Author: Brooke Wehrle

Posted on by Brooke Wehrle

Pittsburgh, PA, October 24, 2022 – Fred Rogers Productions, the award-winning children’s educational media organization behind multiple well-loved, Emmy®-winning PBS KIDS series, has named Mallory Mbalia to the newly created position of Director of Learning and Education. In her new role, Mbalia will work to expand the company’s “neighborhood” of educational partners and advisors as well as collaborate with its production; marketing, communications, and engagement; fundraising; and licensing teams. She reports to President & CEO Paul Siefken. 

“We are excited to welcome Mallory to the team and look forward to tapping into her expertise to help us realize our educational goals, now and in the future,” said Siefken. “Mallory is respected throughout both the public television and education communities for connecting content to the classroom and to parents and caregivers, and her experience will translate perfectly to our work in support of children and their families.” 

"Since I was a little girl, I have felt a part of the ‘neighborhood,’” said Mbalia. “Mister Rogers had a beautiful way of making every child feel special every day. To be a part of such an impactful cross-generational organization is a dream come true and I look forward to contributing to its mission through my work.” 

Before joining Fred Rogers Productions, Mbalia was Director of Education at PBS North Carolina in Education and Innovation, where she created and delivered educational initiatives statewide for educators, parents and caregivers, and children of all ages. In 2018, she was named a PBS Digital Innovator All Star for her work as an education outreach trainer. Prior to her tenure as a Director at PBS NC, Mbalia was an assistant elementary school principal after starting her career as a kindergarten teacher. 

Mbalia holds two M.S. degrees, one in School Administration from North Carolina State University and the other in Curriculum and Instruction from University of Phoenix, as well as a B.S. in Human Development with a concentration in Child and Adolescent Development from Howard University. 

About Fred Rogers Productions 

Fred Rogers Productions was founded by Fred Rogers in 1971 as the non-profit producer of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood for PBS. In the years that followed, it created hundreds of episodes of this much-loved program and extended Fred’s values and approach to other efforts in promoting children’s social, emotional, and behavioral health while supporting parents, caregivers, teachers, and other professionals in their work with children. Fred Rogers Productions continues to build on Fred’s legacy in innovative ways through a wide variety of media and engages new generations of children and families with his timeless wisdom. The company’s highly rated children’s series, including Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Peg + Cat, Odd Squad, and Through the Woods, have earned 30 Emmy® Awards among other important honors. Newly launched in 2021 on PBS KIDS is Donkey Hodie, the innovative puppet series inspired by characters from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood; and most recently Alma’s Way, an animated series created by Sonia Manzano, known to generations of children and adults as “Maria” on Sesame Street. For more information, visit www.fredrogers.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn. 

# # # 

Press contacts: 

Grand Communications (for Fred Rogers Productions) 

Alison Grand 

212-584-1133; Alison@grandcommunications.com Laura Liebeck 

845-440-7974; Laura@grandcommunications.com 

Posted on by Brooke Wehrle

Tell us about yourself and how your career led you to working in children’s television?

I’m a child of the 1980s, meaning I was raised in a decade that is a standout in terms of iconic pop culture. Blockbuster movies, comics, and Saturday morning cartoons inspired imaginative play and sparked a love for drawing. I was lucky enough to have parents who identified and encouraged this ambition, and they guided me towards a nearby arts-centric high school that had an animation course! Demo reel in hand, I was off to Sheridan College, and from there entered the industry as a designer.

What was your favorite TV show when you were growing up?

The classic Warner Bros. animated shorts! More specifically, the Chuck Jones canon. The mixture of gag-driven comedic timing and masterful, yet minimalistic, design work really caught my eye and influences my design sensibilities in a powerful way. That said, PBS was always on at our house, so my young mind was fed a balanced diet of incredibly thought-provoking programs like Sesame Street, Mystery!, and of course, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood.  So, working with PBS, Fred Rogers Productions, Sonia Manzano, and GBH, my career has now come full circle and I’m incredibly grateful.

Describe your role on Alma’s Way.

