Festival of Innovation 2023

Majed Almansoori

Deputy Executive Director

The Museum of Future

Majed Al Mansoori serves as the Deputy Executive Director at the Museum of the Future, a visionary project launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, with a mission to redefine Dubai’s future.

In his pivotal role, Majed leads the project management operations, overseeing the transformation of the Museum of the Future from its construction phase to becoming a fully operational beacon of innovation and culture.

Majed’s journey began as a member of the founding team at the Museum of the Future. With a strong commitment to shaping narratives and inspiring communities, he encourages individuals to cultivate new perspectives and skills. Majed firmly believes in fostering a culture that unites diverse talents, embracing forward-thinking attitudes, and thus enabling the Museum of the Future to make a profound impact on local, regional, and global communities.

Before his role at the Museum of the Future, Majed joined the Dubai Future Foundation (DFF) as a Project Manager for Area 2071. This dynamic ecosystem brings together creative minds, innovative companies, and government stakeholders to collaboratively address future challenges. Majed played a pivotal role in developing commercial, marketing, and content strategies, while also negotiating and attracting international talent to contribute to Area 2071’s mission.

Majed’s professional journey reflects his profound fascination with design and its ability to engage, communicate, and influence lifestyles. His passion led him to establish a startup and embark on a journey of self-discovery. He draws inspiration from the ancient Greek wisdom that “the unexamined life is not worth living,” continually seeking to explore and create meaningful change in the world.

Kim Beneville

Co-Founder

Beneville Studios

Kimberly Beneville is a Co-Founder of Beneville Studios, an Idea Manifestation Machine based in New York City. With a background in theater, storytelling has been the primary focus of her career, and a skill that has been integral to her work at Beneville Studios.

Born and raised in Connecticut, Kimberly began working as an actress at a young age. She met her future business partner and husband Michael Beneville in 2003, during which time they were both working actors, Kimberly as a performer on a hidden camera show and Michael as a host for an Xbox gaming show. Kimberly and Michael’s first projects together focused on creating bespoke objects such as inventive centerpieces for leading event planners. Though Kimberly and Michael have since divorced, they remain best friends and business partners.

When Kimberly and Michael established Beneville Studios, with Co-Founder and current President Camille Purdy, Kimberly found that her passions for storytelling were best suited to working behind-the-scenes. For the studio’s projects creating commissioned artwork and one-of-a-kind artifacts for exclusive clientele, Kimberly spends countless hours researching and compiling interviews, photos, and footage to construct the story of a client’s life and success. She believes that everyone has a compelling story to tell, and strives to make these stories tangible.

The project that Kimberly views as one of the masterpieces of her career at Beneville Studios was her work on The Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls, which provides world-class education to previously disadvantaged girls in South Africa. Kimberly and her team traveled to South Africa to interview the first class of girls to graduate from the school, collecting the students’ expressions of their hopes, dreams, and gratitude, which the studio then wove into a hand-bound commemorative book that was presented to Oprah Winfrey and preserves a magical moment in time for all involved.

For the Studio’s more recent work on AREA15, a massive experiential retail and entertainment complex off the Las Vegas strip, Kimberly has played an integral role in researching and securing tenants who will be the best fit for the project. She has brought in a wide range of partners, including the Santa Fe art collective Meow Wolf, which brought to AREA15 a permanent interactive exhibition featuring the work of hundreds of local and international artists, and Los Angeles-based Lost Spirits, an immersive distillery experience. Kimberly has also spearheaded the creation of an interactive bazaar offering handmade wearable art, including headpieces, jewelry, goggles, cloaks, body suits and more.

Kimberly currently splits her time between Los Angeles, New York, and Las Vegas.

Sam Bompas

Director

Bompas & Parr

Co-founder of Bompas & Parr, Sam works as executive creative director of the company. He spends his time developing ideas that are universally appealing, experientially compelling and highly press-worthy. Projects such as Alcoholic Architecture have had a reach of 3.7 billion and Symphony in Blue (for Johnnie Walker Blue Label) had a reach of over 3 billion. Press accolades include TimeOut’s ’50 Best Londoners’ and Evening Standard’s ‘1000 most influential people’.

Over the years Sam has cultivated an extensive network of historians, chemists, micro-biologists, artists, musicians, art directors, flavourists, chefs, professional noses, inventors, stage illusionists, and pyrotechnicians who collaborate with Bompas & Parr to create genuine world firsts such a fireworks show where you can taste the fireworks as they explode above your head, attended by a quarter of a million people.

Sam lectures internationally and has delivered keynotes for companies such as Google, Unilever, Diageo and Coca-Cola and at the Met, Royal Academy of Arts and Victoria & Albert . Particular areas of expertise include, location based experiences, consumer journeys, visitor experiences, routes to creativity, the future of food and drink and multi-sensory design.

