Deadlines
Experience Industry Management Conference
Speakers & Attendees
Key Note Speakers
Dan Farr is the co-founder of Salt Lake Comic Con and FanXperience. Started in 2013, Salt Lake Comic Con holds the record for the largest first-year comic con in North America, the largest comic con per capita in North America and the third largest comic con in the country. Legendary Comic book creator Stan Lee declared Salt Lake Comic Con “the greatest comic con in the world!” The 2015 Salt Lake Comic Con had more than 125,000 attendees.
Singer/songwriters Melanie, McKenzie and Madelyn released their debut album January 2014. Firefly has opened for some of the biggest names in country music including: LeAnn Rimes, Martina McBride, Little Big Town, Wynonna Judd, Gloriana, Scotty McCreery, Blake Shelton, and more. In addition to their mellow vocal style, inspiring lyrics and phenomenal harmonies, the sisters also play guitar, cello, fiddle, and mandolin.
Workshop Presenters
Tanner Bell is the Co-Founder and President of Ragnar. Ragnar began in 2004 as a single overnight running relay race with 262 participants. Today, more than 120,000 runners participate annually in 18 road relay races and 19 trail relay races. Tanner has been instrumental in the growth of Ragnar and continues to play an integral role in establishing Ragnar as one of the premier brands in endurance sports. Tanner played a major role in raising growth capital from Dolphin Capital Group in 2006, and White Road Investments (Clif Bar) and Partnership Capital Growth in 2013. Among his many accolades, Utah Business Magazine named Tanner to their “Forty under 40” list in 2010 at the age of 29. He is passionate about entrepreneurship and enjoys speaking to high school and college students about his entrepreneurial adventures. Tanner is well respected in the running event industry and often speaks at Running USA and other industry gatherings. Tanner lives in Kaysville, Utah with his fantastic wife Kristin and 4 ridiculously cute children. He is an avid runner, cyclist, and skier (snow and water). He believes it is never too early or late to become a Ragnarian.​
I'm a Senior Story Artist at Avalanche Software, a subsidiary of Disney Interactive Studios. Even though my title is "artist", I'm mostly an idea guy and a writer. It's my job to basically act as a bridge between our video game development team and the filmmakers to ensure that the video games we're creating are an accurate representation of what the films will eventually end up being. I've worked pretty extensively with filmmakers at Disney (animation and live action), Pixar, Marvel, and Lucas. I am one of several people at our studio who comes up with the stories for our games and writes dialogue for the various characters. I graduated from BYU's Animation department in Dec. 2011 as that department's first graduate ever. I've also taught classes at BYU Animation and Illustration departments. This semester I'm teaching an advanced storyboarding class at BYU. My wife and I have 3 little girls.
Todd Manwaring is a faculty member of the BYU Marriott School. He is also the founder and director of both the Melvin J. Ballard Center for Economic Self-Reliance (2003) and the Peery Social Entrepreneurship Program (2010). Todd is also the Ashoka U Changemaker Campus Change Leader at BYU (2012).
The overarching goal of the Ballard Center and the Peery Program is to help students create lasting change in the world that leads to better self‑reliance. Students of all majors and skill sets are needed in the rapidly growing field of social innovation. Our priority is to match students' personal skills and passions with rigorous and valuable educational experiences that lead to a lifetime of impactful philanthropy and social innovation.
Todd teaches graduate and undergraduate courses in social innovation and social entrepreneurship including the Do Good. Better. course.
Prior to joining BYU, Todd was a co-founder of Unitus which has aided in the livelihoods of over 50 million individuals to date. He also oversaw the HELP International spinoff. He worked in the computer industry before embarking on a career in the social innovation field in 1997.
Lee Moreau is a Principal at Continuum. As an architect turned strategist, he combines a unique capacity for complex systems thinking with a deeply empathic perspective, which he uses to critically engage and re-imagine the contemporary world. Lee leads the firm’s Space Group and has led service design projects for a diverse group of clients -- such as BBVA, Staples, P&G, Chili’s and Kaiser Permanente -- that blur the boundaries between content and experience. Through research, analysis, and imagination, Lee helps Continuum’s clients understand their entanglement within their own complex set of cultural, material, and economic circumstances.
