Amy K. Mitchell has built her career around service, leadership, and advocacy for America’s military and veteran community. Today, she serves as founder and CEO of Kilo Alpha Strategies, advising organizations on national security and defense, veteran, and public policy issues. From 2003-04, Mitchell served as the Deputy Director of Communications for the G8 Summit at Sea Island and from 2007-09, she served as Director of Special Projects at the Department of Defense, where she conceived, directed, and executed Warrior Care Month, a department-wide initiative designed to increase awareness of resources available to wounded, ill, and injured service members and their families.
More recently, Mitchell has expanded her work into filmmaking, serving as a co-producer on Sheepdog in 2025 and currently as an executive producer, technical advisor, and head of partnerships for JIMMY, a new film premiering November 6 that chronicles actor Jimmy Stewart’s journey from Academy Award-winning star to World War II combat pilot, military leader, and enduring American icon. Ahead of Veterans Day, we spoke with Mitchell about the film, the power of storytelling, and the lessons of service that continue to resonate today. Watch the official trailer of JIMMY here.
Q: How did your career path lead from Washington and the defense community to film production?
An old friend from high school reached out as he knew that I had done extensive work at DoD and around the military, to see if I wanted to work on Sheepdog to promote its message of Post Traumatic Growth. Due to my time at DoD and on the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee, combatting veteran suicide has always been a passion of mine, so I immediately said yes. During the course of that project, I met a woman who was leading the marketing and PR efforts on JIMMY. She asked me to join the team a year ago, and it’s been a fun, crazy, wild ride since from filming in Ireland last fall to working with the U.S. Air Force to our upcoming premiere in Fort Worth – all to honor American hero, Brigadier General James Stewart and ensure future generations know his incredible story.
Q: What inspired you to become involved in projects like Sheepdog and now JIMMY and as executive producer, what was your role?
My heart has and always will be with our military. So, to be able to help tell the stories of America’s military through film, while different than the policy and communications work I’ve done in the past, is special. At a time when we have an all-volunteer force and only 1 percent of the population now serves, we have to find new ways to rekindle the military-civilian connection. And movies today are doing that. Neither of the movies I’ve worked on would be considered “war movies,” but instead are the stories of what happens when the soldier, Marine, sailor or Airman comes home. And that’s really important for the broader public to understand. And there are so many ways to show that in film such as the incredible partnerships we’ve built for JIMMY with iconic brands including Bulova, M&Ms, MoonPie, American Optical, The Salvation Army, and so many more. These companies supported our military during WWII and immediately stepped forward again to help support the film. At the same time, I think we’re seeing a more thoughtful approach from filmmakers who want to share these stories in ways that unite – that is certainly the case with JIMMY.
Q: JIMMY shines a spotlight on a chapter of Jimmy Stewart’s life that many Americans may not fully know – his decision to leave Hollywood at the height of his success to serve in uniform during World War II. What drew you personally to this story, and why do you believe it is particularly relevant for audiences today?
My grandfather also served on B-24s during World War II, so this was personal to me. My grandfather dropped out of Notre Dame to serve – and like Jimmy, also somehow made it home. The odds were not in the crews’ favor, and that Jimmy and so many others did come home and did what they had to do to support their families upon return has been overlooked. Jimmy was at the height of his career in Hollywood and chose to serve. In fact, he fought to serve. He flew 20 missions over Europe, none of them “milk runs.” When he returned home, as his daughter, Kelly, has said, he didn’t know if he was an out of work pilot or an out of work actor. Not to give the ending away, but I think anyone who sees JIMMY will have a whole new appreciation when they watch It’s A Wonderful Life this year with their family.
Q: As an executive producer, what do you hope viewers take away from JIMMY? Were there lessons about service, sacrifice, leadership, or character that emerged during the filmmaking process that you think are especially meaningful as we approach Veterans Day?
Few know this chapter of Jimmy’s life. He was a humble man who didn’t speak of his service. He also had a strong faith. He continued to serve, even while making classics that we still love today, such as Rear Window and The Man Who Shot Liberty Valence. It shows us that life is really what you make it of it. So I hope the message that viewers leave with is that heroes really do walk among us and that as Jimmy said, the key to leading a wonderful life is simply about “living each ordinary day honorably, with faith in God and a selfless concern for others.”
