TEA INSPIRE Sessions

14-15 MARCH 2024 | HOLLYWOOD, CA, USA
Thank You For Attending

TEA INSPIRE celebrates excellence in themed entertainment across the globe, offering attendees a fully immersive networking and educational experience and lasting inspiration.

This signature event draws themed entertainment professionals at all levels and disciplines within the industry, from emerging leaders to the most senior executives and carries on the tradition of case studies but with a deeper dive in direct response to attendee feedback.

Save the date for TEA 2025 INSPIRE and make plans to join us in Universal City, California, on 13-14 March 2025.

Save the date for TEA 2025 INSPIRE and make plans to join us in Universal City, California, on 13-14 March 2025.

PoP-Up Production Sessions Agenda

14 MARCH
The Canyon Rooms (Doheny-Laurel), Loews Hollywood Hotel
Co-hosts: Mk Haley, Erik Essig

7:30am PDT

Networking Breakfast

8:15am PDT

Opening and Welcome

Session 1: Signature Events: Crafting Impactful Temporary Experiences

Monica Miklas, Creative Lead, RWS Global
Rick Rothschild, Head of FAR Out! Creative

Session 2: Connecting the Dots: Technical Integration in Themed Entertainment

Markus Beyr, Chief Executive Officer, Attraktion! GmbH

Session 3: When Things Go Wrong: A Candid Conversation

Courtney Kleinman, Director, Projects, nFusion
Chris Manson, Director, TAIT Towers Project
Kate McConnell, Creative Director, THG Creative
Clara Rice, Director of Global Marketing, Adirondack Studios

Break

Session 4: Creating for Cruises: How the Themed Entertainment Industry is Making Waves

Damien Gray, Sr. Executive Creative Director, RWS GLOBAL

Session 5: Fireside Chat with Kirin Sinha

Kirin Sinha, Founder and CEO, Illumix

Wrap Up and Closing

12:00pm PDT

Lunch

INSPIRE THe Night Agenda

14 MARCH
Universal Studios Hollywood's Lower Lot

7:00pm PDT

Doors Open for Attendees

FOOD VENUES
Jurassic Café
Toadstool Café
ATTRACTIONS
Revenge of the Mummy – The Ride
TRANSFORMERS™: The Ride – 3D
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™: Discover the world of Super Mario™

Explore, discover, and play amazing interactive games and Key Challenges throughout the land.
Meet and Greet with Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach (characters subject to availability)
1-UP Factory™ retail store to remain open for the duration of the event
ALL NEW! Mario Kart™: Bowser’s Challenge

8:00pm PDT

INSPIRE the Night Panel

Moderator: John Sowers, VP, CityWalk
Panelists:

Jon Corfino, VP, UC USH
Lori Super, Asst. Director, Construction, UC USH
Nazanin Zarkesh, Sr. Director, Facility Design, UC USH
Debi Henningsen, Sr. VP Rev Ops, Food and Retail, USH
Scot Burklin, VP, Attractions & Operational Planning, USH

8:50pm PDT

Attendees Enjoy Universal Studios Hollywood

FOOD VENUES
Jurassic Café
Toadstool Café
ATTRACTIONS
Revenge of the Mummy – The Ride
TRANSFORMERS™: The Ride – 3D
SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™: Discover the world of Super Mario™

Explore, discover, and play amazing interactive games and Key Challenges throughout the land.
Meet and Greet with Mario, Luigi, and Princess Peach (characters subject to availability)
1-UP Factory™ retail store to remain open for the duration of the event
ALL NEW! Mario Kart™: Bowser’s Challenge

INSPIRE Agenda

14 MARCH | 1:00pm - 5:00pm PDT

Welcome and Introductions

Hollywood Ballroom, Loews Hollywood Hotel

Guardians of the Galaxy: Cosmic Rewind

Moderator: Jenefer Brown, LIONSGATE
Presenters:

Wyatt Winter, Executive Creative Producer, Walt Disney Imagineering
Alex Wright, Executive Creative Director, Walt Disney Imagineering

Disney Encanto x CAMP

Moderator: Ting-Ting Wei, Netflix
Presenters:

Kirk Larsen, Chief Creative Officer, CAMP
Arik Lubkin, Vice President, Experience Design, CAMP

SeaWorld® Yas Island, Abu Dhabi

Moderator: Nathan Jones, MV Rides
Presenters:

Cory Asrilant, Project Director, Thinkwell Group Inc.
Al Cross, Vice President, PGAV Destinations
John Linn, VP, Global Theme Park development, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
Mitchell Magill, Corp. Director, Entertainment Experiences, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment

Networking Activity
A series of interactive games to get you out of your seat and meeting new people in a fun, relaxed way.