Mark Brymer

Chief Creative Officer

Wow Entertainment

Working in New York City, Los Angeles, and Dallas, turnkey producer Mark Brymer has carved out a singular profile as the man who can arrange almost anything in entertainment. In his successful, decades-long career, the music producer, theatrical producer, author, arranger, orchestrator, and composer has stayed relevant and kept busy in the ever-shifting entertainment industry through seeing change as an opportunity for growth.

“When new opportunities come up, I always think, ‘oh, I can do that,’ and I figure out how to make it happen. My brain is wired from my background in music arranging to create something out of nothing. Plus, I like to keep them guessing—you never know what I am going to do next,” Mark says laughing.

Most recently, when Six Flags Entertainment Corporation became interested in the explosion of immersive/in-person experiences, they called Mark. Now, he’s premiering bringing the captivating Halloween experience, Dr. H.H. Holmes’ FREAKSHOW at the Six Flags Over Texas theme park. Holmes’s sensationalized story has been underrepresented in pop culture, but it has the same kind of dark and mythical allure as Jack the Ripper, Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde, and Frankenstein. Mark’s groundbreaking Dr. H.H. Holmes’ FREAKSHOW promises to raise the bar for theme park theatrical productions through employing Broadway talent in the production.

Over the years, Mark has parlayed his gifts as a musical arranger and composer into a vastly varied career in the entertainment industry. He is a global trailblazer in both the children’s music education and entertainment industries with such clients as McGraw-Hill, Disney, Warner Bros., Hal Leonard, Music Theater International, and Rhino Records. Mark co-wrote and produced the title song, “Digga Digga Dog,” for Disney Film Studios’ 102 Dalmatians, starring Glen Close. He’s written and produced over 150 live production musical shows for Six Flags theme parks. In addition, he’s written, produced, and mixed scores for the dinner/arena attractions Pirate’s Voyage and Dolly Parton’s Stampede. Since 1995, Mark has headed up the full-service music and live theatrical show production company, WOW! Entertainment, Inc.

The through line in Mark’s diversely-accomplished career is his passion for family-oriented entertainment. It’s a path he stumbled upon after discovering as a college piano major that he loved arranging, and he embraced the full-spectrum of arranging and performing opportunities that came his way. Eventually, Mark landed a gig playing piano at theme parks, and this led to a myriad of opportunities in the theme park theatrical space. To steady his income while working in the mercurial world of theme park productions, Mark made inroads in the choral market. He became an exclusive staff choral arranger for Hal Leonard in 1983.

At just 22, Mark wrote and arranged his first theme park show, kicking off a decades-long relationship with Six Flags. When ownership of the park changed hands and hired only independent producers, Mark started WOW! Entertainment. Up until then, Mark had never produced an entire production, but he relished the challenge to be a one-stop shop. With knowhow from having worked in a bevy of roles in production, sharp entrepreneurial savvy, and his wide-ranging network of contacts, Mark quickly established WOW! Entertainment as a premiere full-service music and live theatrical show production company.

This Halloween Mark, WOW!, and Six Flags will be dazzling Texas audiences with Dr. H.H. Holmes’ FREAKSHOW, a production that relies just as much on the visual wow factor as it does on an engrossing and well-crafted narrative. “The challenge with theme park theatrical productions is that there is always a rollercoaster right outside the door. In terms of thrills, a theme park theatrical production has to compete with a rollercoaster,” Mark says.

One way Mark stays rollercoaster competitive is through hiring Broadway talent for his productions to significantly notch up the entertainment factor. In the wake of the COVID, many top-tier Broadway designers, choreographers, and technicians have fled New York City due to the dearth of opportunities and the high cost of living in the City. “I’m not afraid to go after Broadway technicians whose work I admire. I research playbills and YouTube videos, and reach out directly online to potential candidates, ” Mark shares. This new influx of work for Broadway talent has injected new revenue streams and fresh opportunities for a brilliant but vulnerable community of creatives.

Reflecting back on decades of writing, producing, arranging, orchestrating, and evolving, Mark remains as excited as ever about his career. “There will always be something magical about bringing an idea to full production, and then seeing the people involved, the talent and the audience, having a great time at the show,” Mark says. “Their joy brings me joy.”

Michael Carpenter

Creative Director

Thinkwell

Michael joined Thinkwell Group (A TAIT Company) in 2018 as creative director for the Gringotts & Lobby expansion at Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter. Following delivery of the London tour’s largest expansion to date, he helmed the creative effort to reimagine and recreate the entire behind-the-scenes filmmaking experience for a new audience, which led to the opening of Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo – The Making of Harry Potter in June of 2023.

