Trusted advisors available from multiple disciplines to assist you
MMG’s independent consultant team of former long-time Disney executives and experts led key departments and lines of business across the Global Walt Disney Parks and Resorts business segment, including theme parks, resorts, waterparks, timeshares, and cruise lines, as well as ESPN, the worldwide leader in sports.
COMPANY FOUNDERS
Cal Almaguer, Founding Partner
Sales and Customer Experience Development/Contact Center Operations and Optimization
An accomplished sales and customer experience executive with proven leadership in driving top-line revenue growth for the Walt Disney Company. Cal is an expert in building world-class customer experiences by providing the strategic direction necessary to create memorable experiences. As a member of the Disney Cruise Line launch team and the former Vice President of Sales and Travel Operations for Disney Destinations, Cal has a track record of success in salesforce and contact center environments. Under his leadership, the Disney Reservation Centers in Florida and California achieved record operating income growth, while surprising and delighting millions of Guests around the world. Likewise, his sales organization delivered record revenue results for Walt Disney World, Disneyland, Disney Cruise Line, Adventures by Disney, and Disney’s Aulani Resort & Spa. After a distinguished 20-year Disney career, he founded The MagicMakers® Group with partner and fellow Disney executive Rob Mauldin. Cal also served as Sr. Vice President, Sales & Service Strategy and Operations, leading the sales and contact center organizations for Princess Cruises.
Cal holds Bachelor Degrees in Chemistry and History from the University of Miami, and a Master's in Business Administration from Florida International University.
Cal Almaguer, Founding Partner
Sales and Customer Experience Development/Contact Center Operations and Optimization
Rob Mauldin, Founding Partner
Business Transformation and Experience Development
A results-oriented, entrepreneurial executive with a passion for delivering high-quality, customer-centric experiences, Rob has an impeccable record for developing and delivering innovative solutions that increase revenue and profitability. Rob was a member of the Disney Cruise Line launch team and was a key executive in the Entertainment organization that led the transformation of Disney's consumer photography service, Disney PhotoPass, at Disney theme parks around the world. Rob’s vision, business acumen, and knack for turning strategies into execution navigated his organizations through rapid technological change and prepared them for the challenges of tomorrow. After a distinguished 21-year Disney career, Rob founded The MagicMakers® Group with partner and fellow Disney executive Cal Almaguer.
Rob holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration focusing on Finance and Entrepreneurship from Baylor University.
Rob Mauldin, Founding Partner
Business Transformation, Experience Development, Finance, and Revenue Enhancement
EXPERTS
Anita Collins
Leadership Development, Employee Training
Anita Collins has over 23 years of experience in Learning and Development including strategy development and implementation. She is a seasoned and dynamic facilitator with the ability to impact large audiences or small intact teams. Working at Disney afforded her the opportunity to perform a variety of roles in Finance, Recruitment, Human Resources, and Learning and Development. She has had a lifelong passion for learning and takes great pride in enabling others to develop to their fullest potential. Disney University was the right fit for her to do that. During her 10 years at Disney University, Anita consulted, developed strategies, and delivered training, at all levels of the organization, both domestic (California, Florida) and international (Tokyo, Shanghai, and Disney Cruise Ships). She was honored to be selected to represent Disney University on the opening task force team for Aulani, A Disney® Resort & Spa.
While at Disney, Anita received the “Partners In Excellence” award which demonstrates the characteristics of an excellent worker. She also received the “Walt Disney Legacy Award” which is the highest honor any cast member, Disney Imagineer, crew member, or employee can receive for their abilities to “Dream, Create & Inspire,” as Walt Disney himself did, in their respective roles.
Anita holds ATD’s Certified Professional in Talent Development (CPTD) designation, HRCI’s Professional in Human Resources (PHR) Certification, and is a licensed Florida CPA. She completed the Executive MBA program at Rollins College Crummer School of Business.
Anita Collins
Leadership Development, Employee Training
Ben Dubiel
Strategic Decisions Powered by Simulation Insight
Ben Dubiel is a seasoned strategy and operations leader with over two decades of experience delivering business value through simulation. He helps organizations solve complex problems using advanced modeling and analytics. Previously, he held leadership roles at Integrated Insight, IBM, and Walt Disney World, where he applied simulation to drive customer experience, operational efficiency, and strategic decision-making.
Ben holds an M.S. in Industrial Engineering from the University of Central Florida and a B.S. in Industrial and Operations Engineering from the University of Michigan. His career is defined by data-driven impact.
Ben Dubiel
Strategic Decisions Powered by Simulation Insight
Bob Simmonds
Global Contact Center Strategy & Operations
If you build from a base of care, compassion and concern for others, and continually reinvent your business to keep things fresh, engaging and exciting for everyone involved, great things will happen. Throughout his impressive career, Bob Simmonds has accomplished this by transforming businesses through top-line and bottom line growth, and creating value and opportunities for shareholders, stakeholders and employees.
In the contact center environment, specifically, Bob specializes in finding the right balance between technology and people to provide the optimum customer experience. As Disney’s SVP of Global Travel Operations, Bob ensured that whether through a phone call, an email, a web chat, a text or even a letter, the Disney Reservation Centers created "Magical Memories that last a lifetime" for Disney guests from all over the world. He did so while still driving industry-leading average order value for the company.
Prior to Disney, Bob held executive contact center leadership and IT roles for leading global consumer and corporate travel industry companies such as Expedia, Rosenbluth International, Total Travel Management, and iTravel.
Bob is also a motivational and customer experience-focused speaker. He has delivered numerous keynote speeches for organizations globally.
Bob holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the University of Central Florida.
Bob Simmonds
Global Contact Center Strategy & Operations
Candy Parks
Consumer Research and Quantitative Analytics - "Measuring the Magic"
Candy is an accomplished executive with nearly 30 years of experience, in the public, private, and non-profit sectors. A masterful market researcher, excelling in both quantitative and qualitative studies, Candy has unparalleled expertise in developing a deep understanding of consumer attitudes and behaviors, and the unique ability to take complex research findings and share them in a compelling story to guide business decisions. In her 17 years with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, Candy was instrumental in developing the Guest Satisfaction Measurement program for all of Disney’s vacation offerings: theme parks, resorts, Disney Cruise Line, Disney Vacation Club, and Adventures by Disney. Candy’s unique ability to convert research to insight and insight to action made her a valued partner to all lines of business. She also designed and implemented research processes to support Cast Excellence, Leadership Development, and Labor Strategies, and served as the ‘Chief Intelligence Officer for Disney Cruise Line – conducting all research to support and guide the current and expanding fleet. Prior to Disney, Candy spent ten years in academia and public education where she designed program evaluations and educational research to assess curriculum effectiveness and the impact of both organic and operational factors. She also managed large-scale assessment systems, developed large-scale training for school-based test administrators, and created interpretation workshops for teachers and parents.
