesh, the organization’s international television syndication activities and the Workshop’s relationship with talent union AFTRA.

“Valerie will bring her enthusiasm, talent and good humor — and her unflagging dedication to our mission — to bear on our increasingly complex and challenging transactions all over the globe,” said Daniel Victor, evp, legal and business affairs, general counsel and secretary.

Mitchell-Johnston is a Harvard Law School graduate and veteran of two top-tier New York law firms before joining Sesame Workshop in November 1997.

Founded in 1968, Sesame Workshop first developed the legendary SESAME STREET TV program. The Workshop is behind award-winning programs like DRAGON TALES and SAGWA, THE CHINESE SIAMESE CAT and ground breaking multi-media productions in South Africa, Egypt and Russia. For more information, visit www.sesameworkshop.org.