Sesame Workshop Promotes Lesley Bourns to Senior Vice President of International Social Impact
Sesame Workshop, the global impact nonprofit behind Sesame Street, announced the promotion of Lesley Bourns to Senior Vice President of its International Social Impact (ISI) department. Bourns brings over 20 years of experience, with a focus on humanitarian and human rights issues and nonprofit management, to the role. She will report to Sesame Workshop CEO Sherrie Westin.
“Lesley is a visionary leader whose strategic and compassionate approach has contributed enormously to the success and impact of the Workshop’s global initiatives,” said Westin. “From the expansion of our Welcome Sesame program for children affected by conflict and crisis, to addressing the impact of climate on young children, Lesley is always focused on the most pressing issues facing young children.”
In her new role, Bourns oversees the ISI department, which develops and executes media-driven educational initiatives to support early childhood development globally, particularly focused on children and families facing marginalization and exclusion. The department—which includes the Workshop’s international programs, international production, and country offices—utilizes expertise in production, education, and research teams to deliver impact across priority outcome areas. These priority areas include emotional well-being; language, literacy and STEM; and creative and playful problem-solving, as well as cross-cutting initiatives in areas like climate and crisis and conflict.
Most recently, Bourns was Vice President of International Programs at Sesame Workshop. Since she joined the Workshop in 2019 to develop and launch the Workshop’s humanitarian advocacy strategy, she has led the six-year multi-country project Play to Learn, which leverages media and educational programming to bring playful learning opportunities to children and families affected by the Rohingya and Syrian refugee crises. Bourns’s role was later expanded to encompass the Welcome Sesame initiative, which leverages adaptable and scalable program approaches and media content to support young children and families affected by crisis and conflict around the world.
Before joining the Workshop, Bourns worked at the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) as a lead analyst on the Policy Analysis and Innovation Team, where she created a range of policy recommendations and frameworks, including “Leaving No One Behind: Humanitarian Effectiveness in the Age of the SDGs.” Bourns also served as Chief of Staff at the International Center for Transitional Justice, where she led strategic planning and business development. She draws on her partnership development and program design experience with international and national humanitarian non-governmental organizations, such as Mercy Corps and Adeso, during her time working in the Middle East and East Africa.
A graduate of Vassar College and Columbia University, Bourns lives with her family in the New York City area.
