Meet the Industry Experts Shaping Our Program
We work in an industry where the leaders and professionals who shape the industry also shape our students. Our industry experts provide program feedback, assignment feedback, mentorship to our students and give our students the leg up they need to succeed in the industry.
Industry Testimonials
“Everything that you learn in themed experience design can be applied to the rest of the experience economy globally… the things that you’re teaching students primarily for the themed entertainment industry are now applicable in all of these other worlds as well.”
Theron Skees (Designers Creative Studios, former Disney Imagineering)
“It’s incumbent upon great universities like Purdue … to open up opportunities for people at different levels and different interests. There’s an opportunity for just about anybody in any discipline to participate in your program.”
Mike West (Innovative West, former Disney & Universal Studios)
“I love that Purdue approaches this as real-world design and build — not just blue-sky ideas. The more you can connect students with fabrication and installation realities, the better prepared they’ll be.”
Armando Lanuti (President, Creative Works)
Our Industry Experts
Meet the dedicated professionals who shape our themed entertainment and attraction design program.
Don Carson
Senior Art Director, Mighty Coconut
Dave Cooperstein
Director of Process and Design Innovation
PGAV Destinations
Harrison Craig
Director of Exhibit Project Management
Answers in Genesis
Marc Dittmer
Faculty & Manager, Enterprise Technology – Datacom, OMS & VIdeo Services
The Walt Disney Company
Dave Durham
25+ Years with The Walt Disney Company
Mark Firestone
Associate Vice President of Guest Experiences
Conner Prairie
Brock Gorrell
Director of Museum, Education & Tour Operations
Fair Oaks Farms
Doug Griffith
Owner, Anthrobot Creative
35+ Years with The Walt Disney Company
Dave Hall
Associate Project Director
Falcon’s Creative
Rodney Heilgmann
President at LF Studios
Heidi Hirsch
Director of Project Development
Reveal Studios
Armando Lanuti
President
Creative Works
Michael Libby
Founder & CEO
WorldBldr
Ron Martin
Principal Projection & Special Effects Engineering
AOA – The Walt Disney Company
Dan Mastropietro
Technical Fellow, The Walt Disney Company
Ian MacVittie
Technical Consultant
The Walt Disney Company
Francisco Nunez
President
FrankNDesign
Roberta Perry
President, Roberta Perry & Associates
Gary Pope
Co-Founder, Kids Industries
Matt Proulx
Vice President, Location-Based Entertainment, Hasbro
Francisco Nunez
President
FrankNDesign
Monica Ramsey
Vice President
The Childrens Museum of Indianapolis
Bob Rogers
Owner, BRC Imagination Arts
Theron Skees
Founder
The Designers Creative Studio
Mike West
President
Innovative West, Inc.
Denise Chapman Weston, MSW, LICSW
Faculty & Director of Imagination
Infinite Kingdoms & Invent Worlds
Logan Zawacki
Project Manager, Sally Dark Ride