Our team is made up of every type of creative under the sun, from long-time industry veterans, to recent graduates. We pride ourselves on our ability to take talented individuals who are new to the industry and train them to be the themed entertainment superstars of tomorrow. With staff on the ground in both Los Angeles and Orlando, our team is fully-accustomed and prepared to act as staff extension, to work remotely, and to travel internationally as needed. Check out our tight-knit crew of creatives below.
LOS ANGELES TEAM
Founder & Principal/President
Phil has created an innovative process of design in which treatments are developed into the most integrated & immersive themed attractions anywhere. Aside from rides, he has worked on every type of anything you could find in a theme park – shows, walkthroughs, facades, interactive games & sports, playgrounds, exhibits, restaurants & shops. Notable projects include: Ratatouille, Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey, Transformers the Ride: 3D, The Amazing Adventures of Spider-Man, and Star Wars: Rise of the Resistance.
Principal Designer
As a designer for over 20 years, Arad has focused most of his career on E-ticket attractions and themed environments. In these multidisciplinary collaborative teams, Arad uses his theatrical training to balance the show’s creative needs with its technical production needs on every project he touches. He therefore designs with an attention to detail set to elicit a spectrum of emotions from the guests; from joy to fear, and awe to stunned amazement. Arad is also a team member who values working through the design process with a sense of fun, wonderment, efficiency, and gusto, and is grateful to have worked on many great projects, with many great teams.
Principal Designer
An experienced entertainment and brand designer specializing in the creation, design, and installation of major theme park attractions worldwide since 2007. My background spans the full spectrum of the themed entertainment industry, including park operations, show set and production design. Past projects include Cars Land, Shanghai Disneyland Pirates and Spaceship Earth at EPCOT.
Senior Show Set Designer
Izamar is a creative professional with a background in theme park entertainment, specializing in show set design and immersive guest experiences for the past 10 years. As a Senior Show Set Designer, Izamar has contributed to projects for major theme parks, bringing stories to life through thoughtfully crafted, environment-driven design. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Landscape Architecture from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, which has shaped a strong design eye for creating engaging, cohesive spaces for guests. Izamar is passionate about continuing to create, design, and collaborate on future projects that spark joy and lasting memories.
Senior Show Set Designer
Emma has worked alongside creative teams at major theme park companies, helping transform imaginative concepts into immersive experiences. Drawing on her theater background, she blends strong aesthetic sensibilities with technical design expertise. She is excited to continue collaborating with project teams to create environments that are visually compelling, functional, and rich in narrative.
Senior Show Set Designer
Sweta loves telling stories, sometimes through the written word, other times they take the shape of Spellbinding Immersive Worlds across major Themed Entertainment Companies, a career that began as a Facility Designer with Walt Disney Imagineering. In Theme Parks and Rides, she gets to combine her love for world building and problem solving, and put into practice her Master of Architecture degree from UCLA’s Ideas Program that focused on Mobility driven Urban Futures. Prior to moving to Los Angeles, she practiced as an Architect with Thomas Associates Architects in India, working on large-scale Residential, Commercial, and Hospitality projects.
Senior Show Set Designer
Faith is a spirited professional and graduate of Howard University’s College of Engineering and Architecture. As an architect and show set designer, she thrives on problem-solving and collaborating across disciplines. She is passionate about world-building and bringing imaginative environments to life, creating immersive experiences through thoughtful design. Beyond her professional work, Faith embraces creativity in many forms, including painting, drawing, dance, music, and reading.
Senior Show Set Designer
Alex is a design professional with a passion for problem-solving and continuous learning. She has an MFA in Production Design from the American Film Institute and a BFA in Scenic Design and Technology from the Conservatory Theater School at DePaul University in Chicago. Alex enjoys turning ideas into practical results and collaborating with others to create something meaningful and functional. She has worked in the themed entertainment industry effectuating show set design for dark rides and other guest experiences for some of the largest theme park companies in the world and looks forward to continuing to do so.
Senior Show Set Designer
Laura Wise is a passionate Show Set and Attraction Designer who brings unique and bold visions to life. With formal training in architecture and extensive experience across themed entertainment, she specializes in transforming ambitious concepts into immersive, buildable environments. Laura thrives in collaboration with other creative leads, blending thoughtful design, technical expertise, and problem‑solving to help realize compelling guest experiences.
Senior Show Set Designer
Adam has over a decade of experience in show set design for both large and small scale projects worldwide in theme parks, corporate headquarters, playgrounds, museums, and theaters. He focuses on bringing creative visions to life by blending storytelling with technical knowledge gained from experience in fabrication and park operations.
