Portfolio | Sesame Workshop / Sesame Street

Sesame Workshop is an independent nonprofit organization on a mission to help kids everywhere grow smarter, stronger, and kinder. As creators of shows like Sesame Street, The Electric Company, Pinky Dinky Doo, Dragon Tales, and The Upside Down Show, the Workshop is able to reach children across more than 150 countries. Delivered through a variety of platforms, including TV programs, digital experiences, books and community engagement, Sesame’s research-based programs are tailored to the needs of the communities and countries they serve. (New York, NY)

Projects include numerous social impact initiatives, international co-production launches, and various other marketing materials.

Sesame’s Healthy Habits for Life initiative was created to help parents and caregivers encourage children to build healthy habits early. Projects feature Sesame Street friends who model fun ways to move and play and encourage children to explore and enjoy healthy foods. Materials are bilingual (English and Spanish) and available for free on Sesame’s website.

Scope: Parent/Caregiver Guides, Children’s Storybooks (including photo illustrations), Recipe Cards, Activity Guide

“I had the pleasure of collaborating with Kristin for nearly 10 years at Sesame Workshop. She was so gracious in educating this then-newbie through the world of creatively-driven marketing initiatives. We were partners on many successful campaigns – from fundraising materials that furthered the Workshop's mission to educational programs for families in need. Her work ethic is second-to-none; and she balances it with such talent, insight, and heart. Kristin is an expert at aligning with multiple groups within the organization. Her energy and positive spirit is infectious – don't miss the opportunity to work with her!”

– Giao Roever, Director, Marketing & Creative Services, Sesame Workshop

Sesame Workshop’s Sesame Street and Autism: See Amazing in All Children is a nationwide initiative aimed at communities with children ages 2 to 5. Developed with input from parents, people who serve the autism community, and people with autism, this initiative offers families ways to manage common challenges, to simplify everyday activities, and to grow connections and support from family, friends, and community.

Scope: Children’s Storybook, Project Overview, Digital Flashcards, Digital Advertising, Provider Guide, Event Banners

When Families Grieve was developed to provide resources and emotional support for children of military and civilian families trying to cope with one of the greatest challenges they will ever face: the death of a parent. This multi-component outreach initiative was comprised of a free, bilingual multi-media toolkit containing a parent/caregiver guide, a children’s storybook, and a DVD. The initiative also included a one-hour primetime special hosted by Katie Couric and the Sesame Street Muppets that aired nationally on PBS and was nominated for the "Outstanding Children's Nonfiction Program" Primetime Emmy Award. Materials are bilingual (English and Spanish) and available for free on Sesame’s website.

Scope: Print Collateral, Digital Media Assets, Launch and Promotional Materials

“I was lucky enough to work with Kristin for more than 10 years during my tenure at Sesame Workshop, on some of the most sensitive and tough-to-talk-about topics for both children and adults. She has the sophistication to organize and blend serious content with inviting creative and engaging visuals in a way that preserves the essence of a message while making it easier for audiences to digest. Kristin is easy to work with and is able to collaborate with large teams (even from a distance), she takes pride in her work, and is committed to creating something the entire team will be proud of.”

— Lynn Chwatsky, (former) Vice President, Community Outreach Partners and Initiatives, Sesame Workshop

Building on the Workshop’s 50-year commitment to caring for the developmental, physical, and emotional needs of children, Sesame Street in Communities offers a variety of multimedia tools and resources to help children reach their highest potential. Bilingual outreach materials include videos, activities, printables, and digital interactives featuring Sesame Muppets friends tackling a wide range of topics — from school readiness to building healthy habits to tough issues such as divorce and hunger. Thoroughly researched and tested with families, these free resources are proven to make a measurable difference for kids.

Scope: Newsletter

Sesame’s Math Is Everywhere initiative aims to help parents, caregivers, and educators help young children explore and understand math in the everyday world. By focusing on the broad thinking and reasoning skills required to master mathematics, Math Is Everywhere hopes to use math as an early starting point for empowering children's learning across the curriculum for years to come. Materials are bilingual (English and Spanish) and available for free on Sesame’s website.

Scope: Flashcards, Toolkit with Parent/Caregiver Guide and Children’s Storybook, Activity Cards

Sesame Street international co-productions are educational children's television series based on the American Sesame Street but tailored to the cultures and countries in which they are produced. 

