Forward Thinking Designs, a provider of advanced AV solutions for the themed entertainment industry, has announced the expansion of its leadership team as it enters a new stage of growth.
With these appointments, the company is better positioned to support complex projects, adopt emerging technologies, and continue cultivating meaningful partnerships across the entertainment sector.
"This transition reflects not only our ongoing expansion but also our commitment to innovation, collaboration, and delivering exceptional work to our clients," says co-founder Melanie Hall.
Within this transition, Addison Burnside, Christina Creach, Ed Llerena, and Erica Brooks are moving into new and expanded roles.
New members of the leadership team
Burnside has been appointed mastermind of emerging technologies.
This newly expanded role will focus on researching and testing emerging technologies, evaluating the feasibility of solutions for permanent installations, and identifying opportunities to integrate new technologies into Forward Thinking Designs' programming and design services.
Addison Burnside
As a long-established driving force behind service delivery and project quality across the organisation, Burnside has consistently helped ensure that projects are delivered efficiently and to the highest standards.
A strong focus on project oversight, scheduling, and internal software development is combined with extensive on-site experience. This practical, performance-driven approach to technology and execution is informed by previous roles in live theatre and broadcast production engineering.
With a passion for immersive experiences and innovation, Burnside is excited to work more directly with clients and help extend the company's capabilities beyond traditional AVC boundaries to deliver next-generation solutions.
Brooks has been appointed mastermind of programming services.
With over 20 years of experience in the AV sector, she brings a comprehensive understanding of both corporate and themed AV environments.
Erica Brooks
Brooks' career has included a wide variety of roles, including installer, rack fabricator, design consultant, draftsman, engineer, programmer, team lead, and training manager. This experience has provided a deep knowledge of the skills required at every stage of project delivery.
In her new role, Brooks will translate her diverse experiences to strengthen programming across the company, mentor and develop team members at all stages of their careers, and foster strong collaborations with clients and project partners.
Llerena has been named the mastermind of design services and will lead a multidisciplinary team of design consultants, engineers, and draftsmen to turn creative concepts into fully realised experiences.
Ed Llerena
With a background including live entertainment, control systems, and immersive design, Llerena brings a balance of technical precision, creative vision, and mentorship-focused leadership that guides complex projects from concept to launch.
Llerena previously served at TAIT and Walt Disney Entertainment, following experience as a Boston stagehand, and freelance roles in corporate and touring productions. At Forward Thinking Designs, he has worked across design, engineering, and programming for immersive experiences and major attraction projects.
Creach moves into the mastermind of mechanics role and brings a distinctive combination of themed entertainment experience and a strong engineering foundation.
Christina Creach
Having earned a Mechanical Engineering degree from the University of South Florida and gaining experience on large-scale themed entertainment projects, Creach joined Forward Thinking Designs three years ago to lead the design and engineering team.
Since then, she has introduced structured workflows, documentation standards, and quality control procedures that have improved consistency, coordination, and technical accuracy across the department.
As the company expands, Creach's focus will shift to more mechanical elements and bespoke solutions. Working closely with Llerena, she will focus on department operations and support complex design initiatives across themed entertainment projects.
Shaping the next generation of LBE
These new leadership roles signify a key step for Forward Thinking Designs and aim to better support creativity, strong technical work, and new ideas as the company's work continues to grow in the entertainment and immersive technology industry.
Looking ahead, it will continue to focus on close collaboration, delivering high-quality experiences, and exploring what’s possible for clients and partners.
Forward Thinking Designs is proud of the team behind this work and excited about future opportunities as it contributes to the next generation of location-based experiences.
Last year, Forward Thinking Designs celebrated 10 years of delivering innovative, high-quality AV solutions to clients across the globe.
Founded in 2015 as a woman-owned small business, it has grown from a dedicated team of design and control experts into an acclaimed, comprehensive design and development company focusing on themed entertainment.
Studio City Water Park © Melco
