The Jim Henson Company has hired Sidney Clifton as its first SVP of animation and mixed media. Starting in January and reporting to president of television Halle Stanford, she will oversee the development and production of Henson’s animated and live-action TV content, including hybrid projects and formats that use its proprietary Henson Digital Puppetry Studio.

Clifton’s animation producer credits include Black Panther, Stan Lee Presents and Me, Eloise. Recently, she has collaborated with Henson on new projects including Apple TV+ toon Harriet the Spy and animated series Lena!, which is based on author Karen Katz’s picture book The Colors of Us.

Clifton was nominated for an Emmy as a producer on Cartoon Network’s Hellboy. And she has also held positions at Deluxe Animation Studios, Bento Box Entertainment and Film Roman. Currently, she serves as a senior consultant for Black Women Animate and is president of The Clifton House, a Baltimore-based creative space committed to education, validation and inspiration for underrepresented writers and artists.