Show Set Designer
Jeremy is a Show Set Designer and 3D modeler with a background in Architecture, creating various designs to realize a client’s vision. He has contributed to many large scale design projects such as E-ticket attractions in theme parks and large family entertainment centers in Orlando, Saudi Arabia, and all around the world. His work has received praise from various industry professionals, and is a crucial part of the team, utilizing his expertise to keep a project moving forward.
Show Set Designer
Sydney is a scenic artist who is a maker at heart. During her study of Technical Direction at USC School of Dramatic Arts she has expanded her horizons and learned a variety of skills to help make paper sketches into real life scenic designs. In addition to being a draftsperson creating documentation in the form of show set packages, Sydney also paints, makes props, knows extensive carpentry skills, and dabbles in special effects makeup. She is always ready to try something new and blend the challenges of physics and art to create a spectacular set piece. Sydney creates immersive worlds to bring audiences into the story and follow along on their own hero’s journey.
Show Set Designer
Ryan is a designer with a passion for designing spaces that physically bring people into exciting worlds. Through experiences in theatrical and spatial design, he works to develop ride scenes and layouts, and has a knack for helping teams problem solve to get a project over hurdles while maintaining creative intent.
Show Set Designer
Charlie holds a BFA in Experience Design and Production from Cal Arts, with an emphasis in Scenic Design and Technical Direction. He has built a versatile foundation across theater, scenic art, immersive events, and theme parks. In addition to show set design, Charlie has also worked as a scenic painter, technical director, and lighting designer. Charlie brings a unique and well-rounded perspective to every project he contributes to.
Show Set Designer
Kaci is a designer with a major in Architecture and a minor in Graphic Design, using these disciplines to contribute to the world of storytelling and world-building. Kaci’s skills in Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign and 3D modeling in Rhino serve as a foundation for creating compelling visuals that communicate user interaction and conceptual intent. Kaci believes that design is a form of storytelling, and she draws on contextual research and historical analysis to shape the narrative and emotional impact of each project. Through her work, she strives to create immersive experiences that engage audiences at every step, leaving them with a lasting and positive impression.
Show Set Designer
Luis began his career as a Show Set Designer at ASDI after earning his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in architecture. He has spent several years working in themed entertainment, including Harry Potter and the Battle at the Ministry (Epic Universe) and Mario Kart: Bowser’s Challenge (Epic Universe, Universal Studios Hollywood). He also contributed to experiential projects for companies like the Museum of Ice Cream. At ASDI, his expertise spans show set design, architecture, fabrication, operations, and creative storytelling.
Vice President/CFO
Lourdes graduated from the University of Southern California with a Bachelor’s degree and as a retired architect brings her organizational and technical skills to ASDI as CFO. With an over 25-year career as a Project Architect at a few mid-sized architectural firms prior to joining ASDI, she welcomes the change of pace.
Design Manager
Andrea employs her versatile skills to assist on multiple projects that are worked on as a team. From contracts & budgeting to creative resourcing, she touches most every project through its life-cycle. Her varied background in the attractions industry includes: Dir. Design Resources for Wyatt Design Group, Mgr. of Show & Themed Lighting Design, and Rigging & Overhead Safety, at WDI, Director of Event Production at USH, business affairs at Landmark Entertainment Group, project & design management at Scenery West. A sampling of her projects include: Robotland, Incheon Korea; WB Movie World, Madrid, Spain; Elton John: The Red Piano, Las Vegas; Audubon Nature Institute, NO, LA – various exhibits.
Coordinator
Brianne Johnson has many artistic passions including theater, photography, painting, graphic design, writing, a background in scientific studies—anthropology, psychology, physics, and the humanities along with experience in Accounting and Project Management. She has several degrees including a Bachelors in Photography and Imaging from Art Center College of Design, a Certificate in Theatrical Technology from Pacific Conservatory of the Performing Arts, and degrees in Humanities, Behavioral and Social Sciences, Anthropology, and Natural Sciences from Pasadena City College. Her skills as a storyteller and world-builder allow her to provide unique input as well as contribute to the team by managing their day to day needs. Brianne is a jack of all trades individual and can assist in any challenge thrown her way.
Bookkeeper
Janette is a detail oriented and organized bookkeeper. A graduate of Cal State LA, she is proficient in Quickbooks and prioritizes efficient invoicing and inputting of data. She is dedicated and always ready to expand her skills.
Design Inc.