Candy graduated from the University of Central Florida with both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Communication with a focus on organizational communication and research design.
Candy Parks
Consumer Research and Quantitative Analytics - "Measuring the Magic"
Chuck Salvo
Driving Organizational Development, Culture Enhancement, and Sales and Service Superiority
Chuck Salvo is an esteemed organizational development and culture change agent who possesses a wealth of experience in bolstering employee engagement and retention. With a particular focus on elevating customer service and increasing employee retention, Chuck leverages his Disney pedigree and vast experience to facilitate transformative shifts in organizational cultures. From small start-ups to large multinationals, Chuck has successfully devised programs that enhance and revolutionize the reputations of companies within their communities.
Chuck specializes in a range of services designed to cultivate thriving organizational cultures. His expertise encompasses Organizational Culture Assessment, enabling companies to gain clarity and establish boundaries conducive to growth. Additionally, through his Respect and Value Everyone Workshops, Chuck promotes employee retention by fostering an environment of respect and appreciation. Moreover, his Customer Sales and Service Training Programs equip teams with the skills and mindset needed to deliver exceptional service.
At the core of Chuck's passion lies his ability to lead people and develop high-margin cultures. He believes that shaping organizational cultures into a competitive advantage is paramount, and his mission is to help organizations find their happiness and profitability. By assisting organizations in building clear and intentional service boundaries, Chuck empowers both leaders and employees, resulting in empowered and contented teams capable of providing superior customer service. Ultimately, he understands that empowered and happy employees contribute to higher profit margins.
For any organization seeking a clear understanding of its values and purpose, Chuck Salvo is the ideal partner. Through his unwavering commitment, he aims to help organizations unleash their full potential by fostering intentional service boundaries and enabling leaders and employees to thrive.
Chuck holds a bachelor’s degree in hospitality management from East Straudsburg University, as well as a Culinary Arts degree from Johnson & Wales University.
Chuck Salvo
Driving Organizational Development, Culture Enhancement, and Sales and Service Superiority
David Garcia
End to End Experience Development, Fan Experience Development, Bringing Technology to the Marketplace, Product Strategy & Development
As the Founder of Hawks Ventures, a $50 million venture fund affiliated with the Atlanta Hawks, David led strategic investments into early-stage startups that make the world faster & more convenient, personal & helpful, and fun & unique. With more than 1,000 companies evaluated, David has a deep understanding of market trends and extensive industry knowledge.
Prior to his role at Hawks Ventures, David held executive positions at leading organizations such as the Atlanta Hawks & State Farm Arena and AMB Sports & Entertainment, where he spearheaded transformative initiatives to enhance guest & employee experiences and drive operational excellence. He was instrumental in the design and development of Mercedes-Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena, leading both organizations to be recognized as the #1 fan experience in their respective leagues.
With a background in technical product management at Amazon and experience leading strategic initiatives at The Walt Disney Company, David possesses a unique blend of entrepreneurial vision and corporate expertise. He served as interim CEO for EXO Checkout, an RFID-Enabled Expedited Checkout product, where he led the product and engineering teams, the capital raising process, and secured contracts with organizations such as The Masters, Miami Heat, TD Garden, NY Islanders, and the NFL Store. He has a proven ability to develop and execute innovative strategies that drive growth and maximize value for stakeholders.
David brings a diverse perspective and a passion for excellence to every engagement. Whether advising startups on product and growth strategies or guiding established organizations through periods of transformation, David is committed to delivering measurable results and driving sustainable success for his clients.
David holds a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Virginia and an MBA from the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth
David Garcia
End to End Experience Development, Fan Experience Development, Bringing Technology to the Marketplace, Product Strategy & Development
Derek Egbert
Ski Resort expertise, Industrial Engineering, Process Improvement, Program/Project Management, Operations, Maintenance, Supply Chain
Derek has a passion for identifying simple solutions to complex operational problems and thrives on partnering with operational leaders and front-line employees to bring these improvements to life in a sustainable way.
During his time at Disneyland, Derek served as Project Manager and Senior Industrial Engineer on various projects throughout the park. At every attraction Derek investigated, he uncovered simple yet impactful opportunities to improve operational performance by utilizing time studies and Six Sigma process improvement tools. Derek supported facility design, retail operations, custodial, events, security, parking, and helped bring the park back online after the COVID shutdown.
At Vail Resorts, Derek created and led the Operational Insights team supporting Vail’s 42 ski resorts world-wide. Derek's team launched new capabilities in data collection, metrics, and dashboards for Lift Operations across the enterprise. He also optimized line/maze design at ski lifts which helped reduce wait times on busy days. Derek also led an enterprise effort to improve parking and traffic operations and drove significant improvements at congested ski resorts through launching simple and impactful parking programs.
Derek began his career at Mars Wrigley Confectionery, where he worked on new candy production lines, supply chain, and facility master planning of $1B+.
Derek earned a BS and MS in Manufacturing Engineering Technology at Brigham Young University and an MBA from Texas A&M University. He is PMP certified from the Project Management Institute and is Lean Six Sigma Black Belt Certified from the Six Sigma Global Institute.
Derek Egbert
Ski Resort expertise, Industrial Engineering, Process Improvement, Program/Project Management, Operations, Maintenance, Supply Chain
Diane Yarborough
Human Resources and Organizational Improvement
Diane Yarborough is an accomplished Human Resources and Organizational Improvement professional with over 30 years of experience in Human Resources operations and leadership. She brings her expertise in talent acquisition, employer branding, and talent and leadership development to help her hone in on building cultures where the employees thrive and want to stay.
She works best with organizations that are looking for a fresh perspective on their recruiting and retention efforts. She has a keen understanding of the role organizational culture plays in creating an employee experience that will attract and retain top talent, drive performance, and strengthen an employment brand and drive to build these environments with the clients she works with.
Diane has successfully implemented key HR projects and programs, including providing key HR strategic and leadership support during the launch of the Disney Cruise Line supporting key Sales and Marketing and Operations executives in shoreside operations, as well as sailing as the HR Officer on board Disney Magic. She had the privilege to lead the Human Resources efforts and support the opening of Castaway Cay, Disney Cruise Line’s private island, and was key to building their Cast and Crew experiences both onboard and on the island.
