Stephen Hillenburg (born August 21, 1961, in Fort Sill, Oklahoma, USA) is an animation writer and artist, and the creator of the Nickelodeon animated series SpongeBob SquarePants. He worked on the show from 1999 to 2004, when he announced his resignation from the show. The show is being continued with Derek Drymon filling in Hillenburg's spot. It is unknown exactly why Hillenburg left the show or what he will be doing now, but there are rumors that he is planning to create another show.

Before SpongeBob, Hillenburg was a writer and storyboard artist on Rocko's Modern Life, and a marine biology teacher at what is now the Orange County Ocean Institute in Dana Point, California.

Hillenburg received a degree in natural-resource planning and interpretation, with a focus on marine resources, from Humboldt State University. In 1992, he earned a Master of Fine Arts in experimental animation degree from the California Institute of the Arts.

External links

• NNDB Profile: Stephen Hillenburg