The Themed Attraction Student Showcase returns again with a stellar panel of judges. Our goal at Themed Attraction and the TEAAS (Themed Experience & Attractions Academic Society) has always been to build a bridge from the academic world to industry. To that end, we’ve put together this panel to help you make real connections with working professionals from legendary themed entertainment design companies.
Themed Entertainment design students will be able to connect with experienced professionals, who will both encourage and critique their work. If you are a current student or recent graduate, this is a prime opportunity to make connections and network with industry veterans. We invite you to take advantage!
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New Panelists for 2024
(In alphabetical order by last name)
Michael Blau – President / Adirondack Studios
As President, Michael leads Adirondack Studios and its global entities with a commitment to design, fabrication and commissioning of themed environments. With business knowledge supported by a core theater design background in telling stories, Michael strives to make sure clients are provided innovative and cost effective in creating live theater, theme park attractions, water parks, museum experiences and retail environments around the world. He is a Past President of TEA International Board and continues to support the TEA toward excellence in the industry.
Dave Cooperstein – Architect / Sr. Creative Designer – PGAV
Experienced Architect and Senior Creative Designer with skills ranging from storytelling to architectural development to immersive experience design. Combining my training and skills as an architect and creative designer with my life-long love of the performing arts, I bring my passion for storytelling, sense of humor, and flair for the dramatic to all my projects. In my 25 years at PGAV Destinations, I have had the joy of master planning, designing, writing stories for, art directing, and building museum exhibits, animal habits, aquatic biomes, immersive media attractions, and thrilling theme parks around the world. Having evolved from using pen and paper, I push the boundaries of new technology in 3D modeling and visualization in order to provide my clients with the most compelling and beautiful choices. When not at the office, I can be found performing as a professional actor, juggling, escaping from rooms, or as captain of the trivia team.
Michael Libby – Founder & CEO Worldbuildr
Michael Libby is a creative technologist and CEO of Worldbuildr, a cutting-edge technology consultancy firm based in Los Angeles. With over 15 years of experience in the immersive industry, Libby has established himself as a leading figure in the field of creative technology for location-based entertainment. Libby combines his expertise in technology and interactive design with his passion for creative problem-solving to deliver solutions that are both innovative and practical. He has a deep understanding of the latest trends and developments in the tech industry, from AI and machine learning to virtual and augmented reality, and is always on the lookout for new and exciting ways to apply these technologies to help his clients succeed both practically and creatively. With his unique blend of technical knowledge and creative vision, Michael Libby is a trusted advisor to companies around the world looking to harness the power of technology to drive growth and transformation in the location-based entertainment industry.
Heidi Hirsch – Director of Project Development / Reveal Studio
With over thirty-five years in the design industry as an experienced creative producer, project and design manager, art director, interior designer, and production designer, Heidi has contributed to theme park projects across the globe. From the beginning of her venture into the themed entertainment at Walt Disney Imagineering, Heidi worked with the design teams of Splash Mountain in Florida, Mickey’s ToonTown, Disneyland Paris, and MGM Studio Tours as a Colorist working closely with John Hench, Disney legend. Her career also includes color design for Universal’s Islands of Adventure Popeye and Bluto’s Bilge Rat Barges water raft ride, several projects for Themespace Design Group including the new Jurassic World Ride at Universal Studios Hollywood, The Mascot Hall of Fame in Whiting, Indiana and Steelers Country at Kennywood Amusement Park. As a Production Designer at Sony Development Heidi was on the interior design team for Metreon in San Francisco. After the opening of the project Heidi continued as a production design manager overseeing the attractions maintaining the quality of standards. During this time Heidi also taught Themed Interior Design and Surface Material classes for UCLA Extension in the Architectural Interiors program after she
graduated in 2001.
Over a decade at Visual Terrain groomed her skills in Marketing and Public Relations as the Community Liaison for the THEA award winning lighting design firm. As a team member at RivaCreative USA, she worked on the THEA Award- Winning Motiongate Theme Park and Bollywood Theme Park in Dubai as a Design Manager for the Interiors group that included Restaurants, Retail and Guest Services. Prior to her current position at Reveal Studio as Director of Project Development, Heidi managed projects in China and Saudi Arabia for Wyatt Design Group.As the Director of Project Management & Development, at Reveal Studio Inc., Heidi’s extensive and unique background has enriched every aspect of the design process with skills and experience she brings to each project from concept to opening day.
Most recently Heidi project managed, Goldendale Rising, an Economic Opportunity Zone project in Goldendale Washington that included, a Community Center, Performing Arts Complex, Hotel, Spa, Visitors Center, Middle Income Housing planned neighborhood, and the economic revitalization of Downtown Goldendale designed for the work-live community and a period style New York Street backlot for a major studio in Atlanta, Georgia. As an educator and a mentor, Heidi continues to support the educational community. She co-taught a class in color design titled, Color: The Other Storyteller. For students in the Themed Entertainment Design program at SCAD in Savannah, Georgia and was a panelist discussing Women in Special Effects at the LA ComicCon.