She’s also implemented key employee programs within financial services, hospitality, and the nonprofit sector and has most recently been working with Margaritaville / IMCMV company to launch a new labor strategy in the development and operation of a college internship program for the company.
Throughout her career, Diane has held key HR roles in Financial Services, Hospitality, Power sector, and has helped design and implement key retention and recruiting efforts therein. She has a proven track record of driving organizational success through talent acquisition, employee engagement, performance management, and designing dynamic employee development initiatives.
With her extensive experience and passion for creating thriving work environments, Diane is committed to driving positive change and making a lasting impact on organizations and their employees. She is dedicated to cultivating a strong company culture where collaboration and innovation are celebrated; that attracts top talent, fosters employee growth, and ultimately contributes to overall business success.
Diane holds a bachelor’s in psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, and a Masters in counseling and consultation from Stetson University.
Diane Yarborough
Human Resources and Organizational Improvement
Jack Feivou
Creative Entertainment
With over 30 years of creative entertainment experience, Jack has worked in non-profits, performing arts centers, amphitheaters, and major theme parks throughout the world as a Stage Manager, Production Manager, Producer, General Manager, and ultimately as President and CEO. He understands the intricacies and global vision of the entertainment business. His years of experience have taught him that we manage things, and we lead people.
Early in Jack’s career, he worked as a stage manager and technical director for a number of theatre companies including the Nickerson Theatre, Theatre Works, Albany Berkshire Ballet, and Dennis Wayne Dancers. Additionally, he was part of the producing team for the Effie Awards, the Philadelphia Thanksgiving Day Parade, the Chicago Magnificent Mile Holiday Processional, and multiple marketing special events. For the launch of Karastan Carpets new line, Jack stage-managed an innovative Haute Couture fashion show with models matched with each new carpet design, including one dressed totally in Karastan carpet. He spent seven years as the Events and Operations Manager for Trinity College, where he also taught stage management.
Jack’s Disney career began in 1997 as a production manager for convention and special events at the Walt Disney World Resort. He managed over 200 events in his first year, and over the next four years produced marketing events in Orlando and New York City for Walt Disney World and Disney Cruise Line. As part of the initial launch of Disney Cruise line, Jack produced an event in the middle of Times Square, transforming it into a tropical paradise in the middle of February with sand, palm trees, tiki huts, and families in beachwear. That single event received hundreds of media hits and led to a multitude of vacation bookings.A Lifelong lover of dance, Jack left Disney for a time when he was offered an opportunity to lead the Boston Ballet as Director of Artistic Operations and Chief Operating Officer. Working closely with the Artistic and Executive Directors, he ran both production and daily operations of the company, saving over $400,000 in operating costs which was reinvested back into the creative.
Jack returned to Disney to produce the longest running show at the Magic Kingdom® Park, "Dream Along with Mickey", and join the Emmy Award-winning production team of the 2005 Walt Disney World Christmas Day Parade.
Capitalizing on this success, Jack produced Disney on Parade at Hong Kong Disneyland® Resort, the resort’s first parade. He also stage managed many of the grand-opening’s biggest events. As General Manager, Entertainment Operations, Jack led a cast of more than 800 in the day-to-day operation of various stage shows, atmosphere entertainment, character experiences, and photo imaging that delighted millions of Walt Disney World guests each year.
After his final years at Disney, Jack served as President & CEO of Fox Associates where he led the Fabulous Fox Theatre in St. Louis, the third largest touring roadhouse in the country. The company also included MetroTix and Fox Theatricals, which produces Tony Award-winning Broadway shows. Jack later joined Universal Creative as a Senior Show Producer, leading the creative team that will soon bring to life a new land, including attractions, restaurants, retail, and live entertainment for the future Universal Beijing Resort.
Jack has been a member of the United States Institute for Theatrical Technology since 1991, serving multiple roles including the Vice President for Conferences, Vice Commissioner for the Stage Management Mentoring Project (SMMP), Commissioner for the Management Commission, and a Director at Large. Jack was a SMMP Mentor for over ten years and has presented at over 17 conferences. One of Jack’s passions is giving back to the industry by mentoring the next generation of theatre practitioners.
Jack Feivou
Creative Entertainment
Jenny Fishpool
Industrial Engineering, Experience Development, Operational Efficiency, Business Transformation, Workforce Strategy, Program and Project Development/Planning, Performance Measurement, Keynote Speaker
An entrepreneurial leader renowned for her exceptional ability to optimize operational efficiency and drive business transformation through the strategic use of data, keen observations, and meticulous process mapping. With a career spanning over two decades at The Walt Disney Company, and notable experiences at Intel Corp, WHSmith, Orange Lake Vacation Ownership Resort, Lockheed Martin, and Wet 'n Wild, Jenny's diverse background encompasses industrial engineering, operations, analytics, project management, workforce strategy, resort development, market research, marketing and sales analytics, and internal audit. During her time at Disney, Jenny was part of several project development and launch teams, including Disney Cruise Line, FastPass, MyMagicPlus (MagicBands and MyDisneyExperience), Disney's Operational Command Center (DOCC), the Guest Experience Center (GEC), many attraction openings, and four hotel openings including the former Star Wars Galactic Starcruiser.
Jenny holds a Bachelor's Degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Central Florida and an Executive International MBA from the prestigious Thunderbird School of Global Management.
Jenny Fishpool
Industrial Engineering, Experience Development, Operational Efficiency, Business Transformation, Workforce Strategy, Program and Project Development/Planning, Performance Measurement, Keynote Speaker
Joanna Bradford
Strategic Planning, Valuation, and Financial Modeling
With over 25 years of experience in strategic planning, valuation, and financial modeling, and revenue and profit maximization, Joanna has a proven track record for combining analytics and strategic insights to solve complex business challenges and drive growth. Her experience has spanned the travel and entertainment industry, including theme parks and attractions, hotels, timeshare, and fractional ownership, airlines and travel agencies, and retail, dining, and entertainment. Joanna spent 15 years at the Walt Disney Company in key leadership positions across business development, strategic planning, and finance. She led feasibility analysis and valuation for major new projects across most of Walt Disney World’s lines of business. She also spearheaded long-term strategy development for the company’s Information Technology and Entertainment departments.
Joanna holds BA in Economics from Bucknell University and an MBA from the University of Virginia’s Darden Graduate School of Business.