Prior to joining Continuum, Lee was the Director of Environments at 2x4, an internationally recognized design firm, where he led projects for clients such as Novartis, Nike, Lincoln Center, and the MoMA Design Store. Previously, he worked as a designer at IDEO and at the Rockwell Group. With his partner Ana Miljacki, he formed the design and research practice Project_ that has continued to create, stimulate, and agitate within the peripheries of architectural discourse since 1998. Lee received his BA from Bennington College and a Masters of Architecture from Rice University.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/leemoreau
ERIC SCHULZ is a faculty member of the Jon M Huntsman School of Business at Utah State University. He teaches marketing in both the undergraduate and MBA programs specializing in brand strategy. He previously taught at The University of Utah and here at BYU.
Eric honed his craft over two decades work at some of the world's top consumer product companies -- Procter & Gamble, The Walt Disney Company, and The Coca-Cola Company. He also worked in sports, marketing minor league baseball teams, launching the XFL Football League in 2001, and heading marketing for the Utah Jazz for half a decade.
He is the author of two books: "The Marketing Game, How the World's Best Companies Play to Win" (2002), and “The Smart Marketer’s Toolbox, The Latest Marketing Innovations and How To Use Them To Grow Your Business” (2012)
He is a two-time graduate of Brigham Young University earning his bachelor degree in 1981, and MBA in 1987.
Davis is the CEO of Cotopaxi, an outdoor gear brand with a social mission. He has raised $10.6M in venture capital for the business. Davis is a member of the ten-person United Nations Foundations Global Entrepreneur Council. He was previously the Co-CEO of Baby.com.br and Dinda.com.br, Brazil’s Startup of the Year in 2012, which raised over $50M in venture capital. In 2004, he also founded, and later sold, PoolTables.com, America’s largest pool table retailer. Davis holds an MBA from the Wharton School, an MA in International Studies from the University of Pennsylvania’s Lauder Institute, and a BA from Brigham Young University.
Professional Attendees
Eric Baird is the founder and CEO of Tigabo, LLC, an outdoor retreat and events management company. Eric has a masters degree in organizational leadership from Chapman Univisty and a business degree form the University of Utah. Eric has developed a close relationship with the Havasupai Tribe which makes this year's event very special being held in Havasupai Falls. This will be an unforgettable experience for campers, hikers and yogis who participate. Event website is located at TigaboSupai.com
Eric Baird is the founder and CEO of Tigabo, LLC, an outdoor retreat and events management company. Eric has a masters degree in organizational leadership from Chapman Univisty and a business degree form the University of Utah. Eric has developed a close relationship with the Havasupai Tribe which makes this year's event very special being held in Havasupai Falls. This will be an unforgettable experience for campers, hikers and yogis who participate. Event website is located at TigaboSupai.com
Alicia is the Program Coordinator with Provo City and Expedition Director with Singular Humanitarian experience. BS in Recreation Management from BYU and MS in Experiential Education from the University of Utah. Passion for outdoor adventure and creating meaningful travel experiences.
Lindsay has been involved in the Utah wedding industry for 12 years, working as an event coordinator, designer, and facility manager. Since 2011, she has owned and managed Arbor Manor Reception Center & Garden, a full-service wedding venue in Salt Lake City.
Mary is the Special Events Coordinator for Provo City overseeing large scale events, concerts, parades, and festivals. She provides one of the most robust internship programs available for Experiential Industry Management students. Mary has the distinction of the official title "The Babe of Provo."
President of ANASAZI Foundation, Senior Consultant for The Arbinger Institute, Facilitates the Forever Young Foundation Nonprofit Institute, Immediate past President of The National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs, Past President of Outdoor Behavioral Healthcare Council, Past President of Arizona Management Society, father of seven red heads!
