Schedule

Sunday, May 31

9:00 am – 2:00 pm
Registration Desk

Conference Registration Open

Sponsored by Welcome Guide-Map / CJ Publishers

12:00 – 1:30 pm 

Board of Directors Working Lunch

Sponsored by Welcome Guide-Map / CJ Publishers
For Current FAA Leadership Only

2:30 – 4:00 pm

Veranda Room

Mystery Connect LIVE!

Sponsored by Integrated Insight

5:00 – 6:15 pm

Grand Ballroom F-J

General Session #1
State of the Industry

6:15 – 7:45 pm
Grand Ballroom A-E

Opening Night Reception in Networking Center



Official opening of the Networking Center. Exhibitors compete for awards. Silent Auction Opens.

Monday, June 1

7:30 am – 3:30 pm

Registration Desk

Conference Registration Open

Sponsored by Welcome Guide-Map / CJ Publishers

7:30 – 8:30 am

Grand Ballroom A-E

Continental Breakfast in the Networking Center


Sponsored by


Silent Auction Bidding

8:30 – 9:45 am

Grand Ballroom F-J

General Session #2
Navigating the New Leisure Landscape: Insights from PGAV Destinations & Integrated Insight

9:45 – 10:15 am

Grand Ballroom A-E

Session Break in
Networking Center

10:15  – 11:30 am

Meeting Rooms 8-12 • 3rd Floor

Breakout Sessions #1
(five concurrent sessions)
Sponsored by Howes & Company

  • Meeting Room 8 | Fueling Group Business Through Key Industry Partnerships

    Facilitators:

    • Cameron O’Connell - Sr. Director, Sales and Partnerships; ZooTampa at Lowry Park
    • Carylann Assante – CEO; Student Youth and Travel Association (SYTA)
    • Santiago Corrada – President & CEO; Visit Tampa Bay

    Track: Marketing/Sales


    A panel of attraction and corporate experts will share strategies for developing partnership acquisition strategies that can be scaled based on your attraction's size. Attendees will learn how to create a partnership inventory, develop tiered rate cards, and identify business prospects for events, exhibits, and programs. Gain insights into building, timing, and closing deals, as well as how to create reports that ensure successful partnership renewals.

  • Meeting Room 9 | Member Forum - AI in Action: Real-World Applications for Attraction Operations

    Facilitator:

    John Penney – Founder; BlackDog Advertising


    Retta Logan - Account Executive; A3 Visual


    Track: Marketing/Sales, Operations/Guest Experience


    Attractions are increasingly relying on immersive and experiential elements to captivate guests and create unforgettable moments. This session will explore how sensory experiences, interactive environments, storytelling techniques, and the integration of technology are reshaping the guest experience. We’ll also delve into how these elements are being used as temporary activations to boost sales—creating unique, limited-time offerings that entice large groups, corporate clients, and event planners.

  • Meeting Room 10 | Your Best Content Is Invisible: Why Organic Social Media is Failing Attractions

    Facilitator:

    Kevin McNulty – President and CEO; NetWeave Social Networking 



    Track: Communications/Social Media


    Discover how to optimize your visibility across social media, online search listings (i.e. Google Business Profile), travel listings and more. This session will equip you with strategies and best practices to enhance your profiles, manage reviews, and ensure your brand stands out across the crowded digital landscape. Don't miss the chance to transform how the world sees your business!

  • Meeting Room 11 | Capitalizing on Your Culture with Those Pesky Core Values

    Facilitators:

    • Michelle Coleman – Sr. Vice President, Human Resources; ZooTampa at Lowry Park
    • Kelly Curington – Executive Vice President of Human Resources, CP; The Florida Aquarium
    • Jessica Rhodes – Manager of Guest Services; Mote Science Education Aquarium (MoteSEA)
    • Diana Vega – Chief of Operations; Zoo Miami

    Track: HR/Leadership


    This session, tailored specifically for FAA members, will cover essential strategies to minimize claims and liability risks, ultimately leading to lower business insurance premiums. Attendees will learn about proactive risk management techniques, effective safety protocols, and the latest attractions industry best practices from insurance industry experts. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your business's financial stability and operational efficiency.