Joanna Bradford
Strategic Planning, Valuation, and Financial Modeling
Joel Staley
Brand Messaging, Social Media Strategy, Media/Presentation Training, Crisis Communications
Joel Staley is a public relations professional and executive communications trainer with more than 25 years of experience in creating and directing media relations, crisis communications and social media campaigns for general and multicultural audiences in the higher education, health care, travel & tourism, financial services, environmental, real estate development and sports industries.
He recently led a national boating safety media relations campaign for his client, the Water Sports Foundation, which generated more than 600 million impressions and earned two national marine industry awards. For Edelman, the world’s largest communications firm, he led a team that provided crisis communications counsel for a national outpatient surgical center facing a 60 Minutes inquiry. The effort earned him and his colleagues a Florida PRSA Radiance award for crisis campaign of the year. He also provided crisis counsel to Consultate Healthcare, one of the largest assisted living facility companies in the nation. He positioned Carnegie Mellon University and its autonomous vehicle lab as the pioneer in the field with media coverage that included a USA Today feature reaching millions. He counseled the Everglades Foundation as they publicized findings of a critical environmental survey to galvanize public sentiment. He helped Can-Am introduce a new clothing line at the Daytona 500. He launched lavender-scented Angel Soft toilet paper with a national experiential campaign driving strong sales among the US Hispanic market.
While at Burson, he conducted media relations, crisis communications and media training for globally recognized brands like the Mexico Tourism Board, IKEA, Accenture, State Farm Insurance, Shell Oil Company and others. He was a public relations director for Walt Disney Parks & Resorts and its theme parks, cruise line, hotels and restaurants. He also was SVP of brand and external communications for Seacoast Bank.
Joel is based in Central Florida. He speaks and writes Spanish fluently and holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations from Brigham Young University and is a 2016 PRSA Florida Radiance Award winner for crisis communications.
Joel Staley
Brand Messaging, Social Media Strategy, Media/Presentation Training, Crisis Communications
Keith Smith
HR Consulting, Change Management, Executive Coaching, Team Building
A seasoned HR professional with three decades of progressive HR experience at The Walt Disney Company, Keith is a change-driver, coaching leaders at all levels across a broad spectrum of diverse businesses, including hotels and resorts, theme parks, retail banking, live entertainment and events, zoos and aquariums, corporate partnerships and alliances, hospitality, finance, IT, HR, and shared services.
As a former Senior Vice President of HR at Disney, Keith understands firsthand the unique and complex challenges executives face striving to balance and achieve their personal, professional, and organizational goals. His expertise lies in executive coaching, organizational design, talent management, organizational and employee effectiveness, and change and transition management consulting.
During his tenure at Disney, Keith spearheaded significant HR initiatives, including leading customized approaches for implementing enterprise-wide HR technology solutions and designing annual culture and leadership roadmaps aligned with talent strategies. His leadership of an HR Project Management Office involved collaborating with functional HR partners and external consultants to build a complex yet adaptable and agile alignment of HR resources, supporting large-scale organizational realignment strategies.
Keith's approach focuses on eliminating barriers, fostering trust-based relationships, and creative problem-solving. He excels in orchestrating repeatable approaches that align people toward common goals. He is driven to collaborate with leaders eager to unite their teams around the next big idea for organizational success.
Beyond his professional accomplishments, Keith is deeply passionate about volunteering, the arts, and nonprofit leadership. Holding a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) Certification and a Masters in HR from Rollins College in Florida, he is active on local nonprofit boards and in board leadership. He has also served in leadership positions on the Orange County Arts and Cultural Affairs Council in Orlando. Keith brings a wealth of experience and a unique blend of creativity and dedication to every endeavor.
Keith Smith
HR Consulting, Change Management, Executive Coaching, Team Building
Kenny Funk
Retail Strategy/Planning, Business Insights & Analytics, & Revenue Maximization
Kenny brings over 30 years of senior executive level global multi-channel retail & wholesale, food & beverage, attractions and entertainment experience to our group. His tenure with top hospitality brands including The Walt Disney Company and Great Wolf Resorts provides an unparalleled cross-discipline blend of brand strategy development, product innovation, guest-centric operational execution, outlet concept design & delivery, business insights & analytics, supply chain & sourcing strategy, business systems, and financial planning in the areas of retail, attractions, food & beverage and entertainment.
Relentlessly focused on the entire product/menu life cycle and customer experience journey, he has been able to consistently deliver significant top line, bottom line, and guest experience results at every stop of his career. Kenny is highly regarded for developing cogent and understandable business strategy in all hospitality revenue channels by keeping pace with changing customer shopping and dining dynamics.
Having generated product development, supply chain & sourcing strategy in addition to planning systems & mechanics representing annual revenues of over $3B and receipts at cost totaling over $1B annually, he provides a cash-flow focused keen understanding of the balance between maximizing revenue potential and minimizing the balance sheet impacts of carrying costs and rationalizing operational costs.
Distinguished for his ability to readily identify business process gaps, he has been able to create holistic systems strategy and implementation plans at the highest level to support the needs of a growing and changing business. This includes various POS, sourcing, and planning systems integrations to company enterprise financial systems to ensure fiscal harmony and facilitate near-real-time reporting. Oracle, SAP, Micros, Kleinschmidt, Coupa, DataWorks are among the various support systems he’s introduced and/or optimized throughout his career.
Additionally, his experience in leveraging internal proprietary brands coupled with his understanding of the value of introducing business-driving licenses such as Build a Bear, LEGO, Crayola, Columbia Sport, Nike, Swarovski among others has driven non-traditional and incremental revenue opportunities across bricks & mortar as well as e-commerce channels.
A frequent speaker on the topics of leadership development and strategy development at companies and organizations such as Chase, Sony, Society of Human Resource Managers, Kenny is recognized as a visionary catalyst for change in organizations across a spectrum of industries.
Kenny holds a bachelors degree in Business Administration from SW Oklahoma State University and has served on the IAAPA retail board of directors, the Johnson University board of directors among other community and not-for-profit experiences.
Kenny Funk
Retail Strategy/Planning, Business Insights & Analytics, & Revenue Maximization
Kim Sams
Corporate Responsibility and Public/Environmental Affairs
Known for her creativity and synergistic acumen, Kim has 40 years of experience in tourism public affairs, environmental issues, and corporate responsibility, including international charitable initiatives. As a retired Disney Corporate Responsibility leader respected for developing high-impact teams and external partnerships, Kim is a can-do person whose core competencies include stakeholder engagement, program strategy, grantmaking, issues management, environmental affairs general messaging, editing, and writing.
