VERMONT VOICES : LAURA WALKER
from her belief that it takes passion in a product and a sense of mission to raise money . She was an incredible mentor . his face . He was able to connect education and incredible writing and create something new .
WILL MOSES
Sherman : Can you tell me : How ’ d you get … how ’ d you get to Sesame Street ? ( Sesame Workshop , to be exact )
Sherman : Do you have any fond memories of hanging out with Oscar the Grouch or Snuffleupagus ?
Walker : I had done consulting between my first and second year at Yale at Boston Consulting Group , because I wanted to do something totally different . I really wanted to learn all about the corporate world . I got offers from other consulting firms , and I almost did that , but what I really loved was the intersection and connection between strategy , mission , and creativity . That was what Sesame Workshop offered . Some people thought I was crazy , because I was the only woman who had gotten all those offers from consulting firms . I felt like , on some level , I was letting people down , but I followed my heart , and half of my friends applauded me . I remember that when I was deciding what to do , it was around the time when I was being introduced to Vermont . One of my close friends at business school had a family friend who had a house here , and we used to come up to Londonderry to get away . We did that for years , both in graduate school and then afterwards . I remember thinking about that MAJOR decision in Londonderry , Vermont .
Sherman : There ’ s no better place or time to make a big decision than when you ’ re relaxing in Vermont ! I ’ d love to ask a bit more about Sesame Workshop . Did you get a chance to know Jim Henson ?
Walker : I knew Jim a little , and I will always remember that I saw him in the office a week before he died . I will also always remember his funeral , which was at St . John ’ s Cathedral in New York . We all had green lights , and everyone sang , “ It ’ s Not Easy Being Green .” It was the most moving , incredible moment , because all of the Muppets were there . He was a huge creative force and a lovely man . I knew him from afar as part of the creative team , but he always had this wonderful smile on
Walker : I have a memory that I can share . One day , Joan Ganz Cooney said , “ You ’ re going to go down and testify in front of a Senate subcommittee on education .” I thought , “ Oh my gosh , really ? I better figure out what I ’ m going to say .” It turned out that I was going with Big Bird . So Big Bird ( Carroll Spinney ) was in first class and Big Bird had his own seat . And before leaving , my boss said to me , “ You can say something brilliant or you can say something stupid — it doesn ’ t matter at all . Everyone ’ s just going to be looking at Big Bird , and everyone ’ s going to want to have their picture taken . That ’ s why we ’ re doing this .” That was really fun . And , in fact , no one cared an iota about what I said , but every single Senator wanted their picture taken with Big Bird .
Sherman : What happened next in your career after Sesame Workshop ?
Walker : I got a call that Mayor Giuliani had decided to sell WNYC . There was a board of a foundation that was associated with the station , mostly people who had been appointed by mayors . That board stood up to Giuliani and said , “ You cannot sell this station to the highest bidder . You have to sell it to us .” When they hired me , they were looking for someone who wouldn ’ t be reporting to the mayor , but would be reporting to them . This was about saving a station , like my dad had always wanted to save WRVR . And it was about journalism . It combined everything , and it was fabulous .
Sherman : Your time at NYPR was characterized by exponential growth , with monthly audiences growing from 1 million to 26 million , and annual revenues increasing from $ 8 million to $ 95 million . Can you walk us through that remarkable
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