Showcasing the spirit of Innovation

Steve Alcorn is an entrepreneur, engineer, inventor, author, and teacher. In 1982 he joined Walt Disney Imagineering, where he helped design the electronic systems for Epcot Center. After opening he was appointed as Imagineering’s first Systems Engineer.

In 1986 he founded Alcorn McBride Inc. The company’s show control, audio, and video playback products are the park-wide standard throughout most of the world’s theme parks.

Mr. Alcorn is also a USA Today Best-Selling author who has written a dozen fiction and non-fiction books, including the Epcot history Building a Better Mouse: The Story of the Electronic Imagineers Who Designed Epcot, and Theme Park Design: Behind the Scenes with an Engineer.

Chris Lange is the founder and creative force behind Creative Studio Berlin. As an award-winning Creative Executive, he is part of the themed entertainment industry for twenty-plus years.

He is proud of the many unique and exciting visitor experiences he has created for audiences of all ages around the world.

Throughout his career, Chris has led international design and installation teams across the globe.

As a former Creative Executive at Europa-Park, Chris introduced a new era of storytelling and show quality to the park. Chris was responsible for all new stories, designs, and implementation of over 30 projects, including the highly themed “Rulantica” water park and “Kronasar” hotel. Before working for Europe‘s second-largest resort, Chris worked internationally on projects like 20th Century Fox World Malaysia, Adlab‘s Imagica Mumbai, LEGOLAND California, and midway brands such as SEA-LFE aquariums, the Dungeons or LEGOLAND Discovery Center.
Currently, Chris is working as an independent Creative Executive globally on various Local Based Entertainment and Resort Development projects.
Chris is also a regular guest speaker on expert panels at industry events like TEA SATE, or IAAPA. He proudly serves the Themed Entertainment Association on the board of directors in the EME division.

Rachel Mackay has been working in museum and heritage operations for over 15 years, including managing the visitor operation at the Natural History Museum, London for 8 years.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, she created The Recovery Room, a space to share resources and research about the impact of Covid-19 on the museum and heritage sector, and provided consultancy services for at risk organisations. She was subsequently named one of the top 50 Museum Influencers in the world by Blooloop and shortlisted for Covid-19 Special Recognition at the 2021 UK Museums and Heritage Awards. Rachel is currently writing Delivering the Visitor Experience for Facet Publications.

Theron is a highly adaptive, solution-oriented creative executive with 30 years experience assembling and leading multi-disciplined teams for both domestic and international projects in the Themed Entertainment Industry. A veteran of Walt Disney Imagineering, he has led diverse creation, design and construction projects from hundreds of millions to multiple billions of dollars in a wide variety of experience types. He is a corporate culture evangelist who applies vision, strategy, focus and high personal standards to advance design and increase brand equity. Using “Story” as the key element to deliver business goals and make an emotional connection to guests.

Theron is an organized creative leader with exceptional capability in managing multiple, concurrently running teams and is a highly respected, natural communicator who interfaces positively and professionally at all levels. He is a fair negotiator who is levelheaded under pressure and does what it takes to get the job done.

Karen has been the Chief Executive of Wellington Zoo since 2006 and is a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit MNZM for Business and Animal Welfare. Karen is an elected member of the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums (WAZA) Council and Chairs the WAZA Ethics and Animal Welfare Committee. She is a member of the WAZA Conservation and Environmental Sustainability Committee. She is a past President of the Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia.

Karen won the 2009 HER Business Wellington award for outstanding business leadership and sustainability and the 2010 HER Business NZ National award for outstanding business leadership. Karen was 2010 Wellingtonian of the Year in the Environment category. Karen was a finalist in both the 2014 and 2015 Westpac/Fairfax Media NZ Women of Influence Awards in the Social Enterprise category and the Board and Management category respectively.

Jenefer Brown is Executive Vice President and Head of Lionsgate’s Global Live, Interactive and Location-Based Entertainment. She has established Lionsgate as a major force in branded entertainment with a fast-growing location-based entertainment business that encompasses attractions in the U.S., Europe, the Middle East and Asia. She also oversees the dynamic interactive games business that continues to expand the reach of Lionsgate’s iconic film and television properties.

