born november american television producer founders workshop originally organization famous creation children television street created grew phoenix arizona earned degree education working washington journalist phoenix worked publicist television production companies new_york_city interested working educational television documentary producer new_york educational station programs produced won local hosted called little dinner party apartment near attendance husband boss executive potential television teach young children discussed chosen oversee direct creation eventually children television program street premiered organization oversaw production named executive director female executives american television appointment called important television developments decade remained executive director chair executive board served boards trustees organizations received awards honorary degrees workshop founded joan center named honor early life education born november phoenix arizona banker née father native born mother receive medical care birth grandfather tailor germany immigrated president mayor phoenix terms youngest siblings described childhood upper middle class country club atmosphere stated raised conventional way raised housewife mother work interesting job got college marry appropriate age father jewish mother catholic attended phoenix active school plays stated biggest influence teenager teacher lectures civil rights movement poverty free press anti europe absolutely changed life brown later investigated communist went girls catholic institution california year transferring stopped acting college father refused support career chose education interested teacher recommendation mother later stated girls generation teaching acceptable early career graduating moved washington worked clerk exposed father inspired involved television media later said father said didn media returned phoenix despite experience journalism took job reporter eighteen months later age moved new_york_city publicist years initially nbc writing press releases soap opera cbs time involved liberal democratic politics fell literary set young writers editors gathered west apartment editor notable group included years depression father committed suicide home phoenix working colleague left work educational television station boston reaction life changing educational television later stated knew born educational television highway began track progress court case public television station new_jersey attempting acquire new_york independent station later precursor pbs station public broadcasting station new_york channel public years later applied position station publicist general manager told needed producers produce told experience producing television shows later stated qualified job hired according television historian channel hired ties political activities associations later said interview transition documentary producer difficult read aware issues day adding felt like died gone heaven dealing foreign policy domestic policy civil rights great passion years taking pay cut boss produced author called series teach ins major issues programs called weekly live debate notable guests included produced debate america policy cuba aired week cuban missile crisis produced debate called poverty anti poverty world poor people brought studio confront government officials responsible developing anti poverty programs ratings low production davis stated viewers tune minded adults cared matters race injustice opportunity new_york produced documentaries later called little moses documentaries received viewers including chance beginning featured precursor head start won local emmy later train head start teachers later reported won year february age married staff member new_york mayor met working chance beginning director public relations director new_york eventually unpaid advocate urban poor credited davis called radical feminist making feminist later said supportive encouraging davis called set married despite differences upbringing station street winter hosted called little dinner party apartment near attendance husband boss lloyd knew socially executive responsible funding educational research conversation turned possibilities television educate young children raised question think television teach young children replied don know like talk according davis party start decade long professional relationship week later met offices discuss feasibility study creating educational television program opposed involvement think interested project focused children want lose chosen study summer took leave absence funded traveled canada interviewing experts child development education television reported findings page document entitled potential uses television education report called street described new look like proposed creation company oversaw production eventually known later stated undergraduate training education helped research write study emmy provided credibility eyes experts interviewed new funding sources davis credited motivation involved project journalism skills learned early career drove want difference later told interviewer thousand documentaries poverty poor people watched handful convinced going influence times later told davis necessarily thing television way turned assumed project produced station owner rejected proposal questioned credentials left station went time consultant years worked researching developing new raising million establishing according davis despite leadership project initial research development installment executive director doubt lack high level managerial experience leadership financial management skills lack experience children television education davis speculated involved stating questioned woman gain confidence men federal government elite institutions wealth exceeded gross national product entire countries fight position support husband investors project realized forward pursued named executive director february female executives american television appointment called important television developments decade street premiered pbs november season won featured cover according newsday scores glowing newspaper magazine stories workshop like heads conquering heroes called joan later reported reception incredible press parents year street air davis inundated attention reported requests interviews press endless attributed emergence women movement early 1970s testified congressional hearings children television starting premiere tim childless facto foster parents inner city black child met working harlem civil rights organization eventually child returned live mother killed new_york_city turned marriage davis called turbulent ended long history alcoholism unable support paid death august months separating husband diagnosed breast cancer underwent radical married businessman secretary commerce president richard_nixon met board presentation street marriage later years remained chairman chief executive officer stepped replaced called right hand years worked president chief operating officer time chairman executive board oversaw businesses licensing involved organization creative served committees corporate boards including recognized invited serve boards woman companies trying inclusive public speaking behalf returning roots worked documentaries credited involvement boards teaching run organization business world female inducted given presidential medal freedom president bill_clinton founded joan center independent profit organization studies improve children literacy developing digital technologies grounded detailed educational curriculum development street public prep launched day pre program low income year olds living projects called joan early learning program honors stated items list silver satellite award woman decade award award harris foundation award emmy award presidential medal freedom 10th anniversary award public policy center distinguished contribution children television award national book award annual workshop benefit gala board directors director director president commission marijuana drug abuse present governor commission international year child president commission agenda 1980s high schools society american women radio trustee channel honorary degrees princeton_university university arizona harvard_university columbia_university doctor arts doctor humane letters
Joan Ganz Cooney