It’s a two-tiered role and requires some context. A few years ago, Ellen Doherty (FRP’s chief creative officer) contacted Pipeline Studios and tasked us with presenting to her and her team a creative brief detailing specifically how the studio proposed bringing Alma’s Way to life. Ellen and Alma’s Way creator Sonia Manzano already had a solid foundation but were looking to the Pipeline team to do what we do best: enhance and elevate properties via creative and technical innovation, and attention to detail. At this stage in the development process, I served as the creative director, so it was my job to get inside Ellen and Sonia’s minds (via asking specific questions and listening attentively) to inherit their vision and fully understand what was of critical importance to them—and to the series as well—and then help make it a reality. Alma’s Way is a very unique family portrait—a series which we quickly identified as demanding a very unique yet highly organic approach to its production. We wanted to build upon the core themes, values, and concepts of the series to both engage the audience and effectively fulfill its storytelling ambitions. Aligned on the series’ overall vision, we formulated a custom recipe of creative, innovative elements and applied them strategically.  From there we assembled a hand-picked team of artists and technicians from across Pipeline Studio’s highly diverse teams in Canada, Colombia, and Chile to bring this unique recipe and vision to life. Needless to say, our hard work paid off, as Ellen, Sonia, Fred Rogers Productions, and PBS were thrilled by our proposal, and we moved into series production. Once this happens, I then shift into a supervising producer position. Along with an incredibly dedicated and highly skilled team, I help guide the series and ensure to our partners that the unique recipe of creativity and innovation continues forward and also elevates over time. I really can’t say enough about how passionate, caring, and committed the Pipeline Studios’ Alma’s Way team is to its long-term success! I’m incredibly proud of the series, and its positive messaging, but dare not mention specific crew members who go the extra mile, as I’d literally have to mention everyone!

What’s your favorite episode of Alma’s Way?

That’s a tough question, as they are each endearing and entertaining in their own respective rights. Since we’re nearing Halloween, which I’m a big fan of, I’ll go with “Haunted Hallway” or “Trick or Treatasaurus”!

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

I’m a huge music fan and collect guitars, and I do try to get some strumming action in when time affords, but I also enjoy being a dad to an energetic and imaginative 6-year-old daughter who is starting to show an affinity for art and music as well. (She’s also a big fan of Alma’s Way!) As I mentioned previously, I’m very grateful for the guidance that has helped shape my career, and I strongly believe in giving back to the community and helping others who may need some extra support. Thus, I volunteer as a career counsellor within YMCA’s Newcomer Mentorship program, which is designed to match newcomer professionals with established professionals to share information, feedback, industry insights and offer tips in navigating their chosen profession here in their new home of Canada. It can make a big difference to someone who’s restarting their career in a new country and for me, it nourishes the soul!

Posted on by Brooke Wehrle

Fred Rogers Productions, the award-winning children’s entertainment company behind Alma’s Way, is thrilled to share that the show has won two Imagen Awards. The series won Best Youth Programming, and Summer Rose Castillo was named Best Voice-Over Actor. See the full list of nominees and winners here. The Imagen Awards celebrate and encourage the inclusion of Latino talent, executives, and voices in all aspects of the creative process in entertainment media. Read more about their mission and work here.

Posted on by Brooke Wehrle

Tell us about yourself and how your career lead you to working in television?

My first job was as a summer camp counselor in Berkeley, CA, and since then I've known that I wanted my career to be about making kids' lives better in some way. I majored in Child Development at Tufts University, and when I discovered the world of children's media, I realized that it was a perfect blend of my interests. After interning at GBH in Boston and working on digital kids content there, I moved to NYC and have been working with the research team at 9 Story ever since.

What goes into your role as a research coordinator for Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood?

