EXCLUSIVE: BUCK, one of the animation studios behind the Obamas-produced We the People for Netflix, has signed a trio of staffers including former Cartoon Network Series Exec Mike Rauch.

Rauch, who has worked on The Powerpuff Girls, Apple & Onion, and Victor and Valentino and is also the founder of Rauch Bros Animation, becomes Head of Original Animation at the studio, which was also behind Netflix’s Love, Death & Robots.

He is joined by Netflix’s Inside Job and HBO Max’s Close Enough director Mike Bertino, who becomes Director, Content, and Story. Bertino previously spent several years storyboarding and writing on shows such as Nickelodeon’s Sanjay And Craig and Aaron Springer’s B’illey Dilley Super-Duper Subterranean Summer for Disney.

Both will work closely with BUCK Head of Content Development Jay Brooker in the company’s LA office.

Meanwhile, Cassie Asta has joined as Animation Development Coordinator, having worked with Rauch at Cartoon Network and also on Netflix’s Green Eggs & Ham, along with talent agencies ICM and CAA.

“Finding the right fit for the original animation offering wasn’t easy; we needed personnel who are highly adaptable and who understand the full spectrum of possibilities that BUCK represents,” said Brooker. “What we’ve found in this newly assembled group is a perfect blend of experience, artistry, and business-savvy.”

The company most recently produced and animated four episodes of Chris Nee’s Emmy-nominated Netflix short animation series We the People, which is exec produced by Barack Obama and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions and black-ish creator Kenya Barris.