Moonbug Supercharges CoComelon, Blippi and Flagship IPs with Expanded Creative and Production Leadership

Pictured: Kathy Power (left) promoted to Head of Creative, and Carlos Stevens (right) joins as Head of Creative Development at Moonbug

Key hires and promotions drive momentum behind Moonbug’s signature brands—with major projects in the works across YouTube, subscription streaming services, a 2027 feature film, and more

LOS ANGELES – July 23, 2025 – Moonbug Entertainment—the team behind global preschool hits CoComelon and Blippi—is scaling up its creative and production leadership to meet the demands of an ambitious slate. With projects spanning YouTube formats, original series on Netflix, and a feature film debuting in 2027, the company is investing in top-tier talent to raise the creative bar and power the next chapter of growth.

Moonbug’s Chief Creative Officer Richard Hickey, currently sets the creative strategy and direction for all Moonbug content. Vice President of Production Kirstie Brockett leads the production vision—building the infrastructure, teams, and processes that scale ideas into globally loved content with consistency, quality, and ambition.

Creative Team Expands

Moonbug is a creative-first company, where every franchise begins with strong storytelling. The company believes lasting success is built on compelling ideas—nurtured by the right team and designed to thrive across platforms and generations.

• Carlos Stevens joins as Head of Creative Development. A former Student Academy Award nominee, Stevens brings cinematic storytelling and a track record across prestige animation and major franchises. He has directed at LAIKA and worked with Axis Animation on projects for Avatar and League of Legends. Recently, he helmed an episode of Love, Death & Robots and adapted Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem into the upcoming Nickelodeon series. At Moonbug, he’ll lead development strategy to give every project a strong creative foundation from the start

• Kathy Power has been elevated to Head of Creative, bringing broad expertise in creative leadership and franchise building across animation, live-action, music, and podcasts. At Moonbug, she has helped drive the success of Little Angel, Morphle and the Magic Pets, Little Baby Bum: Music Time, Gecko’s Garage, and more. Her preschool credits also include Gabby’s Dollhouse, Go, Dog. Go!, Doug Unplugs, and Madagascar: A Little Wild from her time at DreamWorks Animation.

• Nicole Rivera also joins the creative ranks as Senior Creative Executive on CoComelon. A veteran of Cartoon Network Studios, DreamWorks, and Kickstart Entertainment, her credits include Steven Universe, The Powerpuff Girls reboot, Jessica’s Big Little World, and Invincible Fight Girl. Rivera brings deep expertise in preschool storytelling to one of the world’s most-watched kids’ brands.

• Lizzy Easterday steps into a new role as Senior Director of Creative, leading all Blippi content as well as alternative formats and short-form innovation. Since joining Moonbug in 2021, she has led creative across the company’s flagship franchises, including Blippi and CoComelon, following her work at DreamWorks Animation on titles like Gabby’s Dollhouse and Go, Dog. Go!.

“This is a pivotal moment in Moonbug’s creative evolution,” said Richard Hickey, Chief Creative Officer, Moonbug Entertainment. “We’re not just making shows—we’re shaping rituals, moments, and memories for families around the world. Our creative team is built to be a hub of creative and strategic excellence, and each of these leaders plays a vital role in that. With this expanded team, we’re deepening that emotional connection while stretching what our brands can be—on screen and beyond.”

Production Team Scales Up

Moonbug’s production team is also growing to meet big ideas with bold execution. With cutting-edge tools and a culture of innovation, they’re reimagining how great stories come to life—at scale.

• Jay Woolley has been promoted to Senior Director of Animation Production, overseeing production across all core and original series, including CoComelon Lane. An Emmy and BAFTA-winning producer with over 30 years in animation, Woolley’s credits include Wallace & Gromit, Shaun the Sheep, and Moominvalley.

• Will Newis joins as Senior Director of Production, Brand Partnerships, where he will oversee production for Moonbug’s slate of strategic content partnerships with brands. Newis brings over a decade of global VFX and animation experience, having led high-profile projects for Disney, Netflix, and DreamWorks—most recently overseeing production at Jellyfish Pictures on Dogman, The Twits, and Wolf King.

“Our content touches families in real ways, every day,” added Kirstie Brockett, Vice President of Production, Moonbug Entertainment. “That scale demands both care and ambition. We’re not just building infrastructure—we’re pushing the boundaries of what’s possible through bleeding-edge techniques. I’m incredibly proud of the team we’re building to bring that vision to life and set a new standard for what high-quality storytelling can look like at scale.”

About Moonbug Entertainment:

Moonbug is an award-winning global entertainment company inspiring kids everywhere to laugh, learn and grow. The company is behind some of the biggest kids’ entertainment brands in the world, including CoComelon and Blippi. Moonbug believes every child should have access to entertaining and enriching content, making its shows available on more than 150 video platforms globally including Netflix, Disney+, BBC iPlayer and YouTube Kids. The company is also a global leader in pre-school music and audio experiences, available on 100+ audio platforms globally. Moonbug brands extend far beyond the screen to include streaming music, consumer products and live events.

Moonbug is part of Candle Media, an independent, creator-friendly home for cutting-edge, high-quality, category-defining brands and franchises. By bringing together elite talent operating at the intersection of content, community, and commerce, it helps to position leading entertainment businesses for accelerated, sustainable growth in the current market and beyond. Candle is run by its Co-Chairmen and Co-CEOs, leading entertainment executives Kevin Mayer and Tom Staggs, and backed by investment capital from funds managed by Blackstone’s flagship private equity business.