Tara Sorensen joined Apple TV+ in 2018 as Head of Children’s Programming, Worldwide Video. A respected children’s programming executive, Sorensen oversees the development and production of original live-action and animated children’s series globally for the streamer.
The award-winning slate of original series and film for kids and families on Apple TV+ under Sorensen’s leadership includes the recently premiered animated series “Eva the Owlet,” inspired by the bestselling book series from Scholastic, “Jane,” a new mission-driven series from J.J. Johnson, Sinking Ship Entertainment and the Jane Goodall Institute, “Frog and Toad,” based on Arnold Lobel’s beloved characters of over five decades, groundbreaking series “El Deafo,” the critically acclaimed series “Amber Brown” created by Bonnie Hunt, “Sago Mini Friends,” “Get Rolling With Otis,” “Wolfboy and the Everything Factory,” “Ghostwriter,” “Circuit Breakers” and Common Sense Media Selections “Best Foot Forward,” “Duck & Goose,” “Interrupting Chicken,” Peanuts co-view special “Snoopy Presents: One-of-a-Kind Marcie,” “Pinecone & Pony,” “Shape Island,” and “Slumberkins.”
Impressive all-ages offerings also include Emmy Award-winning “Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock” and “Harriet the Spy” from The Jim Henson Company, the Peabody and Emmy Award-winning series “Stillwater,” Daytime Emmy Award-winning “Ghostwriter” and “Helpsters” from Sesame Workshop, “Hello Jack! The Kindness Show,” Academy Award-nominated animated film “Wolfwalkers,” as well as “Here We Are: Notes for Living on Planet Earth,” the Daytime Emmy Award-winning television event based on the New York Times best-selling book and TIME Best Book of the Year by Oliver Jeffers. Sorensen spearheaded the Apple TV+ partnership with WildBrain, with classic Peanuts library titles alongside award-winning new series and co-view specials including “The Snoopy Show,” “To Mom (and Dad), With Love,” “Its the Small Things, Charlie Brown” and “Lucy’s School.”
Previously, Sorensen served as Head of Kids Programming for Amazon Studios, where she launched the division and shepherded Emmy Award-winning series, including “Tumble Leaf,” Emmy-nominated “Annedroids,” WGA Award and Humanitas Prize winner “Gortimer Gibbon’s Life on Normal Street,” Humanitas, DGA and NAACP Image Award winning special “An American Girl Story – Melody 1963: Love Has to Win,” and Emmy-nominated “Just Add Magic” amongst others. Prior to that, Sorensen was Vice President, Kids Programming for National Geographic. While there, she oversaw the Emmy Award-winning series “Toot & Puddle” for Nickelodeon. Previously, she was Vice President, Kids Programming for Sony Pictures Family Entertainment and shepherded the development of “Dragon Tales;” “Jackie Chan Adventures,” “Men in Black,” “Stuart Little” and the Emmy Award-winning “Harold and the Purple Crayon.” Sorensen began her career at Nelvana spearheading development for hit series “Rolie Polie Olie.”
Sorensen serves on the Los Angeles Advisory Council for Common Sense Media.
Her list of shorts include Shrek the Halls, Shrek’s first-ever original animated holiday special, and aired to an enthusiastic response in November of 2007 on ABC.
Before joining DreamWorks Animation, Gina spent another decade producing for Paramount Pictures serving as executive producer of The Spongebob Squarepants Movie. She was also the co-producer on Paramount Pictures’ and Nickelodeons Movies’ first CG Oscar®-nominated animated feature film, Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius. Prior to that she was the line producer on the highly acclaimed, award-winning, CG animated feature film South Park: Bigger, Longer & Uncut, where her responsibilities included putting together a digital animation studio in just two months’ time in order to accommodate the feature’s demanding production schedule.
Gina began her professional career in filmmaking as a production manager on Ralph Bakshi’s and Paramount Pictures’ feature film Cool World. She then moved on to Disney to serve as associate producer on two films, Pooh’s Grand Adventure: The Search for Christopher Robin and Pocahontas: Journey to a New World. She also worked on the virtual attraction The Spiderman Ride for Universal Studios Theme Park.
Gina attended Pratt Institute of Art in Brooklyn, New York.