Under her guidance, the Company recently opened Lionsgate Entertainment World in Hengqin, China, a vertically-designed indoor theme park built around multiple Lionsgate properties. The initiative adds to a portfolio of Lionsgate-branded attractions and events that includes the Lionsgate Zone of the Motiongate theme park in Dubai, the Official Saw Escape Room in Las Vegas, The Hunger Games: The Exhibition, the Now You See Me Live stage show and La La Land, Hunger Games and Twilight live-to-film concert tours. Lionsgate is also adapting several of its most acclaimed intellectual properties to the Broadway stage in collaboration with award-winning producers, including the long-running television series Nashville and the film sensation Wonder.

In addition, Ms. Brown heads up Lionsgate’s interactive games business whose slate continues to garner critical acclaim and which won several major awards at E3. Recent highlights include the ground-breaking Fortnite X John Wick crossover, John Wick Hex; psychological horror game Blair Witch; and top-selling Five Nights at Freddy’s VR: Help Wanted.

Paul is the Group Creative Director for Merlin Entertainments: Europe’s number one and the World’s second-largest visitor attraction operator. Paul runs the ‘Creating the Magic’ department of Merlin Magic Making (MMM): the creative, delivery and production arm of Merlin Entertainments.

The very talented and highly experienced Creative Team conceive and design new attractions across Merlin’s entire estate. Working closely with colleagues in MMM and the Operating Groups, these new concepts are then bought to life in a range of stunning attractions, rides and experiences.

Paul also oversees the Research & Development and New Brands team focusing on new format development, as well as the Intellectual Property division of the business.

His remit includes the creative development of all new LEGOLAND Resorts including the soon to open LEGOLAND New York Resort, plus the development of all new LEGOLAND Discovery Centres. In addition, Paul’s team develop all new rides, attractions and accommodation at Alton Towers, Gardaland, Chessington World of Adventures, Thorpe Park and Heide Park Resorts. Recently, the MMM team have produced three new global Peppa Pig World of Play attractions and the World’s first Bear Grylls Adventure attraction in Birmingham.

Paul has been in his current role for 8 years. Previously he spent almost a decade in the television industry in the UK. His earlier career was in marketing, in a variety of roles in the UK and US including launching the iconic London Eye and as Marketing Director for Madame Tussuads.

Brent Bushnell is the Chairman and co-founder of Two Bit Circus, a Los Angeles-based experiential entertainment company. The interdisciplinary team strives to create immersive, social fun and is opening the first network of micro-amusement parks featuring free-roaming VR, robot bartenders, an interactive supper club and more. Previously they launched STEAM Carnival, a traveling showcase of high-tech entertainment and student STEAM workshops. They’ve captured action sports content in 360 video for brands like the NFL, NBA, Indy and the Olympics for use in VR activations at the Super Bowl, All Star games and in retail. The company regularly serves as immersive entertainment partners for brands and location-based facilities.

Previously, Brent was the on-camera inventor for the ABC TV show Extreme Makeover: Home Edition. He was a founding member of Syyn Labs, a creative collective creating stunts for brands like Google and Disney and helped OK Go build the Rube Goldberg machine for their viral This Too Shall Pass music video that garnered 50+ million views on YouTube. Brent is board president of the Two Bit Circus Foundation, a 501(c)(3), that deploys STEAM-based programs to inspire students about invention and operates annual STEAM Carnivals bringing the excitement of STEM & STEAM to communities around the world. He’s a Sir Edmund Hillary Fellow and enjoys mentoring teens in entrepreneurship via programs such as NFTE. He’s a supporter of Clowns Without Borders and publishes on Twitter @brentbushnell.

David joined Eden Project in early 2013 as Finance Director before becoming joint Executive Director later that year. He subsequently became the first CEO of Eden Project International, leading on the development of a portfolio of ambitious projects in China, Australia, the Middle East, Costa Rica as well as elsewhere in the UK including Eden Project North in Morecambe. Alongside his commitment to Eden’s educational mission, David’s financial background has provided the basis for the growth of Eden despite challenging times and variable circumstances, and as the leader of a diverse and expert staff, he brings highly qualified expertise to bear on all of Eden’s projects both at home in Cornwall and around the world.