Director, Cottonwood Heights Parks and Recreation
Councilman, City of Cottonwood Heights
Past President, Utah Recreation and Parks Association
Associate Director, Salt Lake County Parks and Recreation
Member, NRPA Council on Accreditation
Danny graduated from BYU with a BS in Facilities Management. He has worked for Spectra Venue Management for the past 12 years in various venues and positions. He currently serves as General Manager of the Utah Valley Convention Center, in Provo, and oversees day-to-day management of the 144,000 square foot venue, including Sales & Marketing, Food & Beverage, Event Management, Audio Visual, Finance, and Venue Safety, Security and Operations.
Academic Attendees
Mat Duerden received a Ph.D. in Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences from Texas A&M University and a M.S. in Youth and Family Recreation from Brigham Young University. He is an Assistant Professor of Recreation Management at Brigham Young University. His research focuses on understanding how structured recreation experiences impact individuals in both work and non-work contexts. Mat’s publications have appeared in a variety of journals including Leisure Sciences, Journal of Environmental Psychology, Journal of Adolescent Research and Journal of Leisure Research. Mat is married to Chenae Duerden and they have four children, Jackson, Layla, Cooper, and Adele.
Patti Freeman is a professor of Recreation Management at Brigham Young University. Her current research focus is on targeted outcomes of participating in structured recreation experiences. Her work has been published in several journals. She served as department chair from 2006 – 2015 and managed the transition to the Experience Industry Management program.
Brian Hill, Ph.D. is professor of Recreation Management, Experience Industry Management Coordinator, and EIM Conference Co-coordinator at Brigham Young University. His favorite class is the EIM introductory class, "Creating a Good Life through Recreation," which is spilling over with 170 students every semester.
Toni Liechty is currently an assistant professor in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She earned her degree in Leisure Studies from the Pennsylvania State University. Her research interests include the connection between body image and physically active leisure.
Neil Lundberg began working as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) in 1997 at the National Ability Center (NAC) located in Park City, UT. From 2001 to 2003 he served as the Program Director for the NAC, where he managed year-round adaptive sports and recreation programs for people with disabilities and their family and friends. He returned to school and earned his Ph.D. from Indiana University in 2006, emphasizing in Therapeutic Recreation. He does research with various organizations on the development of evidence based practice and outcome measurement. His latest work focuses on the impact of adaptive sports and recreation programs for veterans returning from combat.
Shane Pegg, Ph.D., is a Senior Lecturer in the Tourism Cluster of the UQ Business School at The University of Queensland, Australia. He has been involved in a wide array of research and consultancy projects related to tourism and event management. He has a particular interest in the co-production of accessible tourism and leisure service experiences.
Originally from Merced, CA. Happily married to my beautiful wife and have two adorable kids. Currently a Master's student studying youth development at Texas A&M University with Dr. Gary Ellis. Graduated from BYU Recreation Management program in April 2015. Other research interests include quality management, leadership development and outdoor education.
Dr. Peter Ward is an Associate Professor at Brigham Young University. His research interests include understanding how to engineer participant experiences that result in meaningful outcomes for youth, families, and the provider. He is involved in research projects both in the United States and Uganda. Peter teaches classes ranging from youth development, nonprofit management, experience industry marketing, to the major’s capstone course.
Student Attendees
My name is Emma Aldridge, I am currently a sophomore at BYU and I am applying for the Recreation Management Program this summer. I come from a big family back in Southern California. My interests include traveling, spending time with my family, adrenaline rush activities, and spontaneous adventures.
I was born in the forests of Oregon, and raised in the mountains of Washington and Utah. The outdoors has always been an integral part of my life. At BYU, I am in the top 20% of the first-year class and pursuing a major in recreation management. However, I see that path changing as I find the challenging track of civil and environmental engineering more and more enticing.
