Longtime Sesame Street producer Benjamin Lehmann has been promoted to executive producer of the iconic children’s television program, taking over from creative director and interim executive producer Brown Johnson.

Lehmann has served as the show’s supervising producer since 2015. He joined the production as a PA in 2001, eventually becoming a producer in 2007 and also serving as a director for the past three years. As executive producer, he will lead the show through its 50th anniversary and beyond.

His previous work on the program resulted in nine Emmys and four Producer’s Guild Awards. Most recently, Lehmann and his team took home a Primetime Emmy for 2016 holiday special Once Upon A Sesame Street Christmas. He also directed last month’s HBO Sesame Street special, The Magical Wand Chase.

Before joining Sesame Street, Lehmann served as an indie producer, cinematographer and director of TV and feature films with his own production company.