Michael provides creative direction for emerging technology behind many Thinkwell projects including blue sky ideation, concept writing, and creative oversight from concept to completion, as well as the development of media, interactive and live experiences.

As an accomplished storyteller, experience designer, writer, art director, and animation director, Michael helps create immersive guest experiences through concept & story development.

Mathias Clasen, PhD

associate professor and co-director

Recreational Fear Lab at Aarhus University, Denmark

Mathias Clasen, PhD, is an associate professor and co-director of the Recreational Fear Lab at Aarhus University, Denmark. A horror researcher, he has published widely on frightening entertainment, recreational fear, and all that goes bump in the night, e.g. Why Horror Seduces (2017) and A Very Nervous Person’s Guide to Horror Movies (2021).

Chip Cleary

Senior Consultant

Europa Park

Chip Cleary, Experienced Creative Business Executive, Strategic Planner and Operator with a track record of successful projects. Theme Park & Water Park expertise with experience in combining Fantasy, Fiction and Financial Realty into everything he does. He currently is the Senior Consultant to Europa Park and the Mack Family and his been heavily involved in the design, building, and opening of Europa Parks new Resort Rulantica. Cleary works directly with the Mack Family on a wide range of assignments. Chip created and supervised the building of Splish Splash Water Park Riverhead NY which has consistently been one of Americas Top Water Parks. He was an early adopter of the industry consolidation trend and became the VP of Water Park Operations & Development for Palace Entertainment. A longtime supporter and member of IAAPA Chip has been a 2-time Board Member, Chairman of the Board and even stepped in as the CEO of IAAPA to guide the association through a strategic reinvention. Strong Opinions, but always friendly!

Michael Collins

LDP

Michael Collins is Senior Partner at Leisure Development Partners LLP. He is an economist with over 20 years of consulting experience in leisure and entertainment real estate. His experience with LDP includes a wide variety of projects around the globe.

Neil Connolly

Creative Director

The Everywhere Group

An award-winning writer as well as a creative leader of design & production teams. Having been at the vanguard of playable & immersive theatre since 2007, Neil had a career defining opportunity in 2019 when he devised, wrote & directed an immersive experience for HRH Elizabeth Regina as part of Sainsbury’s 150th birthday celebrations, making him the only immersive theatre & game maker in the world to have the Queen attend one of their experiences. In a distinguished career spanning 20 years, Neil has brought that passion to every facet of themed entertainment in the creative direction and production of attractions such as Handel’s Messiah, The Snowman™ and The Snowdog, Peppa Pig Surprise Party, The Crystal Maze Live Experience, Tomb Raider Live Experience & Chaos Karts, an AR go-kart real life battle. Other clients and activations include: Harrods, Sainsbury’s, Camelot/The National Lottery, Samsung, Blenheim Palace, Land Rover and Warner Brothers.

Werner Dullmaier

VP Business Development EMEA

Convious

Werner Dullmaier brings 20 years of experience in the leisure, attractions, and theme park industry and has held various management positions at Merlin Entertainments with his expertise covering operations, sales and marketing as well as business strategy. After leaving Merlin, he set up his own consultancy advising international leisure operators to ensure the delivery of high-quality guest experiences and streamlined operations. In April 2022 Werner joined Convious BV based in Amsterdam as Director for Germany/Austria/Switzerland first and today signs as VP Business Development EMEA.

James Dwyer

Creative Director

Lumsden

James Dwyer is Creative Director of Lumsden, with 17 years’ experience across retail, hospitality and exhibition projects. Trained as a museum exhibition designer, he has been a central member of the multi-award winning Lumsden team for over 12 years, designing commercial spaces within iconic institutions such as MoMA, the British Museum, M+, V&A Dundee, the Royal National Theatre, and Warner Bros. Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter in London and Tokyo. James is passionate about crafting unforgettable experiences that seamlessly blend the cultural and commercial, through captivating design, compelling storytelling and inventive product curation. Current projects include the Natural History Museum of Denmark, and children’s literacy charity Grimm & Co. Earlier in 2023, James led a management buyout at Lumsden and now spearheads the business as it embarks on an exciting new chapter.

