Central Florida executives and attractions are well-represented on the 2025 list of Top 50 Theme Park Influencers, compiled annually by Blooloop, a website covering the global attractions industry.
People connected to the opening of Universal Orlando’s Epic Universe theme park dominate the rankings, but Walt Disney World cast members and leaders of Orlando-based small businesses involved in attractions in central Florida and other areas also feature.
According to the Blooloop website, reader nominations have formed a list of the 100 people whose “creativity, passion and drive” have most influenced them in the past 12 months. A panel of judges will then select 50 winners to designate a subset of the “Power 10.”
Central Floridians topping the 2025 Blue Loop 50 Theme Park Influencer list as part of the Power 10 include Mark Woodbury, Chairman and CEO of Universal Destinations & Experiences; Chris Oliver, Senior Vice President of Engineering and Safety, Universal Creative. David Mauck, President of Falcons Attractions. Josh Martin, president of Orlando-based Martin Aquatic.
Others on the Power 10 list include Merlin Entertainments CEO Fiona Eastwood; Michelle Den Dalk, Vice President and Portfolio Executive Creative Director, Walt Disney Imagineering. Ann Mart Agerbeek Cox, CEO of Vekoma Rides. Hervé Bruneau, founder of Live Show Factory. Antonio Zamperla Jr., CEO of vehicle manufacturer Zamperla. Marcia Taminaud, director of Walibi Holland, a theme park in Biddinghuizen, Netherlands.
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Another Universal Orlando-related figure on the new Top 50 Influencers list is Xiomara Wiley, Executive Vice President and Chief Inclusion Officer, Universal Destinations and Experiences. Justin Schwartz, senior director of engineering and safety at Universal Creative. Andrew Padua. Creative director of Universal Creative. Charlie Gundacker, Executive Vice President and Executive Project Director, Universal Orlando; Frances Franceschi, assistant director of creative design at Universal Creative; Russ Dagon, Senior Vice President of Resort Development, Universal Creative. Donna Milas Bates, Senior Vice President of Strategic Partnerships and Communications, Universal Destinations & Experiences.
Other Orlando-related award winners include Wyatt Winter, executive producer of Imagineering’s Walt Disney World portfolio; Angie Song. Executive Landscape Architect at Walt Disney Imagineering. Peter Weisher, University of Central Florida Themed Experiential Graduate Program Director. Emily R. Popovich, director of global business development for Maitland-based KMI International; Laurent Perche, CEO of drone show specialist Doronissos. Erika McKay, senior creative director at Orlando-based TAIT. Michael Acevedo, business development manager for Nassal, an Orlando landscape manufacturer.
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Blooloop also creates a Top 50 list of influencers in the museum, aquarium, and immersive industry.
For a complete list of the top 50 members and detailed biographies, please visit blooloop.com.
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