Educational researcher Vicki Ariyasu has been named to the newly created role of Executive Director, Disney Junior Educational Resource Group. Ariyasu, a longtime consultant to Disney Junior, will lead an in-house team responsible for the curriculum development and focus group studies of Disney Junior content and brand extensions. The announcement was made today by Nancy Kanter, Senior Vice President, Original Programming and General Manager, Disney Junior Worldwide, to whom Ariyasu will report.
Designed for kids and families, Disney Junior's mission is to provide the rich heritage of Disney storytelling incorporated with age-appropriate learning for kids age 2-7.
Kanter said: "Having our curriculum advisor in-house and Vicki's educational expertise on a full-time basis strengthens our efforts to meet parents' call for an engaging, learning-focused Disney destination for their children."
Ariyasu will work with the
Disney Junior programming development and production teams to establish curriculum based on national educational standards, while also incorporating new technologies and cultural trends. She will work with on-air promotion and digital media teams to ensure that all
Disney Junior content -- from television to online, games, apps and other brand extensions -- has a learning focus and incorporates the best practices in early childhood education and development.
Ariyasu will also manage a council of prominent academics -- the
Disney Junior Advisory Board, which she helped establish -- to further guide Disney Junior's curriculum in the fields of transmedia, storytelling, early education, language development, diversity, emotional learning, digital trends and literacy.
Her work as an educational consultant has impacted millions of kids and families. Her consulting credits include Disney Junior's hit series "Sofia the First," "Doc McStuffins," "Imagination Movers" and the upcoming "Sheriff Callie's Wild West." Other television credits include "Franklin and Friends," "Trucktown," "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic," "The Adventures of Chuck and Friends," "Rugrats," "The Wild Thornberries" and the transmedia project "Umigo" ("yoU Make It GO").
Previously, Ariyasu served as
Vice President of Development, Television & Movies, for Klasky Csupo, Inc., and
Vice President for Bagdasarian Productions/Universal Family Entertainment. She also did program development work for Caravan Pictures and Amblin Entertainment. She holds a Master of Education degree in Technology, Innovation and Education from Harvard University and a Bachelor of Arts in East Asian Languages and Cultures from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Disney Junior reflects the emotional connection generations of consumers have to Disney storytelling and Disney characters, both classic and contemporary. It invites mom and dad to join their child in the Disney experience of magical, musical and heartfelt stories and characters, while incorporating specific learning and development themes designed for kids age 2-7. Disney Junior's series blend Disney's unparalleled storytelling and characters kids love deeply with learning, including early math, language skills, healthy eating and lifestyles, and social skills.
Disney Junior launched in February 2011 with a daily programming block on Disney Channel. In its first year,
Disney Junior posted the network's biggest yearly audience in the daypart in Total Viewers, Kids 2-5, Boys 2-5 and Women 18-49, increasing by double-digit margins among preschooler demographics over year-ago levels. On March 23, 2012
Disney Junior added a cable and satellite channel in the U.S.
Disney Junior channels in Japan, India and
Disney Junior Portugal launched in fall 2012, bringing the total number of channels to 33 worldwide.
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