Research for Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood is a lot of fun, because a lot of the kids that we are testing new episodes with are already familiar with, and love, the show. We test each episode with kids to make sure they are as appealing and engaging as possible. As the Research Coordinator, it's my job to turn a draft of a script into a storybook. I work with an artist to create pictures specifically for our research purposes. The storybook includes lots of questions that we ask the kids before, during, and after the story to gauge their comprehension of the content. Pre-Covid, we used to visit preschools all around New York City, but we now do all of our research sessions on Zoom. My role also involves recruiting children to participate in the sessions. One benefit of Zoom is that we now can have kids from across the country join! During the sessions, either I or another researcher reads the story to a small group of kids. Other researchers observe the sessions, and take notes on everything: what the kids said, when they sang along with the strategy songs, when they smiled or leaned in, when they got fidgety, etc. We then relay our findings to the Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood writers and producers and collaborate to enhance each episode based on what we saw from the kids.

What was your favorite TV show when you were growing up?

Dragon Tales! My sister and I watched it religiously. I remember it being such an aspirational and magical show, which we loved. We must have watched it over and over, because I can still remember many plot points so clearly (like when Zak and Wheezie, the conjoined twins, separated!).

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

In the past few years, I've gotten very into crossword puzzles, and now solving the daily New York Times puzzle is a cherished part of my routine. I also love cooking and am excited to experiment with my new food processor!

Posted on by Brooke Wehrle

Tell us about yourself and how your career led you to working in game design.

My preparation for working in game design started at birth. Whether it was playing card games—like Spades and Russian Rummy—at family gatherings or my brothers and I battling it out in Mario Kart 64 upstairs in the den, games were a constant in my childhood. However, the chief training I received to be a game designer came from my oldest brother, Scott. He fell in love with video games and board games, and he passed that love on to me. And he didn't only love playing games, he loved dissecting them and discerning what made them work. Whenever Scott and I were together we were talking about games and dreaming about making them ourselves. By the time I went to college, it seemed natural that I would study computer science with the goal of making game design a career.

What was your favorite TV show when you were growing up?

I watched some really dumb TV shows growing up, but two shows that I think were actually great were Batman: The Animated Series and The Adventures of Pete & Pete. Both, in different ways, respected kids, trusting that they understand more than they are frequently given credit for and never speaking down to them.

Batman, despite being about superheroes, featured multidimensional characters and trusted kids to understand that evil isn't always cartoonish and that knowing and doing what is good isn't always easy.

Pete & Pete felt like it was written by children (though very intelligent children) in that it took things that kids loved and found funny and let those scenarios play out to their ridiculous end. It was frequently a bizarre show, but kids are delightfully bizarre too, and Pete & Pete relished in this.

What goes into your role in the creation of digital content for Alma’s Way?

My role at Makefully is two-fold. For each project, I'm involved in both the ideation and creation processes.

So, for something like "The Alma Train," the first step is determining what we are going to make. Fred Rogers Productions gives us a theme ("subway trains" in this case), and from there, the Makefully team and I figure out what a game about trains could be in Alma's world. To do this well, we consider the themes and goals of the show, the characters in Alma's Way and the roles they might play in the game, the audience for the game, and ask questions like “What do kids love about trains and how would they want to play with them?” This whole ideation process is messy and involves a lot of trust within Makefully and between Makefully and Fred Rogers Productions as we wade through a wide range of ideas so that we can eventually get to the great ones.

Once an idea is settled on, my role changes and suddenly, as a programmer, I get to bring the idea to life. Sometimes this leaves me cursing myself as I run into hurdles, I've created for myself; but there's also a lot of joy in being able to bring to life what previously only lived in imagination!

What do you like to do when you’re not working?

In the last couple of years, I've fallen in love with gardening! I come by my interest naturally through my father who, when I was growing up, always made sure the yard around our house was beautiful. I've always enjoyed painting and drawing and in some ways, gardening seems like a natural extension of that, except the canvas is alive and must be cared for and nurtured. In return, it surprises you with unexpected beauty.

I'm still an amateur gardener at best, and my wife has been very patient with me as I've learned, particularly when I show up with new plants from the nursery without thinking ahead about where they might go in the yard. If I ever impoverish my family, it'll be because I needed "just one more" hydrangea.