As an industry leader, Heidi Co-founded ITTT (Invitation To Tomorrow Today) and 30 Minute Masters with TEA Master Roberta Perry, NormaLynn Cutler, Cutler Enterprises, Susie Ogihara Panasonic Hollywood Labs. Her latest venture is diving head first, literally as well as figuratively, into the world of AR and VR. “I consider this the greatest development of entertainment & edutainment since the launch of America OnLine. Not only has the immersive entertainment been enriched by this, the healthcare industry and our educational communities are just now understanding and expanding on this new frontier. Even AARP has an App for that! Immersive experiences are being redefined daily. Digital assists are redefining media productions. Volume stages are taking place of large cavernous sound stages and reducing the schedules on productions as well as budgets.
Alicia Hungerford – Senior Creative Producer / BRC Imagination Arts
Drawing upon her experience in marketing and brand storytelling, as well as her passion for cultivating authentic brand engagement, Alicia brings a unique eye to the creative and management team. As Sr. Creative Producer at BRC Imagination Arts, Alicia oversees every step of the creative process from early concept through to production and opening day. As key client liaison, she works closely with stakeholders to make informed creative and strategic decisions and collaborates with her team to find innovative solutions. Her involvement through each phase of the project ensures that the primary project goal is always at the forefront of our work, and the guests’ experience is spectacular. Her most recent work on Johnnie Walker Princes Street and the Four Corner Distilleries led BRC’s Edinburgh office and made huge strides industry-wide. She is most proud of how authentic and impactful each site was to its community.
Frank Nunez – President / FrankNDesign
Frank brings over 15 years of experience in the architectural, construction, and design technology industries to his work with themed entertainment and hospitality clients.
He is unwavering in his approach to applying and leveraging new technology and digital design tools to the challenges of the theme park business. His expertise of the tools available and his constant drive to find the best solution to any given problem allows him to service his clients in an unparalleled capacity. Frank also possesses an energetic and empathetic business mind. He listens deeply to the needs of clients, and responds with insightful compassion. Frank created FrankNDesign to provide solutions to complex industry specific problems. Under his exceptional leadership and foresight, his company utilizes innovative techniques to deliver projects with a combination of speed, precision & quality that is unmatched in the industry.
Bob Ward – Owner / Destinations & Experiences
Robert Ward’s fifty-year career has focused on leisure entertainment and resort destination industries worldwide. Bob has established himself as a respected industry veteran with proven success collaborating with large, multidisciplinary development teams in the conceptualization, design and production of mixed-use destinations, resorts, theme parks and signature attractions. He is particularly effective assessing stakeholder expectations, project development realities, and key consumer guest experience attributes that translate directly into strategic planning principals and design guidelines.
During his twenty five years with Universal Studios Parks & Resorts he was a Co-Founder and key executive of Universal’s Creative think tank development team. Bob is acknowledged as being instrumental in the creative repositioning of the Universal Studios Tour from it’s beginnings in Hollywood as a film and TV business “industrial tour” into a new pioneering, world-wide theme park brand.
Bob led the conceptualization, guest experience storytelling, integrated resort master planning and “signature placemaking” principals for all aspects of Universal Orlando Resort, Universal’s multi-billion dollar premiere entertainment resort destination in Florida. He subsequently focused on strategic planning for Universal’s worldwide brand expansion, including New Business Development site selection and master planning for Universal Studios Japan in Osaka, Universal Studios Beijing/Shangahi China and numerous other business opportunities in greater Asia and Europe. Universal Parks & Resorts is now one of the most recognized leaders of destination entertainment, theme parks and resorts worldwide.
In 2005, Bob established a consulting practice where he leverages his diverse planning and design insights, market, business and operations experiences into added development and business value for his clients in the areas of leisure and resort destination, theme parks and attractions, and integrated mixed-use developments.
He is also partnered with Philippe Cousteau Jr., grandson of legendary explorer Jacque Cousteau, and Andrew Snowhite, to create added economic, social and sustainable environmental value in key segments of the tourism industry. This includes empowering youth to take action that restores and protects our water planet for future generations.
The International Themed Entertainment and Experience Design Industry awarded Bob the internationally prestigious THEA Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009. This Award was given in recognition of his exceptional career and contributions to the highest standards of excellence and creative achievement associated with the arts and sciences of themed entertainment, outstanding visitor experiences, attractions and places.
