Webinar: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Service Animals But Were Too Afraid To Ask

Marian Adams serves