Alicia Peyrano is a producer for the television production company Waddell Media and is currently  in production with Engineering Thrills (working title) for the Discovery Channel. When she isn’t immersed in the world of thrill rides, she is developing ideas for UK and US broadcasters or working as a print and radio journalist. Especially keen on science, technology and the future, she likes to tell stories of human innovation. She commutes between the US and the UK, which suits her to the bone because she loves to travel and admits that being on the road is when she comes up with her best ideas. She was born in Boston, the daughter of an Argentine and a Venezuelan, married a Northern Irish man and this summer is looking forward to testing some of the rides herself. Research, of course.
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Science writer Carolyn Collins Petersen is vice-president of Loch Ness Productions, an innovative company that provides content for fulldome theaters, exhibits, and outreach for observatories.

She has written several books, many documentary scripts, science articles, and museum exhibits on the subjects of astronomy, climate change, and space weather. Carolyn is a Fellow of the International Planetarium Society and a long-time member of the American Astronomical Society. She has a masters degree in journalism and mass communications, and while in graduate school served as a research associate for the International Halley Watch, and worked on a Hubble Space Telescope instrument team. Read more about Carolyn here.

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Chad D. Emerson is an Associate Professor of Law at Faulkner University’s Jones School of Law.

He is a frequent lecturer, author, and consultant in the area of amusement and hospitality law.  Chad is also the author of: The Continuing Showdown Over Who Should Regulate Amusement Attraction Safety: A Critical Analysis of Why Fixed-Site Amusement Attraction Safety Should Remain State-Governed published by the Seton Hall Legislative Journal.

He is the Former Editor and Administrator of the amusement industry’s leading legal and regulatory website—ThemeLaw at themelaw.blogspot.com and a Contributing Writer for a variety of leisure and special events industry magazines, including a regular column entitled The Large Park Report for Tourist Attractions & Parks Magazine.

Chad D. Emerson can be contacted by telephone at (334) 386-7536, or by e-mail at cemerson@faulkner.edu
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 I was born in Oldham, Lancs, back in the late 60s - my mum reckons 'Penny Lane' was playing on the radio as I was delivered but it could have been the pethadine. My passions, outside the amusement industry, are my family, wildlife, diving and cricket, God's own sport. I am also a rarity in that I am a Manchester United fan  from Manchester.
Been going to Alton Towers for over 25 years, we had trips there from primary school. I still remember how exciting it was when they had their first ride, a cresta run/slide which burnt your legs and ripped your shorts. Love this industry with its passion and drive, its sheer creativity and invention. Endlessly fascinating too. Did you know that Thomas Bridges from Alcorn McBride once played trumpet with Hoagy Carmichael (of 'Georgia' fame)?
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Chuck Roberts is Director of Design for BRC Imagination Arts and has been with the company since 1985. He was creative director/production designer on Shuttle Launch Experience, created by BRC for Kennedy Space Center, and concept designer/production designer on the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library & Museum, created by BRC for the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency
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Greg Van Gompel has been Legal Counsel to the National Amusement Park Historical Association (NAPHA) since 1990.

