Joe D'Ambrosia

Joe D’Ambrosia is the senior vice president of Original Programming and general manager for Disney Junior. He oversees all extensions of the Disney Junior experience, on- and off-screen, and is responsible for all development and production of Disney’s original programming content for kids 2-7, as well as acquisitions for the preschooler demographic.

D’Ambrosia joined Disney in 2011 as vice president, Original Programming, Disney Junior, before being promoted to senior vice president in 2016. He played a crucial role in steering the Disney Junior channel to be the #1 preschooler network for six years in a row (2013-2018). During his tenure, he has overseen production and creative development for some of Disney Junior’s biggest hit series including the Peabody Award-winning “Doc McStuffins,” the Emmy® Award-winning “Sofia the First,” “Muppet Babies,” “Fancy Nancy,” “Vampirina,” “Mickey and the Roadster Racers” and “Elena of Avalor,” featuring Disney’s first princess inspired by diverse Latin cultures.

In 2018, he led the development of a 120 show tour, “Disney Junior Dance Party On Tour,” the first of its kind for Disney Junior. In its first year, the tour was nominated for a Pollstar Award honoring top achievers in live entertainment.

Prior to joining Disney Channel, D’Ambrosia produced and developed children’s television programming and family films at Murray Hill 5 Productions, which he co-founded with partner Tom Teves. Together, they developed, wrote, and produced “Astro Boy” for Sony Pictures Television, which aired in 20 countries, and created “Golden Bridges,” based on the classic book series “Golden Books,” for The Learning Channel. Additional credits include the feature films “Mother of Invention” for Walt Disney Pictures, “Motel Galileo” and “Hello, I Love You” for Wind Dancer Films, “Escape from Island X” for Wildbrain Entertainment, and the television series “Undercover 101” for Lifetime Television, “Come Spy with Me” for ABC Family, and “Blood+” for Sony Television.

Before forming Murray Hill 5 Productions, D’Ambrosia helped launch Sony Pictures Family Entertainment, overseeing the development and production of numerous family films and television series, including the movie “Land of the Lost” and the KidsWB! television series, “Phantom Investigators.”

D’Ambrosia began his career at Nickelodeon where he launched their family film division, serving as the development and production executive on their first live-action feature “Harriet the Spy” and their first animated feature “Rugrats, The Movie.” He also oversaw development of the films “Rugrats in Paris” and “Snow Day.”

D’Ambrosia graduated from Catholic University of America with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in theater.