Master Projection Designer Bart Kresa creates projections for large corporations, movie studios, and multimedia conglomerates, including Oprah Winfrey, Paramount Pictures, the Grammy Awards, HBO, General Motors, Warner Brothers, FOX, and ABC. Kresa is also devoted to promoting humanitarian concerns through his work with various government bodies and multinational teams across the globe, including commissions in Japan, Taiwan, Saudi Arabia, Austria, Italy, Ireland, and his native Poland. Kresa’s work with international artists and producers, consulting for Panasonic, along with his lectures and workshops, play a large part in advancing the use of projection design to inspire wonder and communicate ideas.

As VP of Nickelodeon Experiences Asia, Evi leads the development of real-world experiences for ViacomCBS International, in one of the most exciting markets for location-based entertainment.

Before joining ViacomCBS, Evi was senior Creative Director for Thinkwell Asia, delivering heritage attractions, theme parks and resorts for clients such as Lionsgate, Cartoon Network, BAIC Ferrari World China, Geely Volvo Automotive, MGM China and China Merchants Group.

Trained as an architect, Evi has 15 years of experience in leading multi-disciplinary and cross-cultural creative processes. She was head of Tim Yip Studio, the Oscar-winning creative team behind “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon” directed by Ang Lee. At Tim Yip Studio, she worked on diverse projects inspired by “New Orientalism”, a design language both cutting edge and traditionally Chinese, ranging from “Red Cliff, a Chinese blockbuster directed by John Woo, the Netflix series “Marco Polo”, water show spectacular “The Han Show” directed by Franco Dragone, to an avant-garde art installation for the “China Festival” at the Kennedy Center.

Built on a lifetime of personal experience, Evi is passionate about building cultural bridges, and promoting diversity in the LBE industry, with an Asia perspective.

David Rosenberg is the Vice President at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. In his role he is responsible for the strategic planning, implementation and operations of the famous aquarium experience and is credited with transforming the aquarium’s guest experience into an industry benchmark for excellence. Hosting over 2 million visitors annually, the Aquarium is recognized throughout the world as both a leading attraction and a global force for ocean conservation. The aquarium is applauded for its outstanding exhibits and live programming, which are key to communicating its mission to inspire conservation of the ocean.

After graduating from the University of Arizona, Mr. Rosenberg’s career began at Walt Disney World in Orlando, Florida. He then rose to the executive ranks of Hyatt Hotels Corporation at some of their top properties in the United States before returning to the attractions industry at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Mr. Rosenberg served as the 2019 Chairman of the Board of Directors for the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions (IAAPA) – the global association for the attractions industry. Under his chairmanship, IAAPA opened its new Global Headquarters in Orlando, Florida, hosted three record breaking expos, and grew services to members throughout the globe. Just prior to being elected to the board, he served as IAAPA’s Chairman of the Global Membership Committee, Chairman of the Zoos and Aquarium Committee and was a member of various constituency committees.

In 2015, he was awarded the association’s prestigious “Outstanding Service Award” for his contributions to the global attractions industry. Additionally, he was recently recognized by the United States Congress for outstanding community leadership and received the “IMTY Award” by the International Museum Theater Alliance for his contributions to the theater industry.

Mr. Rosenberg is a founding member of the School of Business Advisory Committee for California State University Monterey Bay and is an active member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. He has authored articles on methods to drive the visitor experience and has been a featured speaker at industry conferences and symposiums throughout the world. His hobbies include SCUBA Diving, triathlons, marathons and mountain biking throughout Monterey County.

“I grew up in the desert, so the ocean always seemed like the most magical thing to me as a kid—the fact that I now get to help millions of people make a meaningful personal connection with it is a dream come true.”

Silvia Filippini-Fantoni is the Deputy Director of Learning and Engagement at The Newark Museum of Art.