  • Meeting Room 12 | Back of the House, Front of Mind: How Operations and Marketing Work Together

    Facilitators:

    • Scott Rose – Senior Vice President/Chief Operating Officer; ZooTampa at Lowry Park
    • Matt Johnson – Executive Director; IMAG History & Science Center 
    • Jennifer Berthiaume

    Track: Marketing/Sales, Operations/Guest Experience


    Great guest experiences don’t happen by accident—they happen when operations and marketing work as one. This session explores how breaking down silos between teams leads to clearer communication, smarter decision‑making, and a more consistent experience from the first ad impression to the final farewell at the exit gate. Learn how shared goals, cross‑department insights, and aligned messaging can improve service delivery, streamline workflows, and eliminate internal friction. Through real examples and practical tools, you’ll discover how collaborative planning and continuous feedback loops create stronger outcomes for guests, staff, and the attraction as a whole.

11:45 am – 1:30 pm

Grand Ballroom F-J

General Session #3
Power Lunch


Sponsored by SSA Group


  • Surprise Arrival of the Gavel!
  • FAA Annual Meeting
  • Florida Attractions Scholarship Foundation Presentations
  • Florida Attractions Leadership Academy – Inaugural Cohort
  • VISIT FLORIDA UPDATE, Bryan Griffin, President and CEO of VISIT FLORIDA

1:30 – 2:30 pm
Grand Ballroom A-E

Networking Center Visit, Dessert, Silent Auction Bidding

2:30 – 3:45 pm

Grand Ballroom F-J

General Session #4
Epic Universe: Inside the Creation of the World’s Most Advanced Theme Park

4:00 – 4:45 pm
Grand Ballroom Pre-function Area

Peer Pods LIVE!

Sponsored by

6:30 – 9:00 pm
ZooTampa at Lowry Park

Evening Event at ZooTampa at Lowry Park


 Motorcoach Transportation provided

Tuesday, June 2

7:30 am – 1:30 pm

Registration Desk

Conference Registration Open

Sponsored by Welcome Guide-Map / CJ Publishers

8:00  – 9:45 am

Grand Ballroom F-J

General Session #5 Celebration Breakfast

  • Industry Report Card - Amusement Advantage
  • Florida AZA Presentation – Tim Tetzlaff, Naples Zoo
  • FAA Advocacy Report - Jennifer Green, Liberty Partners of Tallahassee
  • Installation of new Board and Officers for 2026-2027
  • Award Presentations (Outstanding Attraction & Associate Member)

9:45  – 10:00 am 

Session Break

10:00 am  – 12:00 pm

Grand Ballroom Pre-function Area

Industry Roundtable Sessions

(3 Rotations)
Sponsored by

Table 1
Maximizing Your FAA Membership


Table 2
Issues and Answers with Liberty Partners


Table 3
F&B Wins, Lessons, and Innovations


Table 4
Scroll-Stopping Social Media


Table 5
Ways to Improve the Guest Experience


Table 6
Legal Landmines


Table 7
New Audiences, New Revenue


Table 8
AI Show and Tell


Table 9

Professional Development Think Tank


Table 10
Your VISIT FLORIDA Partnership


Table 11

Building a Culture of Hospitality

12:00 – 1:20 pm

Grand Ballroom A-E

Lunch in the Networking Center

Sponsored by accesso


Silent Auction Finale

Final opportunity to bid on Silent Auction

1:30  – 2:45 pm

Meeting Rooms 8-12 • 3rd Floor

Breakout Sessions #2
(five concurrent sessions)

  • Meeting Room 8 | Turning Social Engagements into Real-World Visits

    Facilitators:

    • Stephen Kubiak – Head of Social Strategy & Content, Universal Destinations & Experiences; Universal Orlando Resort 
    • Will Wellons – Founder & President, Wellons Communications 

    Track: Social Media/Communications


    A panel of attraction and corporate experts will share strategies for developing partnership acquisition strategies that can be scaled based on your attraction's size. Attendees will learn how to create a partnership inventory, develop tiered rate cards, and identify business prospects for events, exhibits, and programs. Gain insights into building, timing, and closing deals, as well as how to create reports that ensure successful partnership renewals.