Justin East

Global Senior Creative Director, R&D

Merlin Entertainments

Justin East is the global senior creative director of R&D at Merlin Entertainments, a role he has held since 2012. Previously to this, he served as group creative director at Merlin from 2007 – 2012. He also spent over a decade at the LEGO Group, starting as a show designer and moving through roles such as art director and design director, before ultimately becoming group creative director of LEGOLAND’s global family attractions in 2005.
East now works globally across all Merlin attractions, ranging from LEGOLAND to Madame Tussauds. During his career, he has been behind a raft of new product development including developing the LEGOLAND Discovery Centres, a rollercoaster bearing Derren’s Brown’s name at Thorpe Park, the relaunch of The London Dungeon, and the redesign of Cadbury World. He has extensive knowledge and experience in bringing new technology, such as VR and robotics, into attractions.
Talking to blooloop in 2022 about his current role in the R&D team, he said:
“We’re responsible for identifying businesses to buy, developing new products, and incubating them for deployment across the world. Our big focus is on new product development for LEGOLAND, which is a big brand for us. We do blue-sky thinking for Chessington World of Adventures, Alton Towers, Heide Park, Thorpe Park, Warwick Castle and Gardaland, and for LEGOLAND too. We do a lot for Madame Tussauds, SEA LIFE, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre and the Dungeons.
“That’s our day-to-day work in terms of looking after the business. Then our strategy is looking forward to identify trends and new products that we can formulate into formats such as Midway, the new theme park immersive experiences; we find the propositions, and then put them into formats.”
In 2022, Merlin R&D and blooloop joined forces to hold a first-of-its-kind one-day online event, brainstorming the evolution of dark rides and inviting ideas from the next generation of innovators.

Lauren Etta Riley

Oceaneering Entertainment Systems

Lauren is a creative engineer with a passion for the themed entertainment industry. She prides herself on bridging the gap between creative storytellers and the technical execution to make the guest experience come to life. Lauren has degrees in Mechanical Engineering and Entertainment Technology and worked at Disney Imagineering in the Blue Sky group and at Tait Towers as a designer for touring live shows. She currently manages a talented, multi-disciplinary team that creates the ride vehicle motion and show integration for Oceaneering Entertainment Systems.

Ty Granaroli

Executive Vice President, Themed Entertainment

Paramount Parks

Ty Granaroli is the executive vice president of themed entertainment at Paramount Parks. For Paramount and others, he has designed notable attractions featuring many major intellectual properties.
At Landmark Entertainment back in the ‘90s, he co-created the show concept for Universal Orlando’s renowned Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man. His more recent credits include the award-winning Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi. Earlier in his career, Granaroli helped transform Paramount Parks into a popular regional US theme park chain before its sale to Cedar Fair in 2006. Even now, parent company Viacom has a significant park presence with Nickelodeon attractions around the world.
After various freelance projects and roles with Gary Goddard Entertainment, Wyatt Design and the Georgia Aquarium, Granaroli returned to Paramount in 2018 to ride a fresh wave of themed entertainment development. The studio now has projects ongoing in China, South Korea, the Middle East and the UK.
“Ty is adept at analysing and articulating both the big picture and the smallest details,” says one of his Blooloop 50 nominators. “He is a respected voice in the industry, and his expertise and sound, steady guidance is highly influential on any given project.”
In 2022, Paramount Pictures signed an agreement with Indonesian company Kios to build a Paramount-themed destination in Bali, set to be one of the largest theme parks in Southeast Asia. The Paramount Pictures attraction will be located in Pekutatan, Jembrana. It is expected to soft launch in 2025 and will attract up to 5 million annual visitors. Speaking about the project, Granaroli said:
“We believe that the beauty of Bali, combined with integrated resort hotels and a Paramount theme park will create a magnificent entertainment project that all of Indonesia can be proud of. A park like this can have a significant, long-term impact on tourism, including domestic and international visitors.”

Chris Grap

Vice President of Experiential Entertainment

Mall of America

Felix Heuberger

Head of Marketing

Eatrenalin

With over a decade of experience, Felix Heuberger is a creative head and marketing expert. Alongside his role as Head of Product Management in the Marketing, Sales & Digital department at the Europa-Park Resort, Felix Heuberger holds the position of Head of Marketing at Eatrenalin. With his expertise in the leisure sector, he is part of the Eatrenalin team of specialists, who disrupt the dining experience by combining culinary excellence with immersive technology and multimedia entertainment. Committed to modern creative approaches, Felix Heuberger is sharing insights into the future of marketing and the fusion of technology and gastronomy.

Rich Hill

Chief Creative Officer

Sally Dark Rides

As Sally Dark Rides’ Chief Creative Officer, Rich Hill oversees the development of major attractions from idea origination through opening day. Creative vision, storytelling, technical knowledge and industry leadership are qualities that make Rich the creative principal of Sally Dark Rides. Over the years, Rich and his team have created numerous award-winning attractions that have helped define Sally as a leader in the next generation of themed entertainment.

