Great experiences start by mixing hard work, collaboration, and a spark of creativity. Ilana has 15 years of cutting edge experience, ranging from over 30 rides and attractions across 12 theme parks to Las Vegas spectaculars, concerts, theater, and installations. Ilana fuses creative vision, stunning art, media, and technology to create and manage amazing experiences that surprise and engage. As AOA's Creative Lead, she adds an incredible amount of experience in all things design, technology, and creativity to global client projects.

Before joining the AOA team, Ilana was a key member of the Universal Creative’s, Ride Design and Show Technology Team that oversaw all new ride designs. There, she worked with creative teams and executives on virtually every new e-ticket ride from Blue Sky through feasibility and schematic for Universal parks worldwide, including Epic Universe. In addition to working on ride concepts for DreamWorks, Nintendo, The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and many more, Ilana also helped invent new show, ride, and illusion technology that pushed innovation and immersion to the next level.

With dual MFAs in Animation & Scenic Design from Cal Arts, a BA in Math and Science, and a penchant for large-scale art and experiences, Ilana was bound to end up in immersive entertainment. She started her career designing, art directing, and creating large scale scenic art at Julliard, the Metropolitan Opera, the Lincoln Center, and Theaterwork. She worked on over 60 projects and cut her teeth on every aspect of live and location-based performance.

Ilana revels in inspiring clients and leading teams by leveraging a myriad of skills including design, technology, illustration, concept, visceral and visual narrative, storyboarding, animation, media direction, projection mapping, VR, and 3D to create buildable experiences. In addition to being an immersive entertainment Swiss army knife, her greatest strengths are listening and collaboration.

Alongside the rest of the AOA team, she has the unique ability to create buildable, beautiful places that operators can maintain for years to come.