Connor has seven years of experience in the Rec Management field including working summer camps, sports events/leagues, and youth development programs for Parks and Rec of Oro Valley and the Northwest YMCA, in Tucson, AZ. He also enjoys volunteering as a girls volleyball coach and boys basketball coach when his wife says he can.
I have been attending BYU for a year and a half. I plan on studying nutrition and going on to be a registered dietician. I grew up in Las Vegas, Nevada. I served a mission in Colorado Springs. I have loved learning about recreation management and have considered pursuing a career in that field. I love exploring this option.
I enjoy being involved and learning about different opportunities to become involved in putting on events. I love distance running and part of my inspiration to join the Recreation Management major was due to racing in a Ragnar Trail run last year. While attending the event, I began thinking about all of the aspects of putting on races, specifically Ragnar races. I am very interested in hearing from the President of Ragnar Events as well as all other speakers.
I am from a small town outside of Las Vegas, so the hospitality industry has been a part of my life since and early age. When ever we would do anythyhing fun growing up, we would usually have to go to a Hotel and Resort to do it. My dream career would be to create and design experiences for the Walt Disney Theme Parks. I am a current Disney cast member. I am also very involved with BYUSA and BYUSA clubs, helping plan large and small events for BYU students. I was able to attend the Rec Management Europe Study abroad in 2014. I am looking forward to hearing from people who work with Disney as well as network with people from all over this industry.
Over the past year I have helped plan public and private events ranging in attendance from 3,000 to 20 people. I especially enjoy working in positions which encourage physical activity and a sense of community. My plan is to graduate in April of 2017 with a bachelor's in Recreation Management and a minor in Spanish.
Jocelyn Murray is graduating December 2016 with a BS from the Marriott School and a Minor in Geographic Information Systems. She loves cultivating her creativity while building on her passion of solving problems. Most of her life revolves around experience industry and is very excited see how other people are involved in it.
Returned missionary from the Florida Tallahassee Mission. Became interested in this field of study because I saw a need for better treatment options for people with mental illness while on my mission. I hope to one day work with self-harming/suicidal patients. I love doing anything outdoors and believe time outdoors has a big healing aspect for everyone.
At 22 years old I have had the opportunity to attend three years of college, two at Utah Valley University and one at Brigham Young University. About seven months ago I returned from serving a LDS mission in Carlsbad, California. Now looking into Recreation Management with a Therapeutic emphasis I hope to work as an activity planner at a retirement home.
My name is Mara Porter, and I am in my second semester here at Brigham Young University. I love to plan things, anywhere from a birthday party for a friend to a program for my school or community. In addition to that, I also love to play the piano, bake, ballroom dance, and cross-stitch. While I have only just started the prerequisites for the Recreation Management program, I already love it, and am looking forward to applying to and completing the program.
Taryn Royall is from Lehi, Utah. She is a sophmore at BYU studying Recreational Management. Taryn currently works at BYU Women's Services and Resources as a event coordinator! She enjoys dancing, hiking, exercising, reading, and being with friends and family.
I am an Instructional Psychology student at Brigham Young University and an Instructional Designer for the Missionary Training Center. I am currently specializing in Second Language Acquisition, assessment, and proficiency, and am interested in resilience, motivation, and collaboration. In my personal time I am a husband, father, outdoor enthusiast, cyclist, Scouter, and a Jr. High Mountain Biking Coach.
My name is Jolene Smock, and I am very well rounded. I'm not quite sure what I want to go into for my occupation. However, I do plan on it being in recreational management. I love to travel. I want to be able to take what I learn in other countries and bring it back with me to use in the United States.
I will be graduating in April of 2016 from BYU with a Recreation Management degree. I love working with people, training, mentoring, volunteering, being creative and collaborating with a team. My hope is to work for a corporate company in their Marketing, Training or Customer Experience Department.
Kalli Wyatt, a 24 year old Recreational Management Major, with a double minor in Nonprofit Management, and Communications. I'm originally from Bountiful, Utah and served a mission in Perth, Australia from 2013-2014. I enjoy being outside, helping others, and exploring how I can help the world and our future.