Dr. Emmanuel Sampene

Dr. Emmanuel Sampene sat down one evening to tell his children a bedtime story about a character named Turkey Pinky Pants. Neither as a father, nor as a university professor had Sampene ever received such a positive response, so he knew Turkey Pinky Pants would be the start of something extraordinary.

Growing up in Ghana, West Africa, Emmanuel came to the University of Pittsburgh to earn his PhD in Biostatistics. After working for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Sampene accepted a position at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, where he is Professor of Biostatistics and Medical Informatics, and Director of the University’s Data Science Core. Also, he trained at the Stanford University Graduate School of Business, as part of the Executive Education Program on innovation and entrepreneurship, where he was exposed to core business skills such as marketing, operations, strategy, accounting, design thinking, economics, and leadership.

In 2022, Sampene expanded that original bedtime story, transformed it into an engaging animated series, and founded Pinky Pants Production, LLC.  Using state-of-the-art animation technology, the series is relevant, educational, and crosses cultural boundaries. Its subject matter is wholesome enough for children, while holding entertainment value for all ages. Already won 7 awards and nominated for Best Animation, including the Cinemagic Hollywood Film Festival, Montreal Independent Film Festival, San Diego International Kids’ Film Festival etc., Turkey Pinky Pants is on track to become a household name, and the team cannot wait for the world to embrace this beloved show. 

Surprisingly, being a university professor and also the creator of a popular new animation series has a skill set crossover. At both jobs, Sampene brings leadership, puts out fires, and builds team cohesiveness in order to deliver a seamless, successful product. He has self-funded Pinky Pants Production LLC, and has worked hard to assemble a globally diverse and technically excellent team. 

Married with three children, Emmanuel Sampene enjoys biking, swimming, soccer, skiing, and playing tennis. He travels back to his home country of Ghana every year, and hopes to use a portion of the show’s profits to support affordable housing projects across Africa.