  • Meeting Room 9 | Data to Decisions: Using What You Track to Drive Growth

    Facilitator:

    • Beth Trainer – Director of Business Intelligence; The Florida Aquarium
    • Ben Story – CEO; Avius
    • Shelby Brookbank – Guest Operations Manager; The Florida Aquarium
    • Derek Chapin – Director of Partner Success; SSA Group

    Track: Marketing/Sales


    Attractions are increasingly relying on immersive and experiential elements to captivate guests and create unforgettable moments. This session will explore how sensory experiences, interactive environments, storytelling techniques, and the integration of technology are reshaping the guest experience. We’ll also delve into how these elements are being used as temporary activations to boost sales—creating unique, limited-time offerings that entice large groups, corporate clients, and event planners.

  • Meeting Room 10 | From Roadside Stop to Destination: How Family-Owned Attractions Find Success

    Facilitator:

    • Bill Weinaug – President; Wekiva Island
    • Carrie Vanderhoef – Bar, Retail and Events Manager; Wekiva Island
    • Jo Laborde – Corporate Business Concierge; Wekiva Island

    Track: Operations/Guest Experience


    Discover how to optimize your visibility across social media, online search listings (i.e. Google Business Profile), travel listings and more. This session will equip you with strategies and best practices to enhance your profiles, manage reviews, and ensure your brand stands out across the crowded digital landscape. Don't miss the chance to transform how the world sees your business!

  • Meeting Room 11 | Florida Attractions Workforce Development: The Bridge to Higher Education

    Facilitators:

    • Dr. Zac Cole – Assistant Professor, Hospitality & Tourism; Flagler College
    • Dr. Peter Ricci - Director, Hospitality & Tourism Management Program; Florida Atlantic University

    Track: HR/Leadership


    This session, tailored specifically for FAA members, will cover essential strategies to minimize claims and liability risks, ultimately leading to lower business insurance premiums. Attendees will learn about proactive risk management techniques, effective safety protocols, and the latest attractions industry best practices from insurance industry experts. Don't miss this opportunity to enhance your business's financial stability and operational efficiency.

  • Meeting Room 12 | Side Roads to Success: Alternative Revenue for Attractions

    Facilitators:

    • Diana Vega – Chief of Operations; Zoo Miami
    • Jared Reid – CEO; Wild Florida 

    Track: Operations/Guest Experience


    If your budget depends on sunny weather and sold-out Saturdays, it’s time to explore creative, mission-friendly ways to grow revenue beyond the front gate. From after-hours events and facility rentals to animal encounters, photo ops, retail glow-ups, revenue-share opportunities, and reseller partnerships, this session will provide practical ideas and real-world examples you can implement. Attendees will walk away with actionable strategies to maximize space, staffing, and audience—and a few “why didn’t we think of that?” ideas that will work even on rainy days.

3:00 - 4:15 pm
Grand Ballroom F-J

General Session #6
Keynote Speaker: Alex Sheen

"Because I Said I Would"

4:15 pm - Adjournment 

Grand Ballroom F-J

Conference Finale


Passing of the Gavel, Chairman’s Remarks, Grand Prize Drawings.

Adjournment - 5:30 pm

Grand Ballroom A-E

Silent Auction Check Out

Networking Center Available for Exhibit Breakdown

6:30 – 9:00 pm
The Florida Aquarium

Evening Event at

The Florida Aquarium

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