Genell Hoeschstetter

Senior Creative Director

Art Processors

Genell is a visionary Creative Director with over 15 years of experience in filmmaking, performing arts, VFX and SFX technologies. Her passion for culture, arts, and science has led her to create unforgettable immersive experiences that bring people from all walks of life together. With a global perspective gained from studying and working abroad, Genell has made it her life’s mission to explore and create what inspires us as humans. Currently pursuing a graduate degree in Biomimicry, she is dedicated to leading communities towards more sustainable futures both socially and environmentally. Prior to joining Art Processors, Genell made her mark as a Senior Creative Director at Meow Wolf and Imaging and Electronic Engineer at Walt Disney Imagineering.

Taylor Jeffs

President & Chief Creative Officer

Legacy Entertainment

Taylor Jeffs is the President and Chief Creative Officer for Legacy Entertainment- one of the world’s preeminent entertainment design firms, and the market leader in China, Korea, Vietnam, Indonesia, and other Asian territories.

In his 20 years with the company, he has overseen the creation of over 50 successful theme parks, attractions, and destination resorts around the world, including Galaxy Macau, Studio City Macau, Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park, the lead market competitor to Shanghai Disneyland, and most-recently, Lotte World Adventure Busan.

Other signature projects include The Sea Shell Aquarium at VinWonders Phu Quoc, three Trans Studio Theme Parks, as well as the Hengdian World Studios Dream Bund.

Mr. Jeffs is also the Creative Director for Cirque du Soleil’s theme park and hospitality division, working with the global entertainment leader on their expansions into new Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East.

In July 2018, Mr. Jeffs was named by Blooloop as being one of the 50 most influential figures in the theme park industry.

Vince Kadlubek

Founder & Director

Meow Wolf

Vince Kadlubek co-founded Meow Wolf, an arts complex that captured the public’s imagination so much that it became a profitable business. Meow Wolf’s latest permanent exhibition, Convergence Station, launched in Denver in 2021. The psychedelic attraction follows the House of Eternal Return in Santa Fe and Omega Mart at AREA15 in Las Vegas.

Non-linear storytelling is key to the experience at this award-winning attraction, which also stages after hours concerts, parties and events. Meow Wolf has been described has an innovative take on an amusement park funhouse.

“There are museums, children’s museums, and there are themed rides at Disneyland,” said Kadlubek. “But nobody else is just letting people explore. Everyone says they are attracting all demographics. But we actually do.”

Meow Wolf is also heading to Texas, with two new permanent installations opening in a shopping mall in Grapevine and the Fifth Ward of Houston in 2023 and 2024.

Thomas Kaferle

General Manager

SeaWorld Yas Island, Abu Dhabi and Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue

Thomas Kaferle has served as the General Manager of SeaWorld® Yas Island, Abu Dhabi and Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue since September 2019. In the lead up to the grand opening of the highly anticipated Marine Life Theme Park, Mr. Kaferle oversees its design, development, and construction and that of Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue as well as their post-opening operations.
A seasoned industry professional, Mr. Kaferle brings over 35 years of experience working with some of the biggest names in themed entertainment and retail including the Fort Worth Zoological Association, Six Flags, Landora Theme Park and Meeras Holding. Having worked across the spectrum, Mr. Kaferle is an expert on developing and managing zoos and wildlife parks, developing and designing attractions as well as day-to-day theme park operations.
A native of Texas, United States of America, Mr. Kaferle holds a BBA in Finance from the University of Texas in Arlington. Mr. Kaferle is also helped establish several committees including IAAPA’s Zoo and Aquarium as well as the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA).

Amber Lepley

Sr. Show and Entertainment Manager

EllisDon

Amber Lepley is a skilled professional in the world of themed entertainment show production. Amber has a strong belief in placing the story at the forefront of every project. As a dedicated show producer and project manager, Amber has collaborated with IPs such as Warner Bros, SeaWorld, and Universal Hollywood, delivering exceptional experiences that captivate audiences.
With a history that includes stints at companies like EllisDon, Thinkwell, Cinnabar California, and On Track Themes, Amber has honed her expertise in bringing ideas to life, from the initial blue-sky concept to successful project delivery. She thrives on the challenges and opportunities that arise during the design and execution phases, ensuring that every project tells a compelling story that leaves a lasting impact.

Erica McCay

Creative Director

Valtech

Erica is a writer and designer of stories that connect people and place. Her work has spanned the fields of interactive theme parks, theatre, and play-based education since 2005.

Erica spent seven years working as an interactive experience designer for Universal Creative, including as the lead designer for the interactive wand experience in Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios Hollywood and as co-lead designer for the land-wide game in Thea award-winning Super Nintendo World at Universal Studios Japan, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Universal Orlando Resort. She received her MFA in Creative Writing from Stetson University and is an inventor on multiple patents including “Interactive gaming system” and “Systems and methods for a connected augmented environment.”