During her 31-year tenure, she oversaw The Walt Disney Company Foundation and the creation of the $100+ million Disney Conservation Fund. She nurtured key relationships with dozens of global conservation organizations including The Jane Goodall Institute, The Nature Conservancy, and Conservation International, and simultaneously served as the principal liaison for Disney’s Animal Kingdom Advisory Board during the opening of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Theme Park. Most recently she helped guide charitable programs across Disney businesses including ABC, ESPN, Parks and Experiences, and Studios to ensure a cohesive approach to the company’s philanthropy to gain higher ROI for the company. Kim had responsibility for daily philanthropic operations – the corporate philanthropic budget, charitable reporting and documentation for Disney’s giving, and the software contracts/systems that supported employee participation in volunteerism, cash donations, and volunteer grants program. She is a recipient of the coveted Disney Partners in Excellence Award. Prior to joining Disney Kim worked for the Osceola County Tourist Development Council, Sea World Orlando, and Boardwalk & Baseball Theme Park (as an executive opening team member).
Kim holds a Bachelors in journalism with a major in public relations from the University of Florida and a Certificate in Corporate Community Involvement from Boston College. She has earned the professional designation of Accredited Public Relations Professional (APR) from the Public Relations Society of America and has served on the Public Relations Advisory Council at the University of Florida (UF). She is passionate about animals and the outdoors and was a professional fellow of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums for more than 20 years. Kim enjoys serving the community as an Executive Board Member for the South Lake Community Foundation and a Board Member of the UF Foundation.
Kim Sams
Corporate Responsibility and Public/Environmental Affairs
Kirsten Snyder
Pricing and Revenue Strategy and Analytics, Revenue Management, Dynamic Pricing, Discrete Choice Pricing Research, Investment Feasibility Research, Market and Competitive Assessments
With over 20 years of pricing and revenue experience, Kirsten is passionate about driving incremental revenue for businesses. While always leading with the consumer, she has successfully developed revenue and pricing strategies for dozens of companies, including the Disneyland Resort, The Farmer’s Dog, Universal Parks and Resorts, Merlin Entertainments, Topgolf, ifly, Great Wolf Lodge, and more. She previously led the Product and Revenue Development team at the Disneyland Resort in Anaheim, CA.
At the Disneyland Resort, Kirsten’s team was responsible for the annual pricing strategy for all ticket products and hotels across all sales channels. This included developing new products for retail channels. She was also responsible for developing a promotional strategy for hotels and park tickets, including ticketing promotions that are still utilized today.
Prior to working for Disney, Kirsten was responsible for pricing, revenue management, and strategic product development at United Airlines. During her time there, she also spent two years at Lufthansa Airlines in Frankfurt, Germany working to develop the revenue management function as part of the revenue-sharing agreement between the two.
Kirsten is a graduate of Indiana University with a BS in Business Administration. She majored in Marketing, Operations Management, and International Studies.
Kirsten Snyder
Pricing and Revenue Strategy and Analytics, Revenue Management, Dynamic Pricing, Discrete Choice Pricing Research, Investment Feasibility Research, Market and Competitive Assessments
Lee Kitchen
Creativity & Innovation Catalyst
MAGICAL INNOVATION & CREATIVITY DUDE! Lee is a 5-star Innovation Catalyst, Keynote Speaker, Workshop Leader, Culture-Change Agent, Design Thinking Trainer, Avengers and Stars Wars fanboy, and overall MAGICAL DUDE! Lee brings a wealth of experience as a Certified Master Facilitator and long-term innovation agent. During his 32 years at The Walt Disney Company, he helped create some of their most impactful marketing campaigns, memorable guest experiences, and real-time operational efficiency changes. He offers his magic and wisdom in a mix of training, interactive workshops, facilitated idea sessions, and inspiring keynotes around the world.
- Lee can TRAIN your team to think more creatively; helping them solve challenges and invent incredible new things, all while changing mindsets to innovate more often.
- Lee can help your team INVENT solutions to your business challenges by facilitating a structured problem-solving process to help people think differently.
- Lee can provide bite-sized innovation and creativity WORKSHOPS and KEYNOTES, which are as enlightening as they are motivating.
Lee holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marketing and Management from Webber International University.
Lee Kitchen
Creativity & Innovation Catalyst
Mark Dukes
Operations Strategy and Execution
Mark Dukes is a seasoned operations executive with over 25 years of leadership experience across premier entertainment and hospitality environments. At Walt Disney World Resort, he served in pivotal roles including General Manager of Disney’s Animal Kingdom Food & Beverage, Disney Water Parks, ESPN Wide World of Sports, and Downtown Disney. His leadership consistently delivered record-breaking guest satisfaction, operational excellence, and financial performance across attractions, merchandise, F&B, and event operations. Mark’s unique ability to develop talent, build high-performing teams, and align strategy with guest experience has made him a trusted partner in driving growth and transformation. He has led multidisciplinary operations spanning theme parks, sports complexes, golf, runDisney events, and cruise line retail. As a current board member of the World Waterpark Association and former Boys & Girls Club board chair, Mark brings not only operational insight but a commitment to service and community. He now consults with companies seeking operational excellence in guest-focused industries.
Mark Dukes
Operations Strategy and Execution
MaryBeth Crawford
Fractional CPO (Chief People Officer), People-first Business Strategy Design, Culture Transformation, Organizational Design, Employee Experience Design, HR Assessment, HR Projects, Executive Coach
MaryBeth’s career spans nearly 30 years of architecting and advancing culture, people, and business strategies, with a focus on Employee Experience (EX), DEI, organizational development, and leadership development. Her extensive experience includes senior roles in human resources and business leadership at renowned organizations such as PwC, Walt Disney World Co., and Allegis Group, Inc., including having responsibility for all aspects of HR and HRSS at Allegis Group, Inc. She also brings valuable insights from her tenure as an Independent Consultant.
MaryBeth has a distinguished track record as a coach, visionary adviser, and strategic partner to C-suite leaders. She excels in helping organizations refresh and enhance their business strategies, talent development offerings, and organizational structures to support their business objectives. MaryBeth is highly skilled in developing and motivating talent, fostering workplace inclusion, building high-performing teams, and creating strengths-based environments. Her coaching prowess enables others to achieve similar success.