Silvia is a museum professional with over 20-years experience, working in the areas of art, education, and historic houses. Most recently she served as Director of Programs and Audience Engagement at the North Carolina Museum of Art in Raleigh, NC.

She has also held a number of positions with museums across Europe as well as for organizations serving the museum industry, including at Cogapp, a digital content producer in Brighton, UK, the British Museum in London, the University Paris I-Sorbonne, and Antenna Audio in London.

Silvia has degrees in History and Aesthetics and Art Sciences from the Universita degli Studi di Milano (Italy) and the Université Paris I-Sorbonne in Paris, where she received her PhD.

Chief Executive of leading leisure business consultancy, Petersham Group, Keith is widely
known for his experience and knowledge of project development and operational management across the Experience Economy.

A graduate marine biologist, he joined Sea Life Centres in the mid-80s, managing a series of
aquariums before taking on responsibility as Development Director for the roll-out of Sea Life
Centres and other visitor attractions across the UK and Europe for Vardon Attractions in the ‘90s.

Going on to join London-based consultancy, Grant Leisure Group, he worked internationally on projects as diverse as International Expos, Theme Parks and Zoos before co-founding Petersham Group in 2003, where he and his colleagues have completed over 90 consulting projects across the world for clients ranging from feasibility studies and business planning, concept
development, operational management, fundraising, strategic plans and restructuring.

Keith is also Managing Director of reefLIVE Ltd. established to design and bring to market an aquarium concept for a 21st Century audience. Their first project, in Belfast, recently secured
planning permission and is anticipated on site early next year.

Keith is regularly asked to speak at international leisure events and is a visiting lecturer at University of Exeter Business School.

Alan Mahony has been a specialist in the design management and launching of numerous world class Theme & Water Parks since the mid 1980’s. Thanks to his unique talents, experience, hands-on approach and attention to detail, the businesses he has been involved with have won numerous awards for excellence and still trade profitably in today’s demanding tourism and leisure industry.

Alan began his career with the Warner Village Theme Park Group in Australia where he held senior positions at Wet ‘n’ Wild Waterworld, Warner Bros. Movie World and Seaworld on the Gold Coast. For the last 16 years he has been based in Asia working on the feasibility studies, business plans, development, design, construction and management of numerous successful, leading and award winning waterparks. Alan’s projects include Ramayana Water Park, Thailand; Beijing Watercube Waterpark, China; Chimelong Water Park, China; The Carnival, Malaysia; Sunway Lagoon, Malaysia; Blue Lagoon, Taiwan; Saigon Water Park, Vietnam and Big Hippo Water World, China.

Alan has a strong knowledge of the cultures and markets within Asia due to his extensive experience over the past 16 years, which during this time he has completed the Insead Asian International Executive Program to enhance and improve his skill and knowledge of management in the Asian Region. This knowledge and understanding has lead Alan to be invited as a guest speaker at various Asian Themepark Expo’s & Congresses on various occasions. Alan was awarded the Executive Board Award by the World Waterpark Association for his excellence and commitment to the development and operations of waterparks in the Asian Region.

With over 25 years experience working on senior management teams, in digital media and in visitor experience, at museums in the UK and the US, Carolyn is deeply committed to providing broad audiences access to rich media content and ideas, in the physical museum and across multiple virtual channels. Her proven track record in delivering effective digital strategies, developing guest experience strategies, managing complex stakeholder relationships, and leading multi-skilled teams, speaks to her ability to envision new possibilities and implement change effectively.

Carolyn joined Cooper Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum in 2018 as Chief Experience Officer, a new role that aims to seamlessly weave the digital and the physical experience together to create an integrated visitor experience. She is responsible for managing Digital, Information Technology, Audio Visual, Customer Relationship Management, Visitor Services, Accessibility, Operations and Facilities departments and a newly created initiative, The Interaction Lab – the museum’s visitor experience R&D insights hub.

Prior to Cooper Hewitt, she served as inaugural Director of Digital and Information Services at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (Boston, USA) where she oversaw the launch of a new award-winning website and led new initiatives to improve the visitor experience. Previously, Carolyn was Head of Digital at Imperial War Museums and Project Director of the National Museums Online Learning Project, a flagship project led by the V&A and working in partnership with 9 UK national museums.