As Creative Director for Valtech’s Themed Entertainment Studio, Erica continues to design interactive attractions and lands for industry leading themed entertainment clients. Her “7 Principles for Creating Immersive Worlds” can be read on Medium here: https://medium.com/@erica.mccay/7-principles-for-creating-immersive-worlds-6c2e88ab900a

Chris Michaels

Founder

Chris Michaels Digital Advisory

‘Chris Michaels is the Founder of Chris Michaels Digital Advisory, a specialist consultancy focussed on R&D and Innovation in the Creative and Cultural Industries.

Chris works with universities, government, cultural institutions and technology companies on strategic responses to emerging technology.

He has been an AHRC Creative Industries Fellow, and a Sr Visiting Research Fellow at King’s College London. Blooloop named him a Top 10 Global Museum influencer in 2022. Ericsson named him a 5G Trailblazer in 2021. He is a Trustee of English Heritage and a member of the Digital Advisory Board of the National Gallery.

Chris has a PHD from the University of Bristol and an MPA in Innovation from UCL. Chris lives in North London.’

Tara Morandi

SVP Sales & Marketing

Connect&GO

With over 15 years of experience in the attractions industry, Tara Morandi is the Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing at Connect&GO where she drives the market development strategy for the company’s all-in-one attractions management platform. Throughout her career, she has led brand transformations and implemented innovative strategies to scale business into global markets. Morandi is currently based remotely out of Boise where she works closely with Connect&GO’s clients and prospective clients to help them implement truly integrated technology solutions that help drive revenue, maximize guest engagement, and simplify operations.

Meg Parker

Chief Marketing Officer

AREA15

As AREA15’s chief marketing officer, Meg Parker oversees brand development and all marketing and communications strategies to establish AREA15 as a must-see destination. Together with a marketing team, Parker guides the development of creative campaigns, digital advertising, curated content programs and other marketing strategies to increase visitation and drive ticket revenue. Since opening its doors in 2020, AREA15 has welcomed nearly 4 million visitors and hosted more than 200 live events.

Parker is a member of the corporate executive team and reports to AREA15’s chief executive officer Winston Fisher. As AREA15 expands across 20 acres in Las Vegas and its future location in Orlando, Florida, Parker is responsible for building the marketing and communications initiatives in other markets.

She is the driving force behind AREA15 earning multiple Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Pinnacle Awards for best-in-class PR and marketing campaigns for “Van Gogh: The Immersive Experience,” “Official Ground Breaking of AREA15 Orlando” and “LIFTOFF Bar and Ride.”

Parker brings more than 20 years of marketing and communications experience working with global consumer brands such as Estée Lauder, PUMA, North Sails and Honeywell. During her tenure at PUMA, she worked on two Olympic campaigns with Usain Bolt, oversaw the communications program for two around-the-world Volvo Ocean Races and launched many celebrity-driven product campaigns. Parker received her bachelor’s degree from the College of Charleston in political science.

Dan Pelson

Chief Operating Officer

AREA15

Dan Pelson serves as chief operating officer (COO) for AREA15, the world’s first purpose-
built immersive entertainment district located minutes from the Las Vegas Strip. Offering

live events, immersive activations, monumental art installations, extraordinary design
elements, unique retail, ground-breaking technology, bars and eateries and much more,
AREA15 continues to grow in Las Vegas and across the globe. Welcoming nearly 4
million visitors since opening its doors in 2020, AREA15 Las Vegas will soon expand
across 20 acres to its north. In addition, AREA15 announced its first licensed pop-up
location as part of Riyadh’s Boulevard World and its second permanent location coming
to Orlando in 2024.
As COO, Pelson provides the leadership, management and vision necessary to operate
the immersive event, entertainment and retail district. Pelson is responsible for
overseeing all operations, events, entertainment, finance, new business development
and expansion into new markets. He reports directly to Winston Fisher, chief executive
officer of AREA15 and partner at Fisher Brothers.
Pelson brings more than 25 years of executive experience from companies such as
Warner Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment and Sony Corporation of America. His
career began at Sun Microsystems, where he was quick to recognize consumer potential
of the internet leading him to many other entrepreneurial endeavors. He founded

Word.com and then launched Bolt.com and eventually uPlayMe—an entertainment-
based social networking app acquired by a major music label, ultimately leading to his

career in the music industry.
From leadership to immersive entertainment, entreprenuership and more, Pelson is also
a passionate speaker available for conferences and conventions.
Pelson received his bachelor’s degree from Colgate University in political science and a
master’s degree in business in administration from New York University.