Besides his current work for NAPHA, Greg is also staff attorney for West, a Thomson Reuters business and counsel to the non-profit entities of the Savage Arts Council and the Suburban Home-Based Business Association. In the past, Greg has been in-house General Counsel responsible for a transportation company’s safety and environmental compliance together with its insurance procurement. He has also directed its employee benefit program, collected and sued on its delinquent accounts receivable and coordinated replevin of leased equipment.
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John Hogg is a Senior Designer at Lexington Design and Fabrication where he is currently working on a theme park project he can’t talk about. His extensive resume includes set design and art direction for eight major projects for Walt Disney Imagineering at Disney World in Florida, Disneyland California, and Disneyland Resort in Paris. For Universal Studios Creative, John was involved in several major projects including Universal Studios Florida, Universal's Islands of Adventure, Universal Studios Hollywood, and Universal Studios Japan. John has also worked as a designer for Jeremy Railton & Associates, BRC Imagination Arts, Paramount Studios, Warner Bros., Kevin Biles Design, and David Sackeroff Designs. In addition, John holds U.S. and International patents on his innovative design for the Cantilevered Coaster System.
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Jonathan Katz, CEO of Cinnabar Inc., commenced his design career in high school, building floats for the Pasadena Rose Parade. Eventually he managed the whole process for a float design and construction company. He shifted gears in the 1970s and went to work for then-California Gov. Jerry Brown, helping implement key Brown initiatives such as the Office of Appropriate Technology and the California Conservation Corps. Returning to the world of design & production, Katz founded Cinnabar in 1981. The company started out creating scenery and special effects for television, movies and commercials, then expanded into retail, theme parks and public venues.
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Judith Rubin is a prominent editor, journalist and publicist in the attractions industry, and a frequent contributor to Blooloop. Her articles have appeared in more than 25 trade publications and cover a broad array of subjects, including world expositions, museums, specialty cinema, land development, performing arts centers, design and technical integration.
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“I am passionate about marine conservation and have dedicated my life to improving awareness of marine issues and conservation, through a wide range of activities...”  As the director of Sea World at uShaka Marine World in South Africa, Judy Mann-Lang is responsible for the management of the aquarium, dolphinarium and the technical departments of the facility, which is the largest of its kind in Africa. She leads and manages a team of over 100 staff members including graduates and technicians, support staff and veterinarians to ensure the health of the animals, the standards of the mammal and bird presentations, the quality and maintenance of the aquarium exhibits, the maintenance of the life support systems and the overall visitor experience. Mann-Lang is a graduate of Rhodes University with degrees in zooloogy, microbiology, ichthyology and business administration. She is active in numerous scientific and conservation organizations and a prolific writer of articles and scientific papers.
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Jumana Brodersen is president of the J Co, LLC, a design consulting firm that specializes in planning and design of venues that entertain and immerse guests.

With a background in architecture, she has designed and managed projects as a consultant since 1982. Since 1998, she has worked on the owner side, planning and developing new attractions. She specializes in balancing vision and logistics. Prior to founding the J Co, she was corporate director of creative development with Busch Entertainment Corp. for 10 years. Email: jumana@thejco.com.
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Katie Bruno has been co-owner and director of wdd|online since 1996.   Originally trained in physics and chemistry and earning a PhD in Polymer Science, Katie  always enjoyed working with computers.  Her background in the Internet from "the ground up" has given her a unique perspective on emerging and changing technologies.  She also enjoys the combination of the "the technological and the artistic" found in website design and programming.  Working with the Cedar Fair family of amusement parks, including Cedar Point in Sandusky, Ohio since 1998, has given her a firm foundation in the amusement industry.  Katie and wdd|online's focus for the past two years has been in helping the FEC market learn how to utilize online technologies effectively. She has spoken both at IALEI and IAAPA on such topics as website design, email marketing and search engine optimization.  Her husband Mark works with her as co-owner and director of IT for the company.  Mark and Katie live in Wadsworth, Ohio with their three sons. 
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Mark Plattner  is a freelance writer and web developer based in Saint Louis, USA.
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Mira Cohen  is director of education for the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum in Simi Valley, California.

The Air Force One Discovery Center at the Reagan museum has been named to receive a Thea Award for Outstanding Educational Experience, from the Themed Entertainment Association, on March 7, 2009 .
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Randy White is CEO of the White Hutchinson Leisure & Learning Group, an international firm that specializes in production, design and consulting for children's and family leisure & entertainment venues.
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Robert Coker has been a lifelong theme park enthusiast who began writing about his love for roller coasters in 1995, crafting a small web site called “Rollercoaster!,” which was listed in the “World Wide Web Top 1000” book, published in 1996. That same year, he launched ThrillRide! (www.thrillride.com), which has been online continuously since then.

The popularity of ThrillRide led to the publication of his book “Roller Coasters – A Thrill Seeker’s Guide to the Ultimate Scream Machines” in 2002. It received a "Five Star" customer rating at both Amazon.com and BN.com, and for a short time, held the number one spot on Amazon's "Travel Books Best Sellers" list.

There have been three subsequent reprints, the latest in 2006 with updated content from Barnes & Noble Publishing.

He has also written roller coaster and amusement park-related articles for AOL.com, SMOKE magazine and amusement industry trade publications, and advertising and promotional copy for D.H. Morgan Manufacturing.
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Scott , currently Vice President Aquaventure Operations, at Kerzner International's Atlantis, Palm Jumierah, Dubai, UAE is a dynamic senior manager with extensive experience in international resort, corporate chain, and family run water parks. Prior to this he spent 6 years managing New Jersey's  Mountain Creek Waterpark where he supervised a staff of 475 and before this worked at Schlitterbahn Waterpark and NGBS International.
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Steffan is a Partner of the Leisure Practice at Jardine Lloyd Thompson Limited (JLT), part of a leading international group of Risk Specialists and Employee Benefits Consultants.

