Pat Mitchell facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Pat Mitchell
Mitchell in 2002
Born	(1943-01-20) January 20, 1943 (age 82) Swainsboro, Georgia, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Georgia BA, MA
Occupation	Global media businesswoman
Spouse(s)	Scott Seydel
Children	6

Pat Mitchell was born on January 20, 1943. She is a very important person in the world of media. She made history as the first woman to be the president and CEO of PBS. PBS is a well-known public television network in the United States. Today, she is also the editorial director for TEDWomen. This is a special conference that celebrates the power of women and girls.

Early Life and Learning

Pat Mitchell went to the University of Georgia. She studied English literature there. She earned both her bachelor's and master's degrees. She even received a scholarship for drama to help her attend college.

A Career in Media

Pat Mitchell started her career teaching English. She taught at the University of Georgia and Virginia Commonwealth University. One day, she wrote an article about student movements. An editor at Look magazine noticed it. This was the start of her journey into journalism.

In 1971, Look magazine closed down. Pat was told to try television. She auditioned for several roles. Soon, she was hired as a full-time TV reporter at WBZ in Boston.

Over the next 30 years, Pat did many exciting things. She worked as a news reporter and news anchor. She also hosted national talk shows. She even reported from the White House. Pat also created and produced many documentaries and TV series. A lot of these shows focused on women's stories. In 1978, she co-hosted America Alive! on NBC. She also co-hosted a CBS show based on People magazine.

Creating Woman to Woman

In the mid-1980s, Pat left NBC. She wanted to start her own company. Her goal was to create a new show called Woman to Woman. This show was special. It was the first national TV program produced and hosted by a woman. Woman to Woman was so important that it became part of the Schlesinger Library. This library at Radcliffe College collects materials about the history of women.

Leading at PBS

In 1992, Pat Mitchell had an idea. She talked to Ted Turner, a famous media leader. She wanted to make a documentary series about the history of women in America. This 6-hour series was called A Century of Women. It aired in 1994 on Turner cable networks. The series was nominated for three Emmy Awards.

In 2000, Pat Mitchell made history again. She became the first woman president and CEO of PBS. She led PBS until 2006. After leaving PBS, she became the President and CEO of the Paley Center for Media. This is an important cultural place in New York.

Starting TEDWomen

In 2010, Pat Mitchell launched TEDWomen. This is an annual conference that lasts three days. It is part of the famous TED Talks. Pat became its main director, planner, and host. The conference focuses on how women and girls can be creators and make changes in the world. Famous speakers like Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi have spoken there.

Pat Mitchell has also produced documentaries. In 2022, she helped produce Refuge. This film followed a Syrian Kurd and a former Klansman. It showed a town in Georgia that welcomed refugees. As of 2021, she was also a leader for several important groups. These include the Sundance Institute and the Women's Media Center.

Awards and Special Recognitions

Many documentaries Pat Mitchell produced have won over 100 major awards. These include 41 Emmy Awards and seven Peabody Awards. In 1996, she personally won a Prime-Time Emmy Award. This was for a show called Survivors of the Holocaust on TBS. She was also nominated for four other Prime-Time Emmys.

In 2008, Pat Mitchell was added to the Broadcasting and Cable Hall of Fame. The Hollywood Reporter magazine called her one of the "Most Powerful Women in Hollywood." Fast Company magazine also featured her. They called her one of "The League of Extraordinary Women."

In 2012, the Women's Media Center gave Pat Mitchell their first Lifetime Achievement Award. She has also received the Sandra Day O'Connor Award for Leadership. The Center for the Advancement of Women honored her too. They recognized her work in making society more fair for women. She is also one of 12 Americans to receive the Bodley Medal from Oxford University.

Pat Mitchell was also chosen by Nancy Pelosi to be a commissioner. Her job was to help plan a National Women's History Museum. This museum would be in Washington, D.C. The group gave their plan to Congress in 2016.

Personal Life

Pat Mitchell is married to Scott Seydel. They have six children and 13 grandchildren. They live in New York City and Atlanta, Georgia.