Select highlights include: Currently Executive Director, Planning & Design, US Space Force Historical Foundation: Past Chairman, Global Advisory Board for “Qiddiya”, Saudi Arabia’s future entertainment, sport and cultural destination on the edge of Riyadh; Executive Strategic Planning and Design Advisor to the CEO and COO of Samsung Everland Resort in Seoul; Executive Producer for the highly successful USA Pavilion at the 2012 World Expo in Yeosu Korea; Joint venture exploring new port development and eco-experience storytelling in the Caribbean for the rapidly growing cruise tourism industry; Development of new branded concepts in the fast growing Location Based Entertainment destination industry.
Returning Panelists
(alphabetical order by last name)
Louis Alfieri – Principal / Chief Creative officer at Raven Sun Creative
Terry Brown – Sr. Creative Director – Forrec
Terry is FORREC’s blue sky thinker, a highly creative person who looks at projects with a fresh, inquisitive mind. As FORREC’s Senior Creative Director, he works closely with clients, project teams, artists, illustrators, renderers, and animators to bring concepts to life.Terry joined FORREC in 1995. He has contributed to several high-profile projects including: Legoland Deutschland, in Günzburg, Germany, BBC Worldwide in the United Kingdom, Universal Studios Dubailand in the UAE, Everland in Seoul, Korea, many large projects in China, and more locally, the Niagara Power Plant Attraction located in Niagara Falls, Canada. Prior to FORREC, having spent several years working as an architect and urban designer, he founded Street Seats, a public furniture design company with projects throughout Canada. His broad design experience included time as a set designer for the television and film industry.
Terry has won numerous awards for his work including the Nuffield Foundation Fellowship Urban Design Study in the UK, the “Port-A-Park” Modular Street Furniture System, Centre de Creation Industries in Paris, France and the Manitoba Department of the Environment Urban Design Excellence Award.
Ryan Harmon, President + Chief Creative Officer – Zeitgeist USA
Life is an experience and since 1987, Ryan Harmon has been making it a memorable one for millions of people around the world. Harmon is a respected producer, creative director, and writer who understands the power of story, strategy, innovation, brand, and budget – and how to engage people emotionally through the mediums of environment, technology, and theatricality. Harmon is a former Disney Imagineer (from age 20) who has held senior creative positions at Delaney-Harmon, Story Dept., Universal Creative, Warner Bros., BRC Imagination Arts, and Landmark Entertainment Group, and consulted for dozens of owner/operators, design firms, and developers worldwide. Ryan is a member of the Producers Guild of America and The Magic Castle, and currently serves on the advisory panel for Riyadh Hub in Saudi Arabia.Freddy Martin – Director of the Creative Collective – Storyland Studios
Freddy Martin, MSML is a gifted communicator, strategist, and leader with decades of experience leading teams in Experience Design, Marketing, Communications and Fundraising Development.
An expert in content marketing, Freddy helps companies tell their stories and drive enthusiastic brand interaction through authored articles, social media, and search engine optimization. He has led the marketing efforts of three design studios. Freddy led brand identity development for international charity Children’s Hunger Fund. He is co-host of the “Themed Attraction Podcast,” a themed entertainment industry show, and “The Backside of Water Podcast,” an entertainment show about the history of Disneyland attractions.
Freddy has vast experience in championing vital social causes by inspiring action and initiating an irresistible, emotional response. He serves as Development Director for Triumph Foundation, a charity focused on improving the lives of people with disabilities.
Freddy began his career as a skipper on Disneyland’s Jungle Cruise where he learned the value of experience design and immersive storytelling. He led the design development of “Poverty Encounter,” an immersive themed attraction that helps visitors understand the realities of global poverty. He has produced gala fundraising events and a unique campout experience for fathers and their kids.
A prolific writer, Freddy creates volumes of content for brands and publications including curriculum, scripting, and ghost-writing for business leaders. He is a contributing editor for themedattraction.com and contract writer for InPark Magazine. He enjoys interviewing theme park design luminaries for his personal blog, FreddyMartin.net and is authoring a fictional novel on the life of Walt Disney.
Mark Spencer, BLA, MBA – Creative Director – Falcons Creative Group
Logan Zawacki – Project Manager / Sally Dark Rides
Logan Zawacki is a key member of the Project Management team at Sally Dark Rides and has managed such notable attractions as the THEA award-winning, interactive dark rides: “Sesame Street: Street Mission” at PortAventura World & “Justice League: Battle for Metropolis” at multiple Six Flags locations.
When he’s not traveling all over the world to install the latest dark ride, Logan is the co-creator/host of the THEME PARK SHUFFLE podcast, a founder/featured artist for GAAM (Games Art and Music), and always looking for opportunities to guest lecture or provide virtual presentations to college classes/clubs interested in Themed Entertainment.
Logan has a BFA in Graphic Design from the University of North Florida and a MFA in Photography from the Savannah College of Art & Design. Before working at Sally, he had the pleasure of teaching photography as a Visiting Assistant Professor at UNF and then became the Program Coordinator of Design at the Art Institute of Jacksonville.
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