Walt Disney Animation Studios Promotes Amy Astley and Mandesa Tindal (EXCLUSIVE)

Longtime Disney veterans Amy Astley and Mandesa Tindal have been promoted to new positions within Walt Disney Animation Studios.

Astley has been promoted to senior VP of publicity and communications, creative legacy and brand strategy, while Tindal has been upped to VP of marketing and franchise. Both report to Clark Spencer, president of Walt Disney Animation Studios.

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In her new role, Astley and her team will now oversee publicity and communications, digital, internal communications, unscripted/documentary content, the animation research library and brand strategy. The team will also oversee creative legacy, partnering with Walt Disney Imagineering, parks and resorts on Walt Disney Animation Studios-themed attractions and experiences.

Astley started her career in 1999 as a semi-senior secretary at Touchstone Television, then worked as a publicist at Buena Vista International Television and ABC before joining Walt Disney Animation Studios in 2012 as director of publicity, rising up the ranks to become VP of publicity. Astley has worked on the campaigns for some of Disney Animation’s biggest recent hits, including “Frozen,” “Big Hero 6,” “Zootopia,” “Moana” and the upcoming “Encanto,” which is set to be released theatrically on Nov. 24.

Tindal has been with Disney for 23 years and will now serve as the bridge between Disney Animation productions and teams across the company, working to maximize the success of new releases, franchises and legacy films in products, experiences and marketing campaigns globally. She started her career with the company at Buena Vista Distribution and has worked on both the marketing legal and integrated Marketing and synergy teams at The Walt Disney Studios. In 2015, Tindal joined Walt Disney Animation Studios as director of marketing and franchise.

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