Bobby Podesta

Bobby Podesta has worked as an animator and storyteller at Pixar for more than 20 years. He joined the studio in 1997 and has worked on many well-known films, including A Bug’s Life, Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., Finding Nemo, and The Incredibles. Over time, he took on bigger roles, working as a Directing Animator on Cars and a Supervising Animator on Toy Story 3, Cars 3, and Soul.

Beyond animation, Podesta is also a writer. His debut middle-grade graphic novel, North for the Winter, comes out in fall 2025. The story follows Virginia, a girl who sees a flying reindeer and sets off on an adventure to return it to the North Pole before Christmas. He also created webcomics, such as Six Foot Six Year Old, and has directed episodes of Cars on the Road for Disney+. 

Across all his work, storytelling is at the heart of what he does. When he’s not bringing stories to life on screen, he’s surrounded by them at home in Oakland, with his wife, daughter, son, a few chickens, a spoiled cat, and a very cute dog.

At Responsive Conference 2025, Podesta will share insights from his years at Pixar, showing how animation principles can be applied to business storytelling. He’ll help attendees understand the power of visual storytelling, emotional connection, and character-driven narratives in professional settings. His session will include hands-on exercises to help participants sharpen their storytelling skills for leadership, team communication, and persuasion.