The Center for Scholars & Storytellers (CSS) Presents:
Media and Early Childhood Learning
Online Livestream Episode and Live Q&A
Took place on Friday, October 11th, 2019 @ 1:00pm – 2:00pm PDT
Guest Speakers:
Vicki Ariyasu, Vice President, Disney Channels Worldwide Diversity & Inclusion, Disney Junior Education Resource Group
Diane Ikemiyashiro, Executive Director, Original Programming, Disney Junior
To Tune In: The Livestream took place on our Facebook Live and Instagram Live. Head to our Facebook @centerforscholarsandstorytellers to watch it.
About: The Center for Scholars & Storytellers Livestream series features a live conversation between a content creator and an academic on priority issues for young people. The goal is to share insights with a storyteller audience.
About our Presenters:
Vicki Ariyasu is Vice President, Disney Channels Worldwide Diversity & Inclusion, Disney Junior Education Resource Group.
With her extensive academic and entertainment background, Vicki Ariyasu is making a difference for the millions of kids and families who watch Disney Junior and Disney Channels Worldwide. She leads the Educational Resource Group, a team responsible for the integration of early childhood educational content across intellectual properties and brand extensions. She also leads Disney Channels initiative and commitment to diversity and inclusion.
Vicki’s priority is the seamless integration of early childhood education and developmental touchstones across series in creative development and production. She works closely with many other Disney teams including brand development and integrated planning, marketing, digital media, theme parks and resorts. She established the Disney Junior Advisory Board, a council of prominent multidisciplinary academics, experts, and cultural consultants. She has managed partnerships with UNICEF, Girls Scouts, Google, XPRIZE, NASA, Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for Hispanics, Hollywood Health and Society, children’s museums, and science discovery centers.
Vicki is responsible for an increasing volume of content to manage from an educational, child development, and inclusion perspective as the slate for programming grows exponentially. Vicki’s leadership role in diversity and inclusion has expanded as the need for resources has increased with her invaluable expertise for outreach capability, a deep understanding of the needs, and a sensitivity to the process of creating premium content.
Vicki has an Ed.M. in Technology, Innovation, and Education from Harvard, and a B.A. in East Asian and Asian American Studies from UCLA.
Diane Ikemiyashiro is Executive Director, Original Programming, Disney Junior.
She currently oversees production and creative development for the EmmyÒ Award- nominated series "Fancy Nancy," based on the New York Times bestselling books, and the upcoming "Mira, Royal Detective," a mystery-adventure series inspired by the cultures and customs of India.
Ikemiyashiro played a key role in launching the Emmy® and Imagen Award-winning "Elena of Avalor," as well as fan-favorite series "Puppy Dog Pals." She served as the lead creative executive on the acclaimed STEAM-focused animated series "Miles from Tomorrowland" and its subsequent iteration, "Mission Force One." During her work on the series, she helped orchestrate the first kids television premiere in space, with the debut of a "Mission Force One" episode onboard the International Space Station.
Prior to joining Disney in 2014, Ikemiyashiro worked in production and creative development for DreamWorks Animation where she helped develop and launch multiple family film franchises including "Shrek," "Kung Fu Panda," "Madagascar," "Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit," "How to Train Your Dragon" and "Puss in Boots." Earlier in her career, Ikemiyashiro served as a staff writer in the White House Office of Correspondence, from 1995-1999.
A native of Los Angeles, Ikemiyashiro received a Bachelor of Arts in English from California State University at Fullerton. She serves as a member of the Pasadena Tournament of Roses and the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences.
In collaboration with the UCLA School of Theatre, Film, and Television the Livestream will be recorded and hosted on the CSS website https://www.scholarsandstorytellers.com for future viewing.