H. Melvin Ming

Mel graduated from Temple University in June 1967, joined the CPA firm of Lybrand Ross Brothers & Montgomery in Philadelphia (PricewaterhouseCoopers), and began a 12-year career learning, servicing, assessing, auditing, and advising businesses.  His clients included insurance and financial services companies, metal fabricators, governmental agencies, entrepreneurial start-ups, hospitals, medical professional corporations, and religious organizations.  In 1973, Mel became the 7th African American to achieve the professional standing of Certified Public Accountant in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Mel entered the media sector of business fortuitously when a PricewaterhouseCoopers partner recommended him to the management team selected to save National Public Radio from bankruptcy in 1981.  It was there that Mel found what was for him a perfect opportunity to blend worthy mission and public services with good business practices that yielded personal and professional fulfillment in doing well by doing good.

Mel worked at Sesame Workshop for many years in several leadership roles. He retired in 2014 as President and CEO of Sesame Workshop, having had the privilege to lead the nonprofit educational organization in its mission to create innovative, engaging content that maximizes the educational power of media to help children reach their highest potential. He directed the Workshop’s efforts around Sesame Street’s global presence as well as initiatives that address a wide range of issues for children and families including literacy, health, and military deployment.  In that role, he also coordinated and alignment of the Workshop’s efforts with its stated strategic direction and short-term goals. 

Mel recently said, “Having worked for 45 years, it is now time for me to invest all of my experience, learning, and energy into the development of children, their causes, and the systems and communities that will optimally grow them.”