Renee Mauborgne
INSEAD Distinguished Fellow & Professor of Strategy | Co-Director, INSEAD Blue Ocean Strategy Institute | Co-Author, Blue Ocean Strategy | First Woman Ranked #1, Thinkers50
Galyn Susman
Producer of Lightyear & 30-Year Pixar Veteran | Co-Founder & COO, Institute for Evolvable Medicines | On Creativity, Science & Leadership
Galyn Susman spent more than 30 years at Pixar, producing Lightyear and famously saving Toy Story 2 from deletion with the backup on her home computer. Today she is Co-Founder and COO of the Institute for Evolvable Medicines, developing gene therapies for HIV. Few speakers can connect blockbuster filmmaking and frontier science so directly, showing audiences how creativity, trust, and leadership turn impossible ideas into reality.
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Galyn Susman biography
Galyn Susman is a producer, entrepreneur, and nonprofit executive whose career bridges storytelling, technology, and scientific innovation. She spent more than three decades at Pixar Animation Studios, rising through its technical and production ranks to lead some of the most beloved films in modern animation. Before Pixar, she earned a bachelor’s degree in computer science from Brown University, worked in computer graphics research at Apple, and founded her own animation company, an early sign of the blend of creativity and technical fluency that has defined her career.
Entertainment speaker Galyn Susman served in production leadership on numerous acclaimed Pixar features, including as producer of Lightyear and associate producer of Ratatouille. She is also widely known within the industry for one of animation’s most famous near-disasters: while she was a supervising technical director on Toy Story 2, the in-progress film was nearly wiped from Pixar’s servers, and the backup that saved it was the copy on her home computer. The story has become a lasting case study in technology, backup strategy, remote work, and organizational trust.
From Pixar to Pioneering Medicine
Today, Galyn is Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of the Institute for Evolvable Medicines, a nonprofit developing evolvable medicines and gene therapies for HIV and other infectious diseases, an ambitious effort to create treatments that can keep pace with rapidly mutating viruses. She also produces documentary films and advises emerging companies and nonprofit organizations, bringing hard-won expertise in leadership, operations, fundraising, production, and strategic growth to missions at the frontier of science and storytelling.
As a speaker, Galyn Susman offers a genuinely rare vantage point: the same person who helped shepherd blockbuster animated films now helps lead a first-in-class biomedical venture. She shows audiences how the principles behind creative breakthroughs apply equally to science and business, why organizations so often suppress the innovation they claim to want, and how leaders can guide teams through problems no one yet knows how to solve. Her talks blend unforgettable behind-the-scenes stories with practical, credible lessons on innovation, trust, and leading through uncertainty. She is equally at home in conversation, and counts fireside chats, panels, and audience Q&A among her favorite parts of any event, where her candor and curiosity turn a talk into a genuine exchange.
Galyn Susman Speaking Videos
Toy Story 2: Galyn Susman Interview with Part 1 of 2 | ScreenSlam
Lightyear Director Angus MacLane and Producer Galyn Susman Interview
Galyn Susman Keynote Topics
Galyn is at her best in dialogue, and this format puts her love of questions front and center. In a fireside chat, moderated panel, or open audience Q&A, she shares candid stories from her three decades at Pixar and her current work at the frontier of medicine, responding in real time to what an audience most wants to explore. It is a flexible, interactive session that can be tailored to any theme, from innovation and leadership to technology, trust, and the future of work, and it consistently becomes one of the most memorable parts of an event.
Innovation isn't magic, and it isn't limited to creative industries. Drawing on experiences ranging from Pixar filmmaking to cutting-edge biotechnology, Galyn Susman explores the common principles behind breakthrough ideas, why most organizations accidentally suppress innovation, and how leaders can build environments where bold thinking thrives.
In one of the most famous near-disasters in animation history, a mistaken command nearly deleted Toy Story 2. The unlikely backup that saved the film happened to be sitting on a producer's home computer. Through this remarkable story, Galyn examines technology, remote work, risk management, and how trust-based organizations often outperform rigid systems.
