The Nickelodeon Group has appointed former Disney executive Jill Sanford as its new vice president of animation development. 

In her new role Sanford will be responsible for all aspects of developing Nickelodeon’s animated projects. She will also help oversee the comedy shorts program and partner with the short form development team to find and shepherd the next generation of animated hits.

Prior to joining Nickelodeon, Sanford held several positions during her nine year tenure at The Walt Disney Company. Most recently, she served as the director of original series for Disney Television Animation where she the lead executive for Disney Channel’s animation series “Phineas and Ferb,” “Fish Hooks” and other projects still in development. 

Sanford has also held positions at Fox Sports Net and commercial production company, Hungry Man.

“Jill’s creative expertise and proven track record of overseeing animated hits makes her a terrific addition to the Nickelodeon animation team,” says Jenna Boyd, senior vice president of animation development, Nickelodeon Group. “Her keen eye for identifying unique ideas and talent will be a huge asset as we continue to grow our hit Nick animation brand.”