In April 2021, Carolyn completed the Oxford Cultural Leadership Virtual Program and was a Getty Leadership Institute (GLI) Fellow in 2017. She also served as President of MCN (Museum Computer Network) in 2017 in the 50th anniversary year of the organization, leading a volunteer board of senior level museum technologists and small Executive team representing information professionals from cultural sector institutions around the world.

Elizabeth Merritt is VP, Strategic Foresight and Founding Director, Center for the Future of Museums at the American Alliance of Museums (AAM).

Founded in 1906, The American Alliance of Museums is the leading trade association for museum professionals in the US. It develops standards and best practices, gathers and shares knowledge and advocates on issues of concern to the museum community.

Merritt is AAM’s VP for Strategic Foresight and also the founder director of the Center for the Future of Museums. This is an influential think-tank and research and development laboratory focussed on the development of museums. Essentially, its aim is to future-proof museums. Merritt is a tireless advocate for diversity and inclusion in the museum sector. She is also the author of AAM’s annual TrendsWatch report.

Merritt’s work covers strategic foresight and trends analysis as applied to museum planning and operation and she also monitors emerging practices in other sectors that AAM may want to adopt.

She has an M.A. in biology from Duke University, a B.S. in ecology and evolution from Yale University and a certificate in future studies from the University of Houston.

Vince Kadlubek co-founded that rare thing: Meow Wolf is an arts complex that captured the public’s imagination so much it became a profitable business. Built on the site of a former bowling alley in Santa fe, New Mexico, Meow Wolf debuted The House of Eternal Return in 2016. Non-linear storytelling is key to the experience at this award-winning attraction, which also stages after hours concerts, parties and events.

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

Meow Wolf has been described has an innovative, 21st Century take on an amusement park fun house. The team behind the attraction recently re-invented another carnival classic. Kaleidoscape is a psychedelic dark ride that has freaking out visitors to Elitch Gardens in Denver, Colorado, since April 2019. The attraction serves as a precursor to a $30 million permanent art exhibit that will open in the city in late 2021. Meow Wolf is also planning ‘artainment’ experiences in Las Vegas, Phoenix and Washington DC.

In October, Kadlubek announced that he was stepping down as CEO, but will continue as executive advisor to Meow Wolf. Sharing the role of chief executive will be Ali Rubinstein, Carl Christensen and Jim Ward. Also helping continue the collective’s mission will be Game of Thrones author George RR Martin, an early Meow Wolf backer who has now been appointed its ‘chief world builder’.

Steve Tatham has 30-plus years of entertainment industry experience in writing, producing, directing, designing and leading creative efforts in the online, interactive and theme park realms.

He has a successful track record grounded in vision, innovative ideas, team leadership and the ability to pitch ideas that get sold, developed and built, from low-budget to multi-billion-dollar projects.

Shelby Honea is a Senior Show Producer at Universal Creative.

PY’s career to date has included captain of the French Olympic Ice Hockey team, Vice President of Park Operations at Disneyland Paris, Chief Executive of the Dome and today, he founded and was the CEO of X-Leisure the largest Leisure property group in the UK, which he just sold to Land Securities in March 2014….As if he was not busy enough with business he is Captain of the French inline vet hockey squad, 2 times world champions….And he’s a +1hcp golfer too!
After 20 years of success in Corporate Rescue, which included, turning Euro Disney into Europe’s biggest visitor attraction, and several other businesses Transformations/turnarounds for the WDC, Disney CEO Michael Eisner recommended him to Tony Blair and PY was appointed Chief Executive of the Dome in February 2000.

In 2019 he embarked on his latest turnaround challenge when he took the helm of the ill born “grand project” of the London Resort, the first ever tier 1 theme park destination in the UK, a major investment of £2bn+! In the past 2 years PY revived and re invented the product to transform it as a world class, sustainable destination, and established a bullet proof business plan. The team and PY have successfully submitted planning in Dec 20 and are preparing for the inspectorate examination while finalising the detail design for what will be a game changer for the tourism/leisure industry in the UK and Europe.