Led by: Brett Jackson, Live Action Attractions

AURA: The Forest at the Edge of the Sky (Haikou International Duty Free Shopping Complex)

Moderator: Evi Sari, WildBrain CPLG
Presenters:

Rik Athorne, Head of Creative Leadership, Wētā Workshop
Richard Taylor, CEO / Creative Director, Wētā Workshop

Bermuda Storm, Chimelong Spaceship

Moderator: Shelby Honea, Universal Creative
Presenters:

Dale Su, Vice President, Chimelong Group
Rick Rothschild, Founder and Chief Creative Officer, FAR Out! Creative

Catalyst Interview

Interviewer: Emily Dow, DPEP / Walt Disney Imagineering / Design & Delivery Studio

Paul C. Hutton, Director of Regenerative Design, Retired Cuningham

15 MARCH | 7:00am - 5:30pm PDT

Welcome and Introductions

Hollywood Ballroom, Loews Hollywood Hotel

Buzz Price Lifetime Achievement Thea Award Conversation

Su Zhigang, Chairman and CEO of the Chimelong Group

Colored (Noire)

Moderator: Lacy K Campbell, Thinkwell (A TAIT Company)
Presenters:

Pierre-Alain Giraud, Producer / Director - Co-founder, Novaya
Stéphane Foenkinos, Director, Novaya
Tania De Montaigne, Writer, Novaya

Break

Le Mime et l’Étoile

Moderator: Fri Forjindam, MYCOTOO
Presenter: Nicolas de Villiers, President, Puy du Fou

Peaky Blinders: The Rise

Moderator: Dustin Schofield, Walt Disney Imagineering
Presenters:

Louis Hartshorn, Joint CEO, The Everywhere Group
Brian Hook, Chief Creative Officer, The Everywhere Group

Networking Activity
A series of interactive games to get you out of your seat and meeting new people in a fun, relaxed way

Led by: Juliana Moreno & Ariel Rubin, Wild Optimists

Deutschlandmuseum

Moderator: Luc Mayrand, Walt Disney Imagineering
Presenters:

Chris Lange, Creative Director, CSB - Creative Studio Berlin
Robert Rueckel, Owner, Deutschlandmuseum

Eatrenalin

Moderator: Marc Zachary, Experiential Advisors
Presenters:

Oliver Altherr, CEO & Co-Founder, Eatrenalin Rust/Germany GmbH & Co KG
Thomas Mack, CEO & Co-Founder, Eatrenalin Rust/Germany GmbH & Co KG

Lunch

State of the Industry Roundtable

Moderator: Al Cross, PGAV Destinations
Panelists:

Andreas Andersen, CEO & President, Liseberg Group
Yoshi Maruyama, CEO and Board Director, TOCA
Molly Murphy, President, Universal Creative
Inessah Selditz, Executive Creative Director, Superfly
Kirin Sinha, Founder and CEO, Illumix
Bruce Vaughn, Chief Creative Officer, Walt Disney Imagineering

Geneva Journey

Moderator: Cynthia Vergon, Infact Global
Presenters:

Christophe Berthonneau, President and Artistic Director, Groupe F
Nicolas Chavance, Deputy managing director, Groupe F

Networking Activity
A series of interactive games to get you out of your seat and meeting new people in a fun, relaxed way.

Led by:

Juliana Moreno & Ariel Rubin, Wild Optimists
Brett Jackson, Live Action Attractions

Musikkfabrikken Hunderfossen

Moderator: Christian Lachel, BRC Imagination Arts
Presenters:

Fredrik Fottland, Creative and Technical director, Expanse
Hogne Høstmælingen, CEO, Hunderfossen Familiepark
Sigurd Slåttebrekk, CEO, Animando

Titanic Belfast

Moderator: Jeanette Brown, Stantec Architecture Inc.
Presenter: Judith Owens, CEO, TBL International

Johnnie Walker Princes Street

Moderator: Katy Harris, Princess Cruises/Carnival Corporation
Presenters:

Christian Lachel, BRC Imagination Arts
Robert Maxwell, Head of Johnnie Walker Princes Street, Diageo

Liseberg

Moderator: Chris Lange, CSB - Creative Studio Berlin GmbH
Presenter: Andreas Andersen, CEO & President, Liseberg Group

Closing

NEW FOR 2024
POP-UP PRODUCTION SESSIONS
ADD-ON EVENT | 14 MARCH 2024

This brand-new session addressed the unique needs of mid-career professionals and practitioners working in the trenches who desire to take their INSPIRE case study learnings to the next level.

In this half day program, attendees had the opportunity to hear from Thea Award-winning project teams about a specific aspect of their project that seemed like an insurmountable challenge, and how they overcame it.

It was perfect session for anyone who wanted to kick-off their INSPIRE week learnings with real-life stories of winning, failure, iteration, and coming out the other end wiser.

Attendees engaged in collaborative sessions, uncovered new possibilities, and drove conversation into new territories by engaging in multiple opportunities for shared learning.

NEW FOR 2024
INSPIRE THE NIGHT
ADD-ON EVENT | 14 MARCH 2024

An evening of thrills, fun and surprises at Universal Studios Hollywood!

Attendees took advantage of TEA’s exclusive access to Universal Studios Hollywood’s Lower Lot – the home of SUPER NINTENDO WORLD™.

Their ticket entitled them to a three-hour in-park experience, including hosted food and soft drinks from Universal’s themed restaurants and venues, cash bars with two hosted drink tickets per person, dessert and coffee stations, plus exclusive access to included rides and attractions.

In the spirit of honoring excellence and our talented vendor community, this event featured a 45-minute panel discussion with the lead Creatives, vendors, and suppliers involved in the creating of Universal Studios Hollywood's most popular attractions.

WHY ATTEND IN 2025?

Raise your global industry knowledge and leave inspired to create the next best thing through peer led non-commercial educational content from Thea Award recipients
Expand your professional network throughout the event in educational sessions, networking lunches, and receptions.
Enhance your individual and company’s recognition among industry colleagues through face-to-face interaction

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?