ORLANDO TEAM
Senior Designer
Jeff has worked on many of the top theme park projects built in the last few decades. At every stage in the development process, Jeff has collaborated through story sketches, concept designs and study models that propel these projects forward. He believes the most exciting project is the next opportunity to deliver brand new rides and shows to your guests.
senior show designer
With a creative foundation built at the intersection of spatial design and immersive storytelling, Kamila is a designer who breathes life into themed and curated attractions, environments and the in-between. Her approach is defined by versatility blending a rigorous background in Architecture and Interior Design with the fast-paced, imaginative world of Show Set and Production Design. Her skills in digital and physical mediums craft narratives that encapsulate the client’s creative intent. Having experience in the field, she possesses a practical understanding of how Bluesky Concepts translate into physical builds. She thrives in a fast paced environment working directly with teams that incorporate various disciplines. Kamila can shift her focus from an iterative design process during the early stages of a project to deliverables focused on detail oriented coordination and design.
senior designer & model maker
Mark’s creative career spans 34 years in the art and design field, focusing on film and the themed entertainment industries. Over the years, he has held various positions, designing and creating props, costumes, models, and graphics for on-screen use and immersive theme park experiences. His projects include, but are not limited to, Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. He recently spent 5 years as Senior Model Builder at Universal Creative, directing numerous projects for Universal Parks world-wide. Mark has brought his varied experience and wealth of knowledge to ASDI to collaborate with his fellow model makers as a Senior Designer.
Senior Designer
Nate is a seasoned theme park designer with over 20 years of experience bringing immersive attractions to life. A graduate of the USC with a background in architecture, he combines technical precision with creative storytelling to shape world-class guest experiences. Nate specializes in dark ride design, with a focus on ride layout, timing, and animatic visualization, ensuring seamless narrative flow and engagement. His is an expert in creative and art direction, highlighted by his role as Creative Director for Monsters Unchained at Universal’s Epic Universe. With a diverse skill set spanning ride systems, show set design, and high-level concept development, Nate has contributed to a wide range of projects, including executive-level blue sky development for Epic Universe, Jurassic World Adventure, Super Nintendo World, The Secret Life of Pets and Kong: Skull Island, and other bluesky projects.
Designer & Model Maker
Tom’s creative career spans 38 years in the art and design field with a focus on architectural and themed entertainment industries. He has held various positions including designing and creating greeting cards as a print shop art director and manager, designing and creating props and architectural models for both architectural firms and the themed entertainment industry. Some of his projects include but are not limited to Walt Disney World’s Fantasyland Expansion and The Wizarding World of Harry Potter. He recently spent 6 years at Universal Creative with the last 5 years as a Senior Model Maker, directing numerous projects for Universal Parks worldwide. Tom has brought his varied knowledge to ASDI to collaborate with his fellow model makers as a designer and Senior Model Maker.
show Set designer
Will studied architecture at the University of Nebraska. He brings experience from both school and past work in design and fabrication for themed attractions at theme parks of all scales. Will enjoys using visual storytelling through environments and kinetics when creating attractions. Will has worked both for and alongside major theme park companies assisting in the design of large-scale dark rides.
show set designer
Luke Neely is an associate designer with a strong interest in themed entertainment, from major destination parks to modest roadside attractions. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Architecture from The Catholic University of America and maintains a particular interest in digital architecture in games and theme park history
producer
Cherisse’s career in the Themed Entertainment world has spanned 23 years. Through the years she has worked in a multitude of divisions for Universal Destinations and Experiences, such as attraction operations, youth sales, special events, and finally making a home in Creative. She has had the opportunity to collaborate with a world-class team of designers, fabricators, and vendors from all over the world to create the Jurassic World Land for Universal Beijing Resort and has since continued that effort in Orlando on multiple experiences! Now she has taken this breadth of knowledge from the large scale to the small scale and joined American Scenic Design Inc. as a Producer, managing a team of Model & Prop Shop designers and fabricators.
creative Producer
Philip is a creative with 15+ years supporting and contributing to world-class projects across theater, television, film and themed entertainment. Some favorite projects include Universal’s Epic Universe Theme Park, 30 Rock, Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt, Orange is the New Black and Shrek the Musical on Broadway.
Associate producer
Kieran began her career as a fabrication artist at Universal Creative’s Prop and Model Shop. She later joined the Art Department at Marvel Studios, contributing to projects including Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, Hawkeye, and various other Marvel streaming shows. Since 2023, Kieran has been supporting creatives and helping clients realize their vision at ASDI.