Chris Nee Hires Kids Media Vet Koyalee Chanda As Programming Executive For Her Netflix-Based Company

EXCLUSIVE: Doc McStuffins and Vampirina creator Chris Nee has brought in kids media veteran Koyalee Chanda as VP of Production and Development for her production company Laughing Wild. Chanda will serve as an executive producer on multiple animated projects across genres.

The hire is part of Nee’s efforts to build a robust slate for Netflix, where she inked an exclusive multi-year overall deal late last year to write and produce original animated and live-action series. It is the highest-profile talent deal for Netflix’s Kids and Family division.

“I have admired Koyalee professionally and personally for over two decades spent in parallel universes in the kids business,” said Nee. “Her impeccable taste and breadth of real world experience across all stages of the animation process make her the perfect fit to help produce the multiple productions moving simultaneously through Laughing Wild. I’m thrilled to have her join the team.”

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Chanda is a seven-time Emmy-nominated director and producer, starting her directing career on the venerable preschool series Blue’s Clues. Previous to joining Laughing Wild, Chanda was a Creative Executive at Apple and, prior to that, a development consultant for HBO Kids and Family. As a producer, her credits include the preschool series Wallykazam (Nickelodeon) and the pilot for the multiple-award winning Odd Squad (PBS). Chanda’s directing and voice directing credits include Sesame Street and The Backyardigans. She has done development work for Universal Kids and DreamWorks Animation.

“I have long admired Chris’ ability to tell stories that kids love while simultaneously pushing the cultural needle,” said Chanda. “As a brown kid growing up watching cartoons, I never saw anyone who looked like me on TV, so being able to help Chris in her mission of embracing diverse representations on and off screen is truly thrilling.”