PY is, today, regarded as one of the “Guru” of the Leisure/Sport/Tourism and entertainment industries, acknowledged by his election as Leisure personality of the year 2003, Leisure Industry consistent Innovator award in 2006, and award for best Global Leisure operator in 07. Finally, PY won the prestigious “outstanding personal career achievement” last year, and was a finalist for the Best Executive in Europe awards in 2014.

Juliana Delaney is Chief Executive Officer of Continuum Attractions.

Continuum Attractions’ group of outstanding visitor experiences includes:

• The Real Mary King’s Close, Edinburgh
• York’s Chocolate Story, York
• Oxford Castle & Prison, Oxford
• The Canterbury Tales, Canterbury
• Emirates Spinnaker Tower, Portsmouth
• Emmerdale Studio Experience, Leeds
• Emmerdale Village Tour, Leeds
• Coronation Street The Tour, Manchester
• GreenWood Family Park, Gwynedd

As Chief Operating Officer, Ike leads the daily operations of the California Academy of Sciences including information technology, engineering, public operations, security and safety, and external affairs. He oversees approximately 230 employees and an annual budget of $19MM as well as $28MM revenue intake. Ike also devotes much of his time cultivating relationships with trustees and major donors. Ike played a key role in raising $18mm for the Academy-for-All campaign for STEM education efforts. He is also the primary relationship manager with city government, which represents the institution’s single biggest “donor.”

Ike now also serves as the institutional leader for government affairs. His primary role in this expanded responsibility is twofold: securing city funds and increasing the institution’s influence in public policy matters related to organizational priorities.

Dominic Hare has been with Blenheim Palace since 2003, initially serving as its Finance Director, before moving into the role of CEO in 2017.

When he arrived at Blenheim Palace, many of the estate houses were boarded up, needing work, as he explained to blooloop in an interview in July 2020:

“The belief was that there wasn’t the money to do it,” he says. “Yet a house that needed £50,000 spending on it would bring in rent of £20,000 a year. Professionals would look at that and see a 40% return. That’s a 2.5-year payback – you don’t normally get that kind of opportunity. So, money started to be invested.

“I was lucky to arrive at that point, and that we were able to grow very quickly. There is a very supportive family and trustees here. And there were so many opportunities. Real low-hanging fruit, in many cases.”

Blenheim Palace is one of England’s biggest houses and the principal residence of the Dukes of Marlborough. It was constructed between 1705 and 1722 and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

During his time at the iconic attraction, Hare has been instrumental in pushing forward a series of goals that will see the site become carbon negative by 2025. It also aims to have 50% of visitors arriving in a carbon-friendly way by 2025, to double its current energy production, and to reduce the carbon footprint of its current buildings by 25%.

Charlotte Coates is blooloop’s editor. She is from Brighton, UK and previously worked as a librarian. She has a strong interest in arts, culture and information and graduated from the University of Sussex with a degree in English Literature. Charlotte can usually be found either with her head in a book or planning her next travel adventure.

Winston Fisher is the chief executive officer of AREA15, a collaborative venture between real estate development firm Fisher Brothers and creative agency Beneville Studios. AREA15 launched just one year ago in September 2020. Prior to joining Fisher Brothers in 2000, Fisher worked as an analyst at JP Morgan Chase. After completing his tenure at Chase, he joined Heller Financial.

AREA15 is an experiential art and entertainment complex in Las Vegas, home to immersive activations, art installations, state-of-the-art technology, retail and F&B. Experiences include a permanent gallery that showcases artwork inspired by festivals, an ever-changing Japanese maple tree and canopy with more than 5,000 LED lights, and an interactive giant skull covered in 3D projection mapping

“It’s a cool space; it’s entertainment, it’s amusement,” Fisher said. “We are a storytelling company. It’s a word that you hear a lot, though only a few people actually do it with authenticity.”

Rachel is Finance Director. She has a degree in engineering from Cambridge University and qualified as a Chartered Accountant at Deloittes in London. She worked in finance in industry for twenty years. She oversees our news and also manages our events.