The best ideas don't win; the best-told ideas do. Drawing on decades of experience in filmmaking and nonprofit leadership, Galyn shares storytelling techniques that help organizations connect with audiences, inspire action, and raise support for ambitious missions.
Whether making an animated feature film or advancing a first-in-human medical therapy, leaders are often asked to guide teams through problems no one knows how to solve. This talk explores practical approaches to decision-making, collaboration, and maintaining momentum when the path forward is uncertain.
Speaker topics
FAQs on Booking Galyn Susman
Why Galyn Susman?
Booking Galyn Susman is a strategic choice for events that want a speaker who can bridge worlds most people assume have nothing in common. She spent more than thirty years at Pixar, producing Lightyear and serving in production leadership across beloved films, and she is now Co-Founder and COO of a pioneering nonprofit developing gene therapies for HIV. That combination lets her speak with rare authority on innovation, creative and scientific leadership, risk, and resilience, illustrated by some of the most memorable behind-the-scenes stories in modern animation, including how she personally saved Toy Story 2. Warm, credible, and genuinely inspiring, she is an ideal fit for conferences on innovation, leadership, technology, and the future of work. To bring Galyn Susman to your next event, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
Is Galyn Susman the person who saved Toy Story 2?
Yes. While Toy Story 2 was in production, a mistaken command began deleting the film from Pixar's servers, and the studio's own backups were found to be incomplete. Galyn Susman, who was working from home at the time, had a recent copy of the film on her home computer, and that backup allowed the team to recover their work. The episode has since become one of the most widely cited stories in tech and animation about the importance of backups, redundancy, and trust.
What films did Galyn Susman work on at Pixar?
Over more than three decades at Pixar, Galyn Susman held technical and production leadership roles across many of the studio's films. She was the producer of Lightyear and associate producer of Ratatouille, and contributed to a long list of acclaimed Pixar features and projects in roles spanning technical direction, effects, and production. She left Pixar in 2023 and has since focused on biotechnology, documentary production, and advisory work.
What topics does speaker Galyn Susman cover?
Galyn Susman speaks on the art and science of innovation, technology and trust in the future of work, storytelling for fundraising and influence, and leading teams through uncertainty. Her keynotes are well suited to corporate events, innovation and leadership summits, technology conferences, and mission-driven organizations that want both inspiration and practical insight. To book Galyn Susman as a speaker, contact Aurum Speakers Bureau.
How to book Galyn Susman as a keynote speaker?
Aurum Speakers Bureau can help you book Galyn Susman as a speaker for your next event, conference, or board meeting. Simply fill out our contact form to inquire about Galyn Susman's availability for a speaking engagement. One of our booking agents will respond to your request immediately and contact the speaker to let them know you want to hire them. We will assist you with obtaining speaking fees, booking information, and confirming availability for Galyn Susman or any other top keynote speaker or celebrity of your choice.
How much is Galyn Susman speaking fee?
Galyn Susman speaking fees are determined by several factors, including the event's date, whether it's a virtual or in-person event, the duration, format, preparation required for their speech, and more. The same applies to the cost to hire any other top expert speakers and celebrities. The Speaker Fee Range listed on our website is simply a guideline and is subject to change without notice. If you would like to hire Galyn Susman to deliver a keynote speech for your event, please fill out the contact form or email us at info@aurumbureau.com with as much detail as possible. One of our experienced agents will get in touch with you and let you know exactly how much it will cost to book Galyn Susman.
How can I contact Galyn Susman?
We only work with Galyn Susman on paid speaking engagements. Aurum Speakers Bureau can assist you in booking Galyn Susman and will handle all negotiations, contracts, and logistics associated with having Galyn Susman speak at your event. We will be your sole point of contact throughout the process. Get in touch with Aurum Speakers Bureau today, and we will reach out to any motivational speaker or celebrity you want to enquire about speaking at your event. If you wish to contact Galyn Susman for any other reason, we will be unable to assist you as we are not authorized to provide personal contact information.
Can I book Galyn Susman for a virtual keynote?
Yes, Galyn Susman is available for virtual keynotes and webinars. To book Galyn Susman for a virtual event, please complete the contact form or send us an email to inquire about the special fees for virtual engagements.