Posted on by Brooke Wehrle

Pittsburgh, PA, August 2, 2022 – Alma’s Way, the newest animated hit series from Fred Rogers Productions, the award-winning children’s media organization behind multiple Emmy® Award-winning series, has been greenlit for a second season on PBS KIDS. The upcoming season of the show, created by Sonia Manzano (“Maria” on Sesame Street) and produced in association with Pipeline Studios (Elinor Wonders Why), is slated to premiere in fall 2023 and will consist of 25 half-hour episodes, including two 30-minute specials.

Focusing on critical thinking, self-awareness, responsible decision-making, and empathy, Alma’s Way is aimed at viewers 4-6 and follows 6-year-old Alma Rivera, a proud, confident Puerto Rican girl who lives in the Bronx with her parents; younger brother, Junior; and Abuelo as well as a diverse group of close-knit and loving friends, family, and community members. The series showcases Latino cultures through music, food, language, and more. All episodes are available in both English and Spanish.

“We’re thrilled that audiences have so warmly embraced Alma’s Way and will soon get to tag along on new adventures with Alma as she continues to think things through alongside her friends and family in the Bronx,” said Ellen Doherty, chief creative officer at Fred Rogers Productions and an executive producer of the series. “The show’s focus on critical thinking and community has resonated strongly with viewers universally, and the new season will provide them with an even more expansive look at Alma’s world.”

"Alma’s Way suggests to children that the process of thinking is exhilarating, joyous, and fun,” said Sonia Manzano, executive producer and series creator. “I’m delighted that my relationship with PBS KIDS and Fred Rogers Productions will continue as we bring another season of Alma’s Way to life.”

“Families across the country are telling us that Alma’s Way’s curriculum, music, and focus on community truly resonates with them, and is making an impact in their children’s lives. We’re excited to bring another season to PBS KIDS,” said Sara DeWitt, senior vice president and general manager, PBS KIDS.

Season 2 of the critically acclaimed series will introduce audiences to a range of diverse, new characters and present stories that deepen their relationship with those they already know and love, including Alma’s Uncle Nestor, little brother Junior, and her Granny Isa (voiced by Manzano). The new season will also take viewers to more New York City cultural landmarks. Music, a key component of the series, will be prominently featured in one of the upcoming specials.

The new season also sees the promotion of two key staffers. Head Writer Jorge Aguirre (Goldie & Bear) has been promoted to co-executive producer. Dana Chan, former junior story editor, has been promoted to story editor. 

Alma’s Way premiered in October 2021 to critical acclaim and recognition among a variety of audiences. Since its debut, the series has been noted as a Selection for Families by Common Sense Media, the leading source of entertainment and technology recommendations for families and schools. It has also been selected as the recipient of the Excellence in Early Learning Digital Media Award by The American Library Association Youth Media Awards, an award given to a producer that has created distinguished digital media for an early learning audience. Alma’s Way has ranked in the top ten PBS KIDS series in streaming video every month since its launch.*

Additionally, children can continue to learn and play with Alma through the PBS KIDS Games app and on pbskids.org/almasway. “Bop or Pop!/¡Bop, no Pop!,” an action-puzzle game that helps kids practice their problem-solving skills, and “Party at Alma’s/Fiesta con Alma,” a game in which players use social awareness skills to help make the party fun for everyone, launched in 2021. Between October 2021 and May 2022, both games combined have been played more than 18 million times on the PBS KIDS games app and pbskids.org.** Two additional games supporting the learning goals of the series will debut in 2022. Like episodes of Alma’s Way, all digital content is available to view and play in both English and Spanish.

Scholastic serves as the worldwide master publishing partner for Alma’s Way with a multi-year agreement including a range of readers and activity books in both English and Spanish, which will begin publishing in spring 2023. Brand Central is the licensing agent for the series and will develop a full-scale licensing program that reflects the show’s fun, educational, and cultural themes.

