Pat Mitchell is a lifelong advocate for women’s leadership who has used her diverse spheres of influence to elevate women’s stories and representation and to lead for a more just, equitable and sustainable world.
Currently, she’s the Co-Founder of ConnectedWomenLeaders, a collective problem solving coalition, spanning geographies and generations and the Co Founder and Partner of Project Dandelion, a global women led campaign to unify, amplify and activate women’s leadership as a pivotal accelerator towards a climate safe future for all. She is also the Co-Founder and Editorial Director of TEDWomen.
Pat Mitchell is often described as a transformative force in media and advocacy, breaking new ground as the first woman President of PBS and of CNN Productions and as the first woman to own, produce and host the first all women focused daily network program, Woman to Woman, which was awarded an Emmy, and opened new opportunities for other women-led media initiatives.
Mitchell left a successful on air career to focus on elevating women’s representation on and off camera, traveling to the Middle East, Latin America and Africa to document the work of women on the frontlines of war, peace and social justice movements.
Her commitment to media as a force for positive social change led her to return to her home state of Georgia as the President of Ted Turner’s original production company, and over the 10 years in that position, she produced documentaries and series that were honored with 34 Emmys and 5 Peabody Awards; among them, a 24 hour documentary series on the COLD WAR for which she interviewed 600 world leaders, A Century of Women, a six hour series documenting the often untold accomplishments of American women and more than 400 other hours of environmental and conservation focused films.
From CNN to PBS, to become the first woman President and CEO of the only non profit media enterprise in the US, responsible for the National Program service for 347 public television stations. Next a move to NY to lead the Paley Center for Media, a global think tank on the role of media and technology in society, a subject that continues to be a focus of her writing and advocacy.
Mitchell’s professional experiences also include serving as a corporate director of the Bank of America, of AOL, Inc, and Participant Media and currently, as a trustee of many non profit organizations: Chair Emeritus and 25 years as aTrustee of the Sundance Institute, the Founding chair of the Women’s Media Center, a trustee of The Skoll Foundation and the Woodruff Arts Center, a member of the Carter Center’s Board of Councilors, a founding member of the VDAY Movement to end violence against women and girls and serves on CARE’s Global Advisory Council. She also serves on the advisory boards of the US Institute for Peace, Internews, Women without Borders, and was recently appointed by Congress to the Smithsonian American Women’s History Museum Advisory Council. She is also a member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
Project Dandelion:
The Dandelion
is our symbol for a reason.
It represents resilience, growth, and the unstoppable spread of change. It grows everywhere, across every continent, and spreads with just a breath of wind.
Together we will create bold, provocative campaigns that mobilize millions, amplify the solutions of women leaders, and shift the global narrative on climate action.
Through cutting-edge storytelling, strategic partnerships, and relentless advocacy, we make a case for climate action grounded in innovation, community resilience, and the leadership of those already driving change.