MaryBeth holds a Master of Business Administration from Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from the College of William & Mary. Since 1994, she has utilized CliftonStrengths as a talent selection, coaching, and development framework and has been a Gallup-certified Strengths Coach since 2018.
MaryBeth’s mission is to inspire and motivate leaders to embrace a people-first mindset, fostering environments where organizations and their employees can thrive. She offers her consulting services to organizations looking to innovate, grow, and achieve excellence through strategic people management and development.
MaryBeth Crawford
Fractional CPO (Chief People Officer), People-first Business Strategy Design, Culture Transformation, Organizational Design, Employee Experience Design, HR Assessment, HR Projects, Executive Coach
Michelle Baker
Leadership Development, NextGen Leadership Foundations
Michelle Baker is a highly respected, intuitive thought leader with 24 years of senior leadership experience in service-focused organizations, including The Walt Disney Company, Wyndham Resorts, and Mazda USA. During her tenure at Disney, she was privileged to be part of the opening team for Disney Cruise Line, spending 15 years in a variety of leadership roles for Shoreside Travel Operations, followed by two years as an Officer in Human Resources onboard the Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. During her tenure at Disney Cruise Line, Michelle won the prestigious Partner's In Excellence award, a lifetime award given to the company's high performers. Michelle was also a recruiter for the Disney College Program, interviewing students across the US who were pursuing their dreams of working for The Walt Disney Company. After returning to land in 2012, Michelle joined the Disney Institute (DI) and served as a Delivery Director in both Orlando, Florida, and Anaheim, California. At DI she was responsible for the development of onstage Facilitators and Engagement Managers, while also driving process improvements in the talent deployment model, travel alignment and spending, and labor utilization metrics. Michelle brings a wealth of knowledge in multiple disciplines, with a passion for developing both seasoned and NextGen leaders. Aligned leaders who build on a foundation of developing others and driving business results, while maintaining a growth mindset and practicing self-care. She thrives on helping organizations and individuals transform from being task-driven managers to results-driven, people-focused leaders who just "get it". Michelle graduated with Honors as an EMBA Welch Scholar from the Jack Welch Management Institute, Strayer University. She is an avid outdoor enthusiast and enjoys hiking, backpacking, and CrossFit.
Michelle Baker
Leadership Development, NextGen Leadership Foundations
Mike Lodge
Culinary, F&B, and Hospitality Operations
Mike turned opportunity and passion for his trade into a ‘magical’ 50-year career of which 27 were with Disney. He started working at Walt Disney World in 1972 as a dishwasher and had the honor of being in the initial Culinary Apprentice Program. He rose quickly through the Disney ranks and became the Executive Sous Chef at Disney’s Grand Floridian Beach Resort and soon became the opening Executive Chef at the Disney All-Star proprieties. His experiences also included the opening of Disneyland Paris.
Mike has always kept the guest experience at the heart of his endeavors. He kept that view in focus while running a training region for Papa John’s as he opened 1,500 stores during his tenure. A highlight during those years was working with the Ken Blanchard organization to create a training program for Papa John’s ‘Coaching from the Heart’ that was based on Don Shula’s Book, Coaching from the Heart; How to Inspire Greatness in Others. His passion for mentoring was also highlighted as he became the Chef Director of Student Affairs at Le Cordon Blue Culinary School, Orlando.
Since 2011, Mike has built on his executive F&B experiences with a tenue at Westgate Resorts. Given the complexities of today’s environment, he brought his diverse expertise to approximately 80 openings and acquisitions ranging from Las Vegas, NV, Park City, UT to Branson, MO. Working on openings from concept, kitchen, dining room, and menu design, purchasing equipment, hiring, training, and leading the right staff to deliver a superior guest experience. His expertise also includes negotiating nationwide vendor contracts, controlling labor and food costs, and process improvements.
Mike also excels at bringing an audience to life whether you’re looking to find one’s passion, motivation to serve, or sharpening guest experience skills.
Mike Lodge
Culinary, F&B, and Hospitality Operations
Naveen Chandra
Pricing, Pricing Strategy, Revenue Management, Marketing Analytics, Marketing Performance Measurement
Naveen has a proven track record in driving revenue and optimizing efficiency in various disciplines including Industrial Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Revenue Management, Marketing Analytics and Pricing. Naveen has experience in a broad set of industries including printing, order fulfillment, medical device assembly, architectural, technology and travel/leisure/hospitality.
Naveen’s career at Walt Disney World began with Resorts Revenue Management and optimizing resort revenue and occupancy. Naveen also helped build and launch a resort recommendation optimization model for Disneyland Paris for guests booking through the website or call center. Naveen transitioned to pricing and price modeling for Retail Pricing and theme park merchandise. At Vail Resorts, Naveen was responsible for pricing and pricing strategy for lift tickets and season passes for all mountains in the portfolio. Naveen helped expand a pricing strategy that incentivized advanced purchase of lift tickets to help driven commitment and longer visits to the mountains. At Twilio, Naveen was instrumental in pricing and packaging their email, video, and voice products by driving customer research, analytics, competitive benchmarking and modeling.
Currently, Naveen consults for various organizations for pricing, marketing analytics, and marketing performance. Clients have included hospitality/travel/leisure, ski resorts, printing, medical facilities, and marketing organizations.
Naveen holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Engineering from Penn State University and an MBA from the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.
Naveen Chandra
Pricing, Pricing Strategy, Revenue Management, Marketing Analytics, Marketing Performance Measurement
Paul Wixted
Delivery of Large Scale Events, Launching F&B Organizations, F&B Operations Optimization, F&B Standards Development
Paul brings 34 years of Disney work experience at the Walt Disney World Resort where he gained deep expertise from diverse roles from Food & Beverage to organizational training. At his core, he is an energetic Operations leader who expertly delivers retail and event operations that exceed expectations in dynamic, high-volume, and fast-paced environments. He has had great success in developing and driving strategic plans specific to resort F&B and events to desired outcomes.
Paul drives and accelerates daily operations functions across multiple facilities and diverse, multifunctional teams to ensure a world-class customer experience. His approach is to continuously improve processes and procedures to effect performance metrics and scalable operations across venues for effectiveness and efficiency.