Alma’s Way is created by Sonia Manzano, best known to generations of kids and families as “Maria” on Sesame Street, and produced by Fred Rogers Productions in association with Pipeline Studios. Ellen Doherty and Manzano are executive producers. Aguirre is head writer and co-executive producer. Co-executive producers are Luis Lopez and Juan Lopez. Supervising producer for Fred Rogers Productions is Olubunmi Mia Olufemi.

* Digital Sources: comScore visitors and Google Analytics streams, Selected months 2020-2021, 2021-2022

** Digital Sources: Google Analytics, October 2021 to July 2022. 

About PBS KIDS
PBS KIDS believes the world is full of possibilities, and so is every child. As the number one educational media brand for kids, PBS KIDS helps children ages 2-8 learn lessons that last a lifetime. Through media and community-based programs, PBS KIDS wants children to see themselves uniquely reflected and celebrated in lovable, diverse characters who serve as positive role models, and to explore their feelings and discover new adventures along the way. Families can stream PBS KIDS for free anytime, no subscription required. A large collection of mobile apps and pbskids.org provide accessible content that spark kids’ curiosity. PBS KIDS and local stations across the country support the entire ecosystem in which children learn and grow – including their teachers and caregivers, parents, and community – providing resources accessible anytime and anywhere. For more information, visit pbs.org/pressroom, or follow PBS KIDS on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

About Fred Rogers Productions

Fred Rogers Productions was founded by Fred Rogers in 1971 as the non-profit producer of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood for PBS. In the years that followed, it created hundreds of episodes of this much-loved program and extended Fred’s values and approach to other efforts in promoting children’s social, emotional, and behavioral health while supporting parents, caregivers, teachers, and other professionals in their work with children. Fred Rogers Productions continues to build on Fred’s legacy in innovative ways through a wide variety of media and engages new generations of children and families with his timeless wisdom. The company’s highly rated children’s series, including Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Peg + Cat, Odd Squad, and Through the Woods, have earned 30 Emmy® Awards among other important honors. Newly launched in 2021 on PBS KIDS is Donkey Hodie, the innovative puppet series inspired by characters from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood; and most recently Alma’s Way, an animated series created by Sonia Manzano, known to generations of children and adults as “Maria” on Sesame Street. For more information, visit www.fredrogers.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

 

#  #  #

 

Press contacts:

Grand Communications (for Fred Rogers Productions)

Alison Grand

212-584-1133; Alison@grandcommunications.com

Laura Liebeck

845-440-7974; Laura@grandcommunications.com

Posted on by Brooke Wehrle

Tell us about yourself and your role as digital production assistant.

I work across all of our shows’ digital presence, be it their website, games, or apps. Of the 5 shows we’ve made, the spot for my favorite one is tied by Alma’s Way and Donkey Hodie. Each show appeals to different parts of me - Alma is a clever little puertorriqueña, just like me! Donkey, on the other hand, captures all the whimsy and magic of childhood. I love them both!

What was your favorite video game growing up?

I have to pick just one…? My favorite games were Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing, both on the GameCube, and Kingdom Hearts on the PlayStation 2. Even then, I loved a game’s ability to tell or create compelling stories, a key feature for determining if I will like a game or not. Recently I have been playing Kingdom Hearts Final Mix, Stardew Valley, and Rune Factory 4 Special.

What do you like to do when you're not working?

Other than playing video games, I love spending time with my partner, Austin! We’re both very crafty and artsy people, so we’re in the process of painting and decorating dice boxes in honor of his new Dungeons and Dragons campaign!

What is your favorite thing to do in the summertime?

Being outside! I’m not a very outdoorsy person, but every week I look forward to going to the local park for their Saturday morning farmers market. I also check out pet adoption websites semi-frequently - if I had a puppy to take on long walks and adventures, that would be my #1 favorite summertime activity!

Posted on by Brooke Wehrle

Pittsburgh, PA, July 13, 2022 – Fred Rogers Productions, the award-winning children’s media organization behind multiple well-loved, Emmy®-winning PBS KIDS series, has named Gabrielle Howard to the newly created position of Creative Development Manager. In her new role, Howard will manage the company’s growing portfolio of IP in development. She will report to Ellen Doherty, Chief Creative Officer.

