Production Manager Lauren Gauthier discusses getting into animation without drawing skills, heeding the call to be a Nickelodeon Shop Steward, and instilling in her crew members their personal responsibility for keeping the Guild strong.
Name: Lauren Gauthier
Job Title: Production Manager
Studio: Nickelodeon
Contact Info: stewards-nickelodeon@tag839.org
Tell us a little about yourself and your career.
I’ve been in animation for about 11 years, with a few years at a talent agency and in feature VFX before that. I’ve always loved television, but I didn’t know animation was a career option for me, since I don’t draw. A classmate from college had gotten in at DreamWorks and said she thought I might like it. And boy, was she right! After working on three incredible shows at DreamWorks TV, I made the jump over to Nickelodeon, where I’ve been for almost eight years now. I’m incredibly proud to have spent over a decade working in animation both in production and as a writer.
Lauren at the 2026 May Day March in downtown Los Angeles.
What do you love most about working in animation?
The people. Full stop. Animation has the very best human beings, and I love getting to work with them and see what incredible art they come up with. It’s the only job I’ve had where I’m surrounded by incredibly talented people who are also kind and respectful and nerdy and care about treating their co-workers well.
Why did you volunteer to serve as a Shop Steward?
I was actually recruited for the position by our previous Shop Steward and Union Rep, but I accepted the call because the position seemed to play to my strengths of being a busybody, along with my desire to connect more deeply with the animation community.
As a Shop Steward, what are your priorities in helping TAG members at your studio?
I am really hoping that members of my studio will feel more connected to and personally responsible for the Union. We are the Union. I want to communicate to the folks at my studio that we have the power to make our Union either strong or weak depending on the actions we do or do not take.