Award-winning children’s entertainment company The Fred Rogers Company (Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Peg + Cat, Odd Squad) is promoting Paul Siefken to President and CEO, effective January 1. Currently VP of Broadcast & Digital Media, Siefken steps in for longtime head Bill Isler. Isler, who worked with founder and children’s media icon Fred Rogers, is retiring from the company.
“Paul is the perfect leader to take The Fred Rogers Company to the next important phase in its exciting evolution,” said Isler. “I’ve been fortunate to have had the chance to work closely with Paul for a number of years now, and I know that the company and its mission benefits greatly from his creativity, integrity, and vision. I am confident The Fred Rogers Company will continue to thrive under his capable leadership in the years ahead.”
As President and CEO, Siefken will look to further develop the company’s existing and new partnerships to ensure it continues to present the best in educational kids’ content for broadcast, digital platforms and whatever awaits the entertainment industry.
Siefken joined The Fred Rogers Co. in 2013, steering the company’s broadcast content, managing digital production pipelines for its three key series and working with their respective production partners over the interceding years. He has also spearheaded initiatives that have taken all three shows into communities nationwide, working with public TV stations, museum, science centers, libraries, volunteer organizations and early childhood groups.
Before to joining the company, Siefken spent nearly 10 years at PBS, most recently as Director of Children’s Programming. Prior to that, he managed sponsored promotions and media relations as well as produced interactive content for Cartoon Network. Siefken graduated from Duke University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English with a Teaching Certificate from the Program in Education.
