Sarah Helton
About Sarah Helton
Sarah Helton serves as the Department Head of Production Management at Pixar Animation Studios, where she has worked since 1997. She plays a key role in driving talent, inclusion, and business priorities while managing a team of 120 production managers.
Work at Pixar Animation Studios
Sarah Helton has held multiple roles at Pixar Animation Studios since 1997. She began her career as a Production Scheduling Coordinator from 1997 to 1999. After a two-year gap, she returned as a Department Manager, a position she held for 16 years until 2015. Currently, she serves as the Department Head of Production Management, a role she has occupied since 2015. In her current position, she oversees a team of 120 production managers, focusing on strategy and development within the department.
Education and Expertise
Sarah Helton studied at the University of California, Los Angeles, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Economics. Her educational background provides a foundation for her work in production management, particularly in driving business priorities and talent inclusion at Pixar. Her expertise encompasses production management, team leadership, and compensation strategy.
Leadership and Strategic Initiatives
In her role at Pixar, Sarah Helton partners with studio leaders to advance talent, inclusion, and business priorities. She led a high-level team to redesign the selection process for department managers, emphasizing transparency and self-advocacy. Additionally, she designed and implemented a compensation project that improved pay ranges and introduced merit-based differentiation, positively impacting over two-thirds of her department.
Project Management for 'The Good Dinosaur'
Sarah Helton managed pre-production collaboration and strategy for the film 'The Good Dinosaur.' She coordinated efforts across five technical departments, focusing on the film's technical and look development. Her role was crucial in ensuring that various teams worked together effectively during the pre-production phase.