TEAM – Misty The Dog Movie

Misty's Pack

Each team member brings unique energy and creativity to the project, with everyone emotionally invested—whether through personal experiences or a deep desire to tell Misty’s healing story.

Leaders of the pack

Craig Scalise

Craig has trained over 500 therapists in dogs’ healing power while also serving as a therapy dog handler and coach for emotional support animal seekers. “Misty” is based on the true story of Craig driving into the scene of a mass shooting and then relying on his Husky to help start the community’s healing as she held off terminal cancer. Craig published the true story in Therapy Dog Magazine and adapted it as the screenplay “Misty” in collaboration with Kyle Ann Stokes’ development for the screen.

KYLE ANN STOKES

Kyle Ann Stokes is a filmmaker in the pursuit of creating joy. Early in her career, she was a member of the Local 700 Editors Guild, working as an assistant film editor on movies such as The Thomas Crown Affair and Martin Scorsese’s Kundun. In 2015, she co-founded The Writers Lab with New York Women in Film & Television—supported by Meryl Streep, Oprah Winfrey, and Nicole Kidman—to champion the female voice. Her screenplay Heartland Hoops was a finalist in the ScreenCraft Family Screenplay Competition and received recognition in several others. Additional credits include directing and producing short-form projects, including Rite of Spring, which won an award at the 2024 Jersey Shore Film Festival.

ANIMATION TEAM - BRIGHT EYE ANIMATION STUDIO

Holly Stone - Animation Producer

Holly Stone is a seasoned animation producer with 25 years of experience creating beautiful and expressive animation for advertising campaigns, feature films, documentaries and docuseries, short films, title sequences, and immersive art installations. Throughout her career, Holly has collaborated with awesome directors and artists, as well as some of the world’s most recognized brands and organizations, including Starz, United Airlines, the ACLU, Suntory, Blizzard Entertainment, Nat Geo, and Meow Wolf. Her projects have garnered critical acclaim and industry awards. In 2022, Holly co-founded Bright Eye, a full-service animation studio, alongside award-winning animation director Jason Carpenter. Bright Eye is an artist-forward studio passionate about crafting meaningful and emotionally resonant stories through the lens of artful and visually impactful animation.

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jason carpenter - Creative Director

Jason Carpenter is an Emmy and Annie Award winning animation director and artist based in Santa Monica, CA. He has over 25 years of experience creating animation and artwork for film, TV, interactive installations, and live events. His feature film credits include directing animated sequences for the award winning documentaries The Mission, Ruth, The Biggest Little Farm, He Named Me Malala, The Price of Free, and All These Sons. His series credits include directing the animation sequences for Worn Stories (Netflix), Watch the Sound, with Mark Ronson (AppleTV+), and The Next Thing You Eat, with David Chang (Hulu). His theatre work includes animated projects for The Venice Biennale, The New York City Ballet, The Vienna State Opera, The Danish Dance Theater, The Joyce Theater, and The Smithsonian to name a few. In 2023, Jason co-founded Bright Eye; a full service animation studio, with critically acclaimed animation producer Holly Stone. Bright Eye is an artist-forward studio passionate about crafting meaningful and emotionally resonant stories through the lens of artful and visually impactful animation.

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the rest of the pack

Peggy Macnamara

Peggy Macnamara has served as the Artist-in-Residence at Chicago's Field Museum of Natural History since 1990 and as an Adjunct Professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago since 2001. Peggy created the original watercolors of Misty which set our artistic direction.

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John Lyons

John Lyons is a film editor, producer, and New Yorker who has spent over 20 years primarily working as an editor on feature films, television, and occasional documentary projects. His most recent project, Here After, was released in October 2024. He is perhaps best known for his collaborations with writer and director Ritesh Batra, including their award-winning film The Lunchbox. Lyons has edited the directorial debuts of actors-turned-directors Paul Bettany and Meg Ryan. His portfolio also includes television work and short films for a diverse range of directors, such as John Cameron Mitchell, Xan Cassavetes, Boyd Holbrook, Natalie Portman, and Isaac Mizrahi. A graduate of Colby College, where he also serves as a Trustee, John is deeply involved in the arts and community. He is a Board Member of Film at Lincoln Center, Love Rocks, and several other non-profit organizations.

Josh Novick, MA LPC

Josh Novick, founder of Trust and Grow Consulting, is a licensed professional counselor with over a decade of experience in education, trauma intervention, and mental health advocacy. He began his career teaching social studies at an alternative high school within Malcolm X College in Chicago, where he witnessed the impact of trauma, particularly gun violence, on BIPOC youth. Following the 2022 Highland Park Fourth of July Parade tragedy, Josh co-led the emergency response center at Highland Park High School, mobilizing over 600 volunteer therapists within five days. As a Recovery Team member, he helped shape long-term resiliency efforts, earning the Illinois State Senate Award for his leadership. Josh holds a BS in Social Studies Education from Indiana University and an MA in School Counseling from Northeastern Illinois University. Through Trust and Grow Consulting, he partners with organizations across the North Shore, Cook County, and Lake County, promoting post-traumatic growth, psychological safety, and resilience.

Devin Bell, Consultant

Devin Bell’s passion is storytelling through character animation. His award-winning short films have been in over 100 festivals globally. He attended Skidmore College, where he majored in printmaking and sculpture, and also discovered a love for stop-motion animation. He earned his MFA in animation at CalArts. After 7 years in Los Angeles directing short films, Devin is now teaching full-time at DePaul University in Chicago.

Kari Hornfeldt

Kari Hornfeldt is a multidisciplinary creative with deep roots in both art and technology. Growing up in a family of artists, she found her own path by merging design with digital strategy—specializing in branding, digital marketing, graphic design, and web design. With a background in marketing and advertising from Marquette University, Kari has spent over 20 years in Chicago honing her craft across industries like advertising, real estate, construction, hospitality, and tech. Now based in her hometown of St. Paul, Minnesota, she brings a thoughtful, conversion-focused approach to every project—always fueled by a good challenge and a fountain Diet Coke. When she’s offline, she’s likely puzzling, swimming, or enjoying time outdoors with her Tibetan Terrier, Gordy.

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