Disney Television Animation Adds New Execs Due to Disney+ Expansions

Disney Television Animation, the arm of the Walt Disney Company responsible for hits like Elena of Avalor and Doc McStuffins, added a pair of executives to help keep manage the flow of new content created by the success of the Disney+ app. The two new execs, both joining at a vice president level, are Lisa Fragner and Elizabeth Waybright Taylor. Fragner is a veteran of the now-defunct Blue Sky Studios, who developed animated flims like Ice Age and Spies in Disguise before Disney bought out 20th Century Fox and absorbed its assets. Taylor is a veteran of Disney Television Animation, having joined the company in 2010.

Fragner joined Disney Television Animation as vice president, Development. In her new role, which is based in New York, she reports to Emily Hart, senior vice president, Animation Development, Disney Branded Television. Taylor, who also works under Hart, has been promoted to vice president, Development, Disney Television Animation. She will oversee a team that identifies and steers new animated Disney Channel content for kids 6-11 and families. A Disney employee for 11 years, she was most recently executive director, Development, Disney Television Animation.

Hart said, “Elizabeth’s decade of experience at TVA and her passion for creator-driven projects makes her the ideal executive to lead our development slate for Disney Channel. She has an eye toward curating character-driven comedies and is a strong partner and ally to talent – a true champion of their creative vision. I’m delighted to see her take on this leadership role with the development team!”  

“Strong creative executives are the key to our success in the marketplace,” Meredith Roberts, senior vice president and general manager, Television Animation, Disney Branded Television, said in a statement. “Lisa has deep experience in the animation industry, and her acute creative and business sense — especially as a longtime mentor of creator talent from underrepresented groups — is a hand-in-glove fit with our commitment to world-class storytelling.” 

Fragner worked from 2003 until 2021 as vice president and head of Development, Blue Sky Studios, where she steered several creator-driven feature films from concept pitch to greenlight, including Ice Age: Dawn of The Dinosaurs, Dr. Seuss’ Horton Hears A Who, Rio, Spies in Disguise, and Nimona. She also secured the rights to several feature film properties for 20th Century Fox Animation and Fox Family feature divisions, including the animated Confessions of an Imaginary Friend and the live-action Better Nate Than Ever. Fragner earned degrees in history and theater from Stanford University and is a member of the Stanford Alumni in Entertainment and its mentoring program, BEAM/Stanford Career Education. She is also affiliated with TAP The Animation Project, Women in Animation, ASIFA, The Animation Industry Council and the New York Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment/Made in NY.

Taylor has shepherded a steady stream of projects through development, including the acclaimed cartoon shorts The Wonderful World of Mickey Mouse and the Annie Award-winning series Amphibia, Kiff, and the recently announced Primos. She joined Disney Television Animation in 2010 as an assistant on the Development team and, as the studio grew, she was promoted into roles of greater responsibility: coordinator (2012-14), manager (2014-16), director (2016-2020) and executive director (2020-2021). Prior to Disney, she worked in animation production at Nickelodeon.