Joan Ganz Cooney (born Joan Ganz on November 30, 1929, in Phoenix, Arizona) is an American television writer, producer, and philanthropist renowned for her pioneering work in children's educational programming. She co-founded the Children's Television Workshop (now Sesame Workshop) in 1968 with Lloyd Morrisett and co-created the groundbreaking children's show Sesame Street, which debuted that year and revolutionized educational television by addressing the needs of underserved preschoolers. After graduating from the University of Arizona in 1951 with a Bachelor of Arts in education, she worked as a journalist and publicist before shifting to educational television in the early 1960s. Her 1966 study 'The Potential Uses of Television in Preschool Education' laid the groundwork for Sesame Street. Cooney served as president and CEO of Sesame Workshop until 1990, overseeing its expansion into international programming. She married Timothy Cooney in 1964. Her contributions have been recognized with numerous honors including a Lifetime Achievement Emmy, the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2010, induction into the National Women's Hall of Fame, and the Kennedy Center Honors. At 94 years old, she remains a lifetime honorary trustee of Sesame Workshop, embodying a legacy of using media for social good and early childhood development.