Voice Director Behind “Gravity Falls” and “Rick and Morty” to Speak at Pasadena Dinner

The woman who cast “Gravity Falls,” directed voices for “Rick and Morty” and helped launch “Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man” will speak in Pasadena next month about how she built a career in the Industry.

Sara Jane Sherman, an Emmy Award-winning voice director and three-time Emmy-nominated casting director, will discuss her career path and how to break into animation voice work at the USC Trojan Affiliates Year End Celebration on Thursday, May 7, at Gale’s Restaurant. The dinner is open to all interested women, according to a press release from the organization.

Sherman spent 12 years at Disney Television Animation, where she rose to executive director of casting and talent relations and worked on shows including Phineas and Ferb, Big Hero 6: The Series, Milo Murphy’s Law and Star vs. the Forces of Evil, according to her IMDB profile. She left Disney at the beginning of 2017, according to IMDB.

Before Disney, she worked in development at Klasky Csupo, the studio behind Rugrats and As Told by Ginger, and at Gullane Entertainment, known for Thomas the Tank Engine, according to IMDB. She started her career as a production assistant for television producer Steven Bochco after attending the S.I. Newhouse School of Communications at Syracuse University, according to IMDB.

After leaving Disney, Sherman served as Jon Stewart’s head of casting for an animated project with HBO, according to IMDB. She now runs her own company and is currently casting or voice directing projects for Apple, Netflix, Nickelodeon, Disney TV Animation, Fox, Cartoon Network, Warner Bros., Adult Swim and Max, according to the press release. Her recent credits include Rick and Morty, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, Animaniacs, The Cuphead Show, Krapopolis, Hamster and Gretel and Scott Pilgrim Takes Off, according to IMDB.

USC Trojan Affiliates is a philanthropic women’s group affiliated with the University of Southern California that raises scholarship funds for USC students who attended San Gabriel Valley high schools, according to the USC Alumni Association. The group meets five times a year at venues across the San Gabriel Valley.

The May 7 event also includes installation of the 2026-2027 board. Co-Presidents Cynthia Wiese and Megan Tancredi will be installed for their second year, along with the incoming board, according to the press release. The evening will also include a review of 2025-2026 activities and recognition of new members.

The dinner will be served family style at Gale’s Restaurant, 452 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Pasadena. The cost is $49 per person. The event runs from 6 to 9 p.m. The restaurant has its own parking lot and is near the Del Mar Metrolink station. For reservations, contact Sarah Sismondo at sisarah@verizon.net. All women — USC alumnae, parents and friends of the university — are welcome to attend, according to the press release.

Sherman’s work across nine studios — from Disney and Warner Bros. to Netflix and Marvel — gives her a broad perspective on the industry. The May 7 talk will cover her experiences and how aspiring voice actors can enter the field, according to the press release.