Sesame’s co-production in India, called Galli Galli Sim Sim, emphasizes gender equity and employs a uniquely creative approach in order to reach and teach children in even the poorest neighborhoods. The show is broadcast in Hindi and several other Indian languages on both television and radio. It features a diverse cast, vibrant sets, and music and stories that reflect India’s many cultures and traditions.

Takalani Sesame is Sesame’s co-production in South Africa. Along with engaging children and their parents in promoting basic school readiness, health and hygiene, literacy, and numeracy, Takalani Sesame has a special focus on HIV/AIDS awareness and safety. To help promote tolerance and reduce stigma around the disease, the world's first HIV-positive Muppet, Kami, was introduced into the cast. She helps give children an increased understanding of the disease and the knowledge that they can love, hug, and play with friends who are HIV-positive without fear of transmission.

An Australian children's television series produced by Sesame Workshop and Noggin, The Upside Down Show featured the adventures of two brothers who have never been anywhere, so every place they visit is new and exciting. Whether they're going to the airport, the theater, or even the moon, their enthusiasm is contagious. Even when they take a wrong turn (and they do take a few), they find themselves someplace interesting.

Scope: Promotional Posters, Brand Guide

Sesame Street’s Let's Get Ready: Planning Together for Emergencies, created with support provided by PSEG, is a multimedia resource designed to help families plan and prepare together for emergencies, especially those with young children. Through simple strategies and tips that can be incorporated into everyday routines, Let's Get Ready helps children, families, and caregivers to prepare ahead of time in age-appropriate and engaging ways. Materials are bilingual (English and Spanish) and available for free on Sesame’s website.

Scope: Print Collateral, Digital Media Assets, Launch and Promotional Materials, Customized Icon Design

“Working with Kristin over the past few years has been a pleasure. As an editor, I have greatly appreciated Kristin’s close attention to text and commitment to reflecting educational goals through design. Kristin is always communicative and collaborative, always meets deadlines, and sees every detail through from concept to completion. With her designs, she has helped bring warm and hopeful tones to award-winning multimedia initiatives dealing with sensitive subject matter, from dealing with grief to coping with economic difficulties.”

— Beth Sharkey, Freelance Writer and Teacher

Sesame Street launched their 38th season with a new segment called “What's the Word on the Street?” with Murray Monster. Murray would introduce a new vocabulary word for each episode, talk about its meaning, and then instruct the audience to "keep listening for the word today on Sesame Street!". The word would then be used and its meaning highlighted throughout the rest of the episode.

Scope: Season 38 Launch Kit, Promotional Flashcards

Along with partners Too Small to Fail and the George Kaiser Family Foundation, Sesame launched an early literacy initiative called Talking is Teaching: Family Moments: Talking, Reading, and Singing Together. This multimedia program leverages the power of the beloved Sesame Street friends to motivate parents and caregivers to make the most of everyday opportunities to talk, read, and sing with their children ages 0-3, and inspire and empower parents and caregivers to promote their children's literacy development while nurturing their overall growth—from day one. Materials are bilingual (English and Spanish) and available for free on Sesame’s website.

Scope: Print Collateral

“I have had the privilege of partnering with Kristin for more than 20 years. We started working together when she was just beginning her career in Washington, DC and I was overseeing the marketing for a financial institution. Banking is generally not considered a category where creative ideas can flourish. Kristin’s work defied that widely-held belief. She designed a stunning suite of marketing materials, introducing a completely new approach to how the bank promoted its services. Twenty years later those pieces are still as vibrant and rich as they were when she created them. The design is timeless.

When I later moved to New York to work for Sesame Street, Kristin was the first designer I called. A trusted and highly-valued creative partner, she worked with me on countless projects, transforming the way Sesame Street expressed itself through graphic design. Kristin was instrumental in raising the bar across a wide range of Sesame projects addressing different audiences and goals. She was responsible for creating new brand guidelines that unified and strengthened Sesame’s visual identity, educational materials that connected with preschoolers and parents, fundraising materials that deepened understanding of Sesame’s global mission, and marketing pieces that promoted new Sesame productions around the world. 

Kristin listens and responds thoughtfully. She is incredibly versatile. From materials promoting asset management services to high net worth individuals to educational materials that convey simple lessons to preschoolers and parents, Kristin's designs were perfect for each audience and assignment. Time and time again she demonstrated her commitment to producing outstanding work. When you work with Kristin you can count on a partner who will give you more than a hundred percent.”  

— Suzanne Duncan, Vice President of Marketing and Brand Strategy at Sesame Workshop