Jo Pike

Director

Opera Amsterdam

Jo Pike is a partner and Managing Director of OPERA Amsterdam, a leading exhibition design studio in the Netherlands. She leads a team of exhibition designers who create narrative spaces where objects often play a leading role. Whether it is a museum or a heritage site, she helps clients tell their unique stories to audiences worldwide.

Jo Pike has over 30 years of experience in the cultural industry, working in various roles and institutions. She started her career at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York, where she was the director of visitor services for ten years.

In 2002, she joined OPERA Amsterdam to help expand its operations in the cultural and heritage sector. As Managing Director, she is responsible for the studio’s strategic direction, business development and client relations. She oversees the creative and technical teams, fostering a collaborative and innovative culture. She engages with clients to understand their vision and goals, focusing on creating memorable and meaningful experiences for their audiences. She has contributed to many acclaimed projects, such as Titanic Experience Reimagined. The family exhibitions at the National Museum of Qatar featured interactive and immersive installations, The Children’s Museum, and Louvre Abu Dhabi, which offered a playful and educational journey to nurture visual literacy.

Matt Quinn

Director

Squint/Opera

Matt works between our New York and London studios where he leads on Squint/Opera’s overall commercial strategy and looks for new opportunities for Squint in the US. Prior to his move to NYC, Matt spent a decade running his own design studio in London working on major projects within real estate, architecture and culture.

Étienne Sainton

​Product Manager

Alterface

Sainton is Product Manager at Alterface, helping to define the company’s projects portfolio and guide the technology evolutions. He spent more than ten years as a software engineer and head of R&D, developing new technologies and installing interactive attractions worldwide.

He worked on rides such as Dragons Wild Shooting at Lotte World, Justice League Battle For Metropolis in multiple Six Flags parks, Smurfs in Plopsa Station, AnyMayhem in Warner Bros Abu Dhabi.

He is passionate in bringing technology which works well to allow the guests to interact with the attraction story and help designers to bring their vision to reality

Kirin Sinha

Founder and CEO

Illumix

Kirin Sinha is the Founder and CEO of Illumix, a leading technology company bridging the digital and physical worlds. Under Kirin’s leadership, Illumix has powered over 300 million digital-physical interactions in the past two years alone and secured deals with some of the largest venues in the world. Illumix was listed as one of Fast Company’s Most Innovative Companies in 2020 and named an honoree in Fast Company’s Innovation by Design Awards.

Kirin received a degree in electrical engineering, computer science and mathematics from MIT and holds advanced degrees in mathematics, statistics, and business from the University of Cambridge, London School of Economics, and Stanford. She was named to Forbes 30 Under 30 List in 2022.

Geoff Spooner

Senior Vice President and General Manager

Warner Bros. Studio Tour London

Geoff Spooner is Senior Vice President and General Manager, Warner Bros. Studio Tour London – The Making of Harry Potter.

He is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Studio Tour and the development of new business initiatives. Since joining the company in 2016, Geoff has overseen the launch of the Gringotts Bank and Forbidden Forest expansions, increased annual attendance by 300,000 visitors, reached the milestone of over 17 million visitors since opening and improved visitor experience scores, setting an industry high 97% Google rating and maintaining the Tour’s 5 star Trip Advisor rating.

During his tenure Geoff has introduced new products including Deluxe Tours and Behind the Seams, launched new catering offers, increased ticket yields, driven revenue, maintained EBITDA margin, expanded the features programme and grown annual attendances to over 2.1 million visitors.

Bringing a wealth of attractions knowledge to the Studio Tour, before joining Warner Bros. Geoff was General Manager of Warwick Castle and during his three-year tenure was responsible for launching attraction accommodation, expanding the food and beverage offer and developing heritage restoration projects. Previously he was Operations Director at LEGOLAND Windsor and before that worked at National Express and the London Eye.

Geoff is also a current board director of the Association of Leading Visitor Attractions (ALVA) which represents and advocates for the industry in the UK as well as being a member of the Commercial Advisory Board of the Science and Industry Museum, Manchester, which is part of the UK’s Science Museum Group.