“Gabrielle is a terrific addition to our team. She knows the kids industry, and has a great eye for talent,” said Doherty. ”I look forward to working with her to find and generate even more extraordinary content for young viewers.”

“I’m over the moon to join Fred Rogers Productions, a company that is so well known and respected for quality programming that serves the needs of children and their families,” said Howard. “I’m excited to dive in and help build a programming slate of content that resonates with current fans and attracts many new ones, too.”

In addition to managing the company’s production slate, Howard will seek out new collaborators and projects that she will help guide through the development process.

Prior to joining Fred Rogers Productions, Howard was a media consultant and advisor on podcast development and social media strategy who developed original concepts for the web and television. She worked for The N, later named TeenNick, from MTV Networks, where she developed live-action and animated properties with production companies including Endemol and Klasky Csupo. Howard started her career at Sesame Workshop, where she headed the children’s casting department for the Emmy® Award-winning Sesame Street and later worked for J.P. Kids, producer of the hit series, The Famous Jett Jackson. She holds a B.A. from the University of South Carolina and received a Podcast Certificate from The Made in NY Media Center by IFP.

About Fred Rogers Productions

Fred Rogers Productions was founded by Fred Rogers in 1971 as the non-profit producer of Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood for PBS. In the years that followed, it created hundreds of episodes of this much-loved program and extended Fred’s values and approach to other efforts in promoting children’s social, emotional, and behavioral health while supporting parents, caregivers, teachers, and other professionals in their work with children. Fred Rogers Productions continues to build on Fred’s legacy in innovative ways through a wide variety of media and engages new generations of children and families with his timeless wisdom. The company’s highly rated children’s series, including Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, Peg + Cat, Odd Squad, and Through the Woods, have earned 30 Emmy® Awards among other important honors. Newly launched in 2021 on PBS KIDS is Donkey Hodie, the innovative puppet series inspired by characters from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood; and most recently Alma’s Way, an animated series created by Sonia Manzano, known to generations of children and adults as “Maria” on Sesame Street. For more information, visit www.fredrogers.org or follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Press contacts:

Grand Communications (for Fred Rogers Productions)

Alison Grand

212-584-1133; Alison@grandcommunications.com

Laura Liebeck

845-440-7974; Laura@grandcommunications.com

Posted on by Brooke Wehrle

In its annual round-up of Best TV Shows, Common Sense Media recognized Alma’s Way, FRP’s new preschool animated series on PBS KIDS. CSM praised the series’ strong social-emotional curriculum that encourages kids to pause and think when they're facing a tricky situation. They also call Alma—the determined 6-year-old from the Bronx—a great role model who is very relatable to preschoolers. Read more of their review here.

You can watch Alma’s Way daily on PBS KIDS or stream episodes anytime on the PBS KIDS Video Player in English and Spanish!

 

 

Posted on by Brooke Wehrle

Alma’s Way

Alma’s Nochebuena/Three Kings Day Do-Over: December 13, 15, 18, 21, 24, & January 2

  • PBS KIDS 24/7 Channel: December 13, 15, 17, 18, 19, 21, & 24

Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood

Daniel’s Winter Adventure/Neighborhood Nutcracker: December 1, 8, & 24

  • PBS KIDS 24/7 Channel: December 1, 24, & 26

Snowflake Day!: December 1, 13, & 23

  • PBS KIDS 24/7 Channel: December 7, 15, 17, 18, 19, & 24

A Snowy Day: December 29

  • PBS KIDS 24/7 Channel: December 10, 12, & 22

Odd Squad

Reindeer Games: December 1, 14, 20, & 24

  • PBS KIDS 24/7 Channel: December 1, 9, 14, 17, 18, 19, 23, 25, & 26

Peg + Cat (PBS KIDS 24/7 Channel)

Peg + Cat + Holidays: December 1, 3, 4, 5, 10, 18, 22, 24, & 25

The Christmas Problem: December 3, 14, & 23

The Hanukkah Problem: December 6