Paul Wixted
Delivery of Large Scale Events, Launching F&B Organizations, F&B Operations Optimization, F&B Standards Development
Renee Martin
Industrial Engineering, Business Strategy and Analytics, Project Management, Forecasting, and Workload Analysis
Renee has over 20 years of project management and analytic experience with a passion for problem-solving using data analytics and process optimization. She began her career at Walt Disney Company in Theme Parks and Resorts Labor Operations as an analyst responsible for forecasting daily workload needs and overall headcount needs. Throughout her time at Disney, she took on roles with increasing responsibility and worked in Distribution Services, Workforce Management, Costuming, and Entertainment.
Renee was responsible for driving high-profile process improvement projects to transform the business and increase productivity, such as developing concepts to revolutionize the way costumes are distributed to the Cast and identifying ways to reduce labor while maintaining the guest experience. In addition, she oversaw the development and installation of new costumes for US-based theme parks, Disney Cruise Line, and Shanghai Disneyland Resort, implemented an inventory planning system resulting in improved fill rates and a significant reduction in warehouse inventory, and developed metrics to analyze and improve both the Costuming and Entertainment business. Renee also worked for Premier, Inc as a Senior Consultant for Analytics focused on implementing labor management software at hospitals nationwide while providing analysis to identify savings through benchmarking and labor productivity.
Renee holds both a Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in Industrial Engineering from The Georgia Institute of Technology.
Renee Martin
Industrial Engineering, Business Strategy and Analytics, Project Management, Forecasting, and Workload Analysis
Robert Kelley
Cross-Functional Theme Park Operations, Program Management, and Signature Events
A motivational, strategic, and integrity driven operations executive, Robert has a proven track record of improving top and bottom line results by optimizing all operating platforms within a business. His 33 years with Walt Disney Parks and Resorts took him all over the world, affording him the opportunity to build operating processes and organizational platforms supporting Merchandise, Attractions, Food & Beverage, Custodial Services, and many other lines of business. Robert specializes in optimizing and monetizing businesses by keenly leveraging their products and services, building effective pricing and promotional strategies, and creating a highly effective, customer-centric culture throughout the organization and across all operating areas.
As a member of Disney’s Theme Park Executive Teams, he has vast experience with overall master planning, program management, emergency preparedness, signature special events, and many other unique disciplines.
Robert Kelley
Cross-Functional Theme Park Operations, Program Management, and Signature Events
Stacie Thomas
Real-Time Consulting in HR Challenges, HR Project Management, Fractional HR Leadership
Stacie Thomas has 32+ years in global corporate Human Resources and is a skilled HR Executive with exceptional generalist skills, Stacie has broad experience with strategy, employee relations, organizational design/development, leadership coaching, compensation, communication, HR systems, and more. Stacie’s experience runs the gamut from fast-growth start-ups to small privately held companies to large corporations. She spent over 15 years with The Walt Disney Company providing key HR support in just a few of the following areas: the launch of two cruise ships and a private Bahamian cruise island, the significant restructuring of international sales and marketing offices for Walt Disney Parks and Resorts, a member of the Grand Opening Task Force for Hong Kong Disneyland (Hong Kong-based for one year), and the handling of multiple acquisitions, mergers, and divestitures while HR Director for Disney Online. Stacie was recruited to relocate to Miami, Florida as the VP/Head of HR for Bacardi USA and was promoted to oversee North America within 6 months. In this role, she had responsibility for all facets of the function as well as Corporate Services. After 5 years in Miami, Stacie was asked to join Snap Inc (then Snapchat) during their early start-up and helped them grow from 250 employees based only in California and NY to over 3200 employees and 1200 contingent workers in over 16 countries and 30+ offices around the world. Part of Stacie’s oversight included global mobility, immigration, and the contingent workforce and she was also instrumental in launching the first-ever Employee Diversity Resource Groups at the company. Most recently, Stacie was recruited to be the first-ever Head of Human Resources for Illumination Entertainment (home of the Minions), to build out the HR function which had previously been a subgroup within Business Affairs/Legal. During her tenure, she launched the first-ever HRIS, implemented employee communications and pulse surveys, and ensured a fully functional and efficient department to name just a few accomplishments.
Stacie has a B.S. in Human Resources from Florida State University.
Stacie Thomas
Real-Time Consulting in HR Challenges, HR Project Management, Fractional HR Leadership
Robert Marick
Strategy & Business Planning, Global Brand Management, Licensing
Robert is a seasoned global executive with a track record of success as a brand strategist, specializing in global business development across multiple consumer touchpoints. His superpower is translating complex entertainment properties into compelling goods, services, and experiences.
Robert excels in brand management, marketing, sales, creative, finance, and business development. He has significantly contributed to Fortune 100 companies, including Amazon MGM Studios & Prime Video, Warner Bros. Discovery, Mattel Toys, Fox Entertainment, and The Walt Disney Company.
During his 12-year tenure at Disney, Robert built and ran sales and marketing organizations across Disney Home Entertainment, Disney Records (Sales Marketing and General Manager), and Disney Consumer Products (Head of North America Toys).
Robert’s diverse experience spans media & entertainment, consumer packaged goods, location & live-based entertainment, music, and home entertainment. Well-connected in the entertainment licensing industry, Robert has strong relationships across toys, apparel, publishing, location-based entertainment, video games, digital products, and licensed media & advertising. He leverages this network, providing access to expertise spanning multiple business functions, product categories, and manufacturers. Robert curates expert teams tailored to clients' needs, ensuring a seamless journey from product inception to execution.
Robert Marick
Strategy & Business Planning, Global Brand Management, Licensing
Stacy Barton
Narrative Director/Experience Designer/Writer
Stacy loves a good story—hearing it, seeing it, shaping it, sharing it—how it comes to life with an audience. She’s been called the 'Swiss army knife' of storytellers and for the past twenty-three years she’s specialized in story development and immersive experience design for themed entertainment, including major projects for Disney, SeaWorld, Ringling Bros. Circus, and others around the world. She’s equally at ease imagining new content, using folklore and fairytales as structural forms, or transforming films and books into compelling live experiences. Stacy thrives in all forms of collaboration and within the diverse disciplines required to create an immersive experience she challenges her creative teams to ask: What is the heart of our story? What is the journey we promise our audience? And what is the gift they take away? To design an interactive experience like this—connecting the story to its audience—she’s learned to pay attention to the landscape of communication and how it changes due to geography, culture, language, and generation. To make the story relevant, she uses the tools of traditional theater alongside cutting-edge technologies, audience interactions, and social media engagements, choosing with her team what serves each story best. Finally, if there is an actual script to be written Stacy tackles it with great joy, using language that is honest and true. She says, “If I’ve done my job well, there will be very few words nestled inside a whole lot of story.” In addition to themed entertainment, Stacy is an author, with 30+ magazine publications, two one-act plays, three animated short films, and eight books of literature (fiction, poetry, and children’s). Her audience-centric workshops, masterclasses, and creative consultation services are enjoyed by entertainment companies, theaters, and educational organizations alike.
