Webinar: IAAPA North America Ride Safety Report
September 10, 2024
Speakers
Ken Kolosh
Ken Kolosh directs statistical reporting and estimating systems at the National Safety Council. The National Safety Council is America’s leading nonprofit safety advocate. NSC focuses on eliminating the leading causes of preventable injuries and deaths. Fundamental to this mission is the collection and dissemination of injury statistics. Mr. Kolosh leads the development of Injury Facts, the NSC’s online statistical resource on preventable injuries, their characteristics and costs. In addition to Injury Facts, his responsibilities range from managing the Council’s preliminary motor vehicle fatality estimate program to conducting an annual estimate of the number of guests injured at amusement parks. He is also an editor for the NSC’s Journal of Safety Research. Prior to leading the statistical function, Mr. Kolosh was a research consultant managing NSC’s workplace safety perception survey offering.
Chris Oliver
Chris Oliver, Vice President, Universal Creative Engineering & Safety is a respected industry leader having worked on theme parks and attractions in Singapore, Osaka, Beijing, Paris, and Orlando. His dedication to the safety of guests and innovative technology, blended with immersive storytelling, have been instrumental to fan favorite attractions for Universal Parks & Resorts, as well as Disney Parks worldwide.
He is the Chairman of the IAAPA Safety Commission, member of ASTM, executive champion to many DEI initiatives, and holds multiple patents for groundbreaking technology advancements.
Chris earned his MBA from Universal of Central Florida.
Justin Schwartz
With over 20 years at Universal Creative, Justin has spearheaded numerous landmark projects within the Engineering and Safety Group, leaving a lasting impact on the company’s creative endeavors. Notable among these groundbreaking initiatives are Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit, the immersive Hogwarts Express, Volcano Bay including the innovative TapuTapu technology. His ongoing leadership role at Epic Universe continues to showcase his forward-thinking vision.
Justin’s pioneering spirit is perhaps best exemplified by his creation of the Universal Creative Advanced Technology Interactives team, which has introduced a slew of technological innovations to Universal Destinations and Experiences.
In addition to his work at Universal, Justin has spent over two decades contributing to ASTM, where he serves as the sub-committee chairman for ASTM F24.24. His leadership in advancing safety standards, including F2291, highlights his long-standing commitment to enhancing industry safety on a global scale.
Michael Shelton
Currently Michael is the VP and Executive Director of IAAPA North America which is the largest trade organization for the global attractions industry. Michael oversees the North America region and works with his team to develop educational programming, connection events, safety resources and membership connections for over 4000 member organizations. He also oversees the largest trade show for the global attractions industry (IAAPA Expo) which hosts over 40,000 attendees and more than 1000 exhibitors annually in Orlando.