Mark Stutzman

Chief Technology Officer

AREA15

Mark Stutzman serves as chief technology officer (CTO) for AREA15, the world’s firstpurpose-built immersive entertainment district offering live events, distinctive attractions,interactive art installations, extraordinary design elements, unique retail, ground-breakingtechnology, bars and eateries and much more. With a location in Las Vegas just minutesfrom the Strip, AREA15 offers a robust, ever-changing roster of concert events, artexhibtions, out-of-this-world nightlife and boundary-pushing production shows.As CTO of AREA15, Stutzman is responsible for developing and implementing thetechnology and digital strategies to drive innovative solutions, optimize efficiencies, andachieve overall business goals. In addition, Stutzman is accountable for developing,acquiring, and deploying technology infrastructures that create compelling and immersiveguest and consumer experiences, enhance marketing and sales capabilities, andstreamline digital solutions for the company’s future.Stutzman is an experienced entrepreneur and product executive with over 20 yearsexperience delivering elegant, effective, scalable applications. As a digital strategist,product specialist and executive technologist, Mark plays a critical role in continuallyevolving strategic product and technical direction.Stutzman’s focus throughout his career has been primarily on high-technology startupswhere he has held the roles of CEO, CIO, CTO, and CPO. Mark is the former CPO ofWylei and AI Marketing optimization company, CEO/CTO of Appmobi, CEO/CTO andfounder of Digital Variant, CIO and PoinOne, a clinical genetic startup, CTO at Bolt.com,and Executive Director of Technology at Outpost.com. His career began at IBM, wherehe was responsible for building IBM’s first direct sales, online commerce site, ShopIBM.

Karl Svedung

​Head of Marketing

Liseberg

Experienced marketing professional with a passion for creative industries. Head of marketing at Liseberg since 2 years, responsible for branding and tactical marketing for all business areas, leading a marketing department of 23 people. Previous experience as client director within Swedish advertising agency Forsman & Bodenfors, and marketing director for Göteborg Film Festival, managing globally acclaimed PR campaigns such as The Isolated Cinema 2020

Deana Taylor

General Manager

Ferrari World Yas Island Abu Dhabi

With over 30 years of experience in the entertainment industry, Deana Taylor is currently the General Manager of Ferrari World Yas Island Abu Dhabi, the World’s Leading Theme Park*. Responsible for overseeing the day-to-day operational requirements of the park, Taylor also leads the retail, F&B, and guest services teams in addition to managing shared service support functions within Miral Experiences, the manager and operator of Yas theme parks as well as CLYMB™ Yas Island Abu Dhabi and Qasr Al Watan.

Prior to joining the turbo-powered team at Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, Taylor held the position of Entertainment Director at Yas Waterworld Yas Island Abu Dhabi and Ferrari World Yas Island Abu Dhabi, exercising a keen focus on optimizing guest experiences in addition to the coordination, management and financial planning for the parks entertainment shows.

Taylor’s breadth of experience has seen her work across the entertainment industry, with a focus on theme park events management and commercial performance. Kick-starting her career in 1991, Taylor held several positions in themed entertainment over the course of 14 years at Village Roadshow Theme Parks, Australia in Australia. In 2008, Taylor took the position of Voice Recording Artist at Pen2stage later on transitioning into the role of International Events Manager, where she was contracted to work on a wide variety of events across the UAE and Asia until 2015.

*Voted by travelers and travel industry professionals at the World Travel Awards 2019

Christine Wacker

Director, Business Development Experiences

Netflix

Christine Wacker currently serves as the Director of Business Development for the Live Experiences team at Netflix, where she leads a team responsible for forging relationships with best in class partners to bring Netflix IP to life through innovative out-of-the-home experiences for members around the globe. Under her tenure, the team has expanded into new regions with innovative experiences, such as Stranger Things: The Encounter in Singapore, La Casa De Papel in Saudi Arabia, Stranger Things Immersive Retail in Brazil, and Squid Games VR at 40 Sandbox locations worldwide.

Prior to joining Netflix, Christine was Vice President of Location Based Experiences for Discovery Inc, where she had oversight of many of Discovery’s direct-to-consumer and licensed businesses, such as retail stores, e-commerce, consumer products, and live entertainment. While there she oversaw the expansion of Discovery branded products, experiences in China, Southeast Asia, and the Middle East. Successfully launched the Cake Boss Café in NYC in partnership with Buddy Valastro, a global partnership with Global Hotel Alliance for Discovery branded category of hotels, and the Discovery at SEA partnership with Princess Cruises. In 2019, Christine was named a Blooloop Top 50 Global Influencer in recognition of her creativity, passion, and drive that helped shape and improve the themed entertainment industry.

Megan Wastell

​Global Creative Director

Merlin Entertainments

Megan Wastell is Global Creative Director for Merlin Entertainments, Europe’s largest and the world’s second-largest visitor attraction operator. There she leads the creative team who work across Merlin’s 140+ global attractions, partnering with a range of IPs including LEGO, Sony Pictures Entertainment, Magic Light Entertainment and HASBRO.

A former Sky and MTV executive, Megan joined Merlin from her previous role as Director of Products & Podcasts at London’s Global Radio, Europe’s largest commercial radio company.

She has more than 20 years of experience in the media and entertainments industry, with previous roles including Head of Creative Strategy for Sky Creative, Sky’s 300+ strong in-house creative agency. Prior to Sky, Megan ran the mobile division of MTV Entertainment Group in New York.