Stefan has been involved in the negotiation and management of insurance portfolios for the Leisure sector for over 20 years. Since joining JLT he has consolidated JLT's presence in various aspects of the Leisure industry, where it now has over 250 clients and places annual premiums in excess of £10m. The division has broad knowledge and experience across the whole sector including Theme Parks, Visitor Attractions, Gaming and Gambling, Amusements, Zoos and Animal Attractions.
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Steve Cook, CEO of Gold Reef City Theme Park is a seasoned Marketer having been involved in building Brands / company’s both in South Africa & Internationally including Panasonic in the Office Automation Industry & Yamaha on the World’s Moto GP circuit’s.

From the Gold Industry to Gold Reef City Theme Park the four year tenure has proved both exhausting & exciting but at all times rewarding to build a successful business needs enthusiasm and a determined team which was built slowly but surely to today’s vibrant Johannesburg’s favourite getaway icon.

The park was established 21 years ago as a Mining exhibit ( Johannesburg for the uninitiated was founded on the discovery of Gold in the late 1800’s ), then graduated to an amusement park and then finally to a fully fledged Theme park & Casino.
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Steven J. Thorburn, PE, LEED-AP, CTS-D, CTS-I is Principal and Director of Engineering for Thorburn Associates and a typical engineer -- if you cannot prove it, it is not a fact.

He co-founded Thorburn Associates, Inc., a Technology System and Acoustic Design and Engineering firm with offices in Northern and Southern California and North Carolina. He is also a member of the steering committee of ICIA's PETC (Professional Education and Training Committee), and is president of the Themed Entertainment Association (TEA). He is active in the design and development of projects around the world and can be reached at SJT@TA-Inc.com, or (510) 886-7826.
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Tracy Kahaner, owner of Kahaner Research and a contributor here at Blooloop, has been providing market and economic research services to developers, operators and consultants in the leisure time industry for over fifteen years -- first with Harrison Price Company and later on her own. Types of projects studied include, but are not limited to, urban entertainment centers, movie theaters, theme parks, family entertainment centers, museums, aquariums, stadiums, and specialty attractions. Her expertise is in providing the information necessary for analyzing the market potential and competitive environment for leisure time projects. Click here for more information and Tracy's contact details.
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Mr.VGP Ravidas, MBA, B.Com, is the President of IAAPI  (The Indian Association of Amusement parks and Industries),  the Managing Director, the VGP Group of Companies, Chennai and owns the VGP Universal Kingdom amusement park in Chennai.
 
Mr. Ravidas started his business career in 1978 by joining his family VGP Group. After holding various positions including directing the Group’s marketing activities, especially overseas, he assumed charge as Managing Director of  the VGP Group in 1996. From 1999 he turned his attention to developing and upgrading the Amusement Park Division by adding more infrastructural facilities and importing various hi-tech amusement rides. He is credited with modernising the park, introducing thematic events and international live stunt shows.
 
A seasoned traveler, Mr.Ravidas has visited the US over 25 times, the UK about 40 and numerous other countries. Displaying a keen interest in the development of the amusement industry as a whole, he brings to all endeavours his varied observations, rich acumen and experience.
 
An Active Rotarian and presently Director. International Service of the Rotary Club of Madras , Mr.Ravidas enjoys travel and sports, specifically cricket and tennis.
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When you grow up in a park family, you learn it all. And Will Koch has done it all, from performing as a costume-character elf (yes, he wore green tights) to running sound for shows (where he met his future wife) to designing wooden roller coasters (The Voyage, awarded the “Best Wooden Coaster” Golden Ticket Award). For 20 years, Will has served as president of Holiday World Theme Park in Santa Claus, Indiana, USA. As the third generation to run his family’s park (originally called Santa Claus Land), Will has created Splashin' Safari water park, added Thanksgiving--a fourth holiday-themed section--to Holiday World, instituted the family-friendly “Free Unlimited Soft Drinks” program, and won the highly coveted Applause Award. Will, an avid reader, strategic thinker, and all-around nice guy, is on a tireless search to discover the Next Big Thing.
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