Our Team
Halle Stanford
7 Crow Stories was founded by Halle Stanford, a Primetime and Children’s Emmy® Award-winner, a Silver Circle Children’s & Family Emmys Inductee (2025), and a twelve-time Emmy®-nominated television producer. Known for her creative vision and commitment to inclusive voices, she is a champion of bold ideas and emerging talent, with a track record of producing groundbreaking family entertainment. Her credits span both live-action and animation and include Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock, Slumberkins, Harriet the Spy, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, Sid the Science Kid, Dinosaur Train, Word Party!, Muppet Treasure Island, Farscape, and Bear in the Big Blue House. With decades of experience shaping children's and family media, Halle spent 30 years at The Jim Henson Company as President of Television, and now leads 7 Crow Stories under a first-look producing deal.
Over her career, Halle has sold more than 100 projects to top networks and studios including Netflix, PBS, Apple TV+, YouTube, Nickelodeon, Disney Channel, BBC, CBC, TiVo, KiKA, ITV, ABC, Warner Bros., Hulu, and Cartoon Network. Her work has received more than 100 awards, including a Primetime Emmy® for The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance and a Children’s & Family Emmy® for Fraggle Rock: Back to the Rock. At 7 Crow Stories, Halle channels her passion into every project, working closely with creative and educational experts to deliver stories with depth, purpose, and heart. With a career defined by innovation, empathy, and a love for storytelling, she continues to create meaningful series that enchant, empower, and endure.
Mike Cohen
Combining a background in entertainment, brand storytelling, advertising, media production, talent development, and a love of technology, Mike has helped launch the careers of top producers and creatives while shaping stories for some of the world’s biggest brands. He has designed and produced hundreds of interactive projects for companies like Apple, Intel, PepsiCo, AT&T, Ford, and Starbucks. As an early pioneer in augmented, virtual, and mixed reality, Mike is known for pushing storytelling boundaries and crafting immersive, cross-platform content. His expertise in digital platforms, technical systems, and high-performing teams makes him a key player in next-gen media.
A former talent agent and manager, Mike has nurtured talent, developed and sold creative projects, and negotiated hundreds of deals across the entertainment landscape. As a leader, strategist, and mentor, he thrives on collaborating with creative teams to deliver standout content across media. Mike builds storytelling brands from the ground up—developing content with digital, licensing, marketing, and franchise potential built in from day one. With his vision and experience, 7 Crow Stories is poised to become a vibrant, multi-platform universe for audiences of all ages.
Rachel Manija Brown
Rachel leads the charge in discovering fresh voices and hot books IP for film, TV, digital, and podcasts—while also guiding their publication in the book world. Rachel is a powerhouse at the intersection of storytelling, publishing, and production. A writer, novelist, publisher, and producer, she brings a rare 360-degree perspective to discovering and shaping compelling narratives across every medium. She’s the author of over thirty fantasy, science fiction, and romance novels—including the YALSA Best Book Stranger, the bestselling Protection, Inc. and Protection, Inc: Defenders series (under the pen name Zoe Chant), and the acclaimed memoir All the Fishes Come Home to Roost.
Rachel owns Paper & Clay, a thriving independent bookstore in Crestline, CA, where she’s become a trusted tastemaker in genre fiction. With her finger on the pulse of fantasy and sci-fi trends and direct connections to top authors, she knows how to spot the next breakout hit. As former Director of Development at Angel/Brown Productions (Night Visions, Door to Door), she’s uniquely positioned to identify and develop stories with screen potential. Whether curating bookshelves or producing content, Rachel is all about bringing unforgettable stories to life.
Mike Himelstein
At 7 Crow Stories, Mike is building a signature music library that will entertain, evolve, and inspire across generations—amplifying every story with unforgettable sound. As an Executive Music Producer and Songwriter, Mike has had over 500 songs recorded by artists ranging from Julie Andrews, Dick Van Dyke, Martin Short, Mandy Moore, and William Shatner to the Temptations, Al Jarreau, Stray Cats, Brian Setzer Orchestra, Johnny Winter, and Joe Bonamassa. His work spans TV, film, stage, and theme parks, with songs featured in Shrek (the Oscar-winning film and Broadway musical), Blades of Glory, The Sopranos, Saturday Night Live, The Tonight Show, and beloved children’s series like Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Special Agent Oso, Sheriff Callie’s Wild West, Sid the Science Kid, Dinosaur Train, and Splash & Bubbles. He’s also written theme songs for numerous TV shows and for Disneyland Parks worldwide. A three-time Emmy nominee, Annie Award nominee, and two-time Cynopsis Imagination Awards winner, Mike also received the ASCAP Rhythm & Soul Award for his hit “God’s Gift to the World.”
Mike doesn’t just write music—he tells stories through song. His gift for weaving character, emotion, and narrative into melody makes him uniquely equipped to create standout soundtracks for film, television, and podcasts. With strong ties to top-tier industry talent, he delivers both artistic depth and high-level production value.
Come Nest With Us
Collaborate with the brightest creative talent in family entertainment.