Stacy Barton
Narrative Director/Experience Designer/Writer
Stephanie Malecki
Industrial Engineering, Workload Analysis, Efficiency, and Project Management
A talented Industrial Engineer and experienced Project Manager, Stephanie thrives on solving complex problems through the development and implementation of metrics, data analytics, and process optimization. She began her career as an Industrial Engineer with UPS and in addition to package volume forecasting and time study of delivery routes, Stephanie worked to quantify the benefit golf-cart helpers would provide in terms of positive environmental impact and improved customer service levels then institute change in state laws to allow for implementation.
After leaving UPS, Stephanie spent over a decade with the Walt Disney Company in Theme Parks and Resorts Entertainment Costuming Metrics, supporting Disney Parks and Resorts around the world as well as Disney Cruise Line. Stephanie helped develop ground-breaking data models to improve inventory forecasting and implemented various technology and operational improvements to reduce shrinkage, optimize production floor flow, and improve data structure, integrity, and reporting across various systems.
Stephanie holds a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from the University of Central Florida.
Stephanie Malecki
Industrial Engineering, Workload Analysis, Efficiency, and Project Management
Stu Levine
Employee & Customer Experience Frameworks, Master Facilitator & Performance Coach, Leadership Competencies, Learning Strategy & Design, Zoo & Museum Education, Author
Stu draws on 30+ years of learning and development experience, having designed and implemented learning solutions and CX/EX transformations for clients across numerous vertical markets, geographies and cultures.
Stu’s 25+ years with Disney included key roles at Disney Institute, Disney University, and Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. At Disney Institute, he spent several years leading external client work and building CX/EX and Leadership frameworks. He led the creation of an internal learning and development function for DI, where his team was responsible for assessing, streamlining and training all consultative practices, as well as all facets of the training process, including up-skilling facilitators, sales professionals, content designers and operations leaders, while onboarding all new cast members within the organization.
Stu previous experience with exotic wildlife in the zoo industry, Stu created and led the new Animal Programs Education Team at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge. For nearly a decade, Stu oversaw all aspects of the team including curriculum design, recruiting, training and management of the team’s daily operations.
At Disney University, the internal training department for cast members, he facilitated the company’s global orientation program as well as facilitation skills classes.
Over the years, Stu has published eleven books on topics ranging from wildlife to biographies and literary criticism. In addition to working with the business community, Stu also works with a local nonprofit in Central Florida, helping to build leadership competencies and capabilities in underserved communities.
Stu holds a master’s degree in Learning and Development from Colorado State University and his bachelor’s degree in psychology from SUNY Binghamton. He has his CPTD certification (Certified Professional in Talent Development) from the Association for Talent Development and is certified through ICF as an OD Coach. Stu is also a recipient of the Disney Partners in Excellence Award.
Stu Levine
Employee & Customer Experience Frameworks, Master Facilitator & Performance Coach, Leadership Competencies, Learning Strategy & Design, Zoo & Museum Education, Author
Tom Hoof
Sports Marketing and Game Entertainment, Strategy, and Tactics
Tom is a dynamic marketing and event management executive with a proven track record in strategic brand growth and high-impact event execution. With experience spanning major brands like Disney, the NHL, and MLB, he excels in driving community engagement, enhancing stakeholder relationships, and delivering measurable results. His areas of expertise include strategic partnerships, data-driven decision-making, and high-performance team leadership, all demonstrated in roles with the Ottawa Senators, Arizona Coyotes, the University of South Florida, and the Tampa Bay Rays.
Tom currently serves as a fractional CMO at MagicMakers Group and CMO at Skyway-1 Consulting, where he leads transformative initiatives that connect brands with their communities. Known for, guiding organizations to new heights in fan engagement and brand loyalty. Outside of his professional endeavors, he enjoys spending quality time with his spouse, Debbie, and their three children, McKenna, Chris, and Daniel.
Tom Hoof
Sports Marketing and Game Entertainment, Strategy, and Tactics
Vinny Pagliuca
Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, & Entertainment Creative Costuming
A dynamic 30-year entertainment, operations, production and supply chain leader, Vinny Pagliuca is the rare combination of creative, financial, and operational. His executive leadership experience with the Walt Disney Company includes the GM of Entertainment at Animal Kingdom Park and GM of Entertainment Labor. For over 20 years Vinny was also Director of Disney’s Global Costuming organization leading teams in Florida and California, while also managing project teams that opened Disney’s Aulani Resort and Spa in Hawaii, Shanghai Disneyland, and Hong Kong Disneyland. Vinny is known as a problem solver and has had repeated success building and leading large-scale, multi-location global operations. A collaborator with a proven talent for introducing measurement, accountability, and productivity to operations and creative teams alike, Vinny is a metrics-driven difference maker who drives down costs while elevating quality and service levels.
Vinny’s expertise in costuming is unparalleled, building cohesive, all-encompassing Costuming Supply Chains from design to the stage. At Disney, he merged metrics, finances, creativity and comfort to build gorgeous, cost efficient costumes worn by thousands of Disney Cast members and viewed by millions of Disney guests. Vinny has a deep knowledge of manufacturing, production and inventory management for costuming, which lends itself to any field - including fireworks, where he led the Fireworks Supply Chain for Walt Disney World and Disneyland. Vinny’s extensive Supply Chain experience also included Senior Sourcing and Procurement leader for Disney Water Parks, Engineering, Distribution and Health Services. He brings years of negotiation, contract management and vendor management skills to any organization.
A skilled Industrial Engineer, Vinny helped develop the first costuming and entertainment metrics team, establishing standards for every aspect of the operation. Vinny helped create ground-breaking data models that directly linked the level of guest satisfaction to the amount and quality of individual entertainment offerings, allowing senior leadership to make informed decisions on the amount, type and cost of all entertainment product across Disney theme parks worldwide.
Vinny holds a Master of Business Administration from the Rollins College and a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from Lehigh University. Vinny served 28 years in the Air National Guard as an engineering and construction officer, including two tours in Iraq, before retiring as a Lt. Colonel and Deputy Commander of his unit.
Vinny Pagliuca
Industrial Engineering, Supply Chain, & Entertainment Creative Costuming