Emma Kiesbye is a Hudson Valley native with a B.S. Degree in Digital Media, Concentration in Animation, from Marist University. She was inspired by her grandmother, who would let her paint alongside her, and this is where her love for the arts began. From there, Kiesbye was happiest with a pencil in her hand, drawing characters from her favorite Disney cartoons. As the years passed, this hobby grew into a deep fascination with hand-drawn animation which ultimately shaped her career path.

Throughout her education, Kiesbye’s focus never wavered. Her dedication to her craft was recognized through several competitive honors, such as receiving the Distinguished status in the NYSATA Portfolio Project and two Gold Key Certificates from the Hudson Valley region's Scholastic Art & Writing Awards. She would then earn her Associate's Degree in General Studies from Dutchess Community College, where she deepened her knowledge of Adobe Creative Cloud and animation software. Her work, focusing on incorporating psychology into animation, has been showcased in both DCC and Marist galleries. She is also the recipient of the 2026 School of Communication and the Arts Outstanding Achievement in Animation from Marist University.

Kiesbye remains dedicated to preserving the integrity of creativity and the belief that, above all else, art made by human hands carries something irreplaceable.