Valerie LaPointe

Valerie LaPointe is an acclaimed Director, Writer and Story Artist at Pixar Animation Studios, a rewarding career that has placed her behind some of the most successful animated films of the modern era. With credits spanning Inside Out, Toy Story 4, Soul and Inside Out 2, Valerie has developed extensive expertise in creativity, storytelling, character development and collaborative design. Now hired as a keynote speaker, she offers audiences a rare insight into how ambitious creative ideas are developed, challenged and ultimately transformed into stories that connect with millions of people.

Valerie began her professional animation career in 2006, working as an Animator at Partizan and joining Pixar as a Story Intern. Her early projects included storyboarding on Presto, story development for Mater’s Tall Tales and work on Brave, before contributing as a Story Artist for Pixar shorts including Small Fry, Partysaurus Rex and Toy Story of Terror. She subsequently worked as a Story Artist on Inside Out and The Good Dinosaur, developing her expertise in visual storytelling, humour and character. Away from feature production, Valerie has shared her knowledge through international story workshops and collaborated with Pixar and Khan Academy on the development of the Pixar in a Box educational curriculum.

Valerie is acclaimed for her work as a Story Lead and Story Supervisor for Toy Story 4, also receiving a ‘Story by’ credit for her writing, character development and contribution to the finished film. Her work included helping develop Bo Peep into the independent character audiences see in the film, while Valerie has also been credited with originating the idea for Gabby Gabby. Toy Story 4 went on to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. In 2019, Valerie was named as one of Variety's ‘10 Animators to Watch’, recognising her growing influence within the animation industry.

Valerie expanded into directing and writing for Lamp Life, the Disney+ short exploring Bo Peep’s story between Toy Story 2 and Toy Story 4. She later served as an Associate Executive Producer on Soul and Inside Out 2, collaborating on story, character and overall film development. Her television work includes directing two episodes of Pixar’s Dream Productions, alongside additional writing and Story Lead responsibilities across the series. 

With experience spanning storyboarding, writing, directing, voice acting and production leadership, Valerie brings an unusually broad understanding of the creative process. As a keynote speaker on creativity and design, she can translate lessons from Pixar’s collaborative environment into practical insights on developing ideas, building memorable characters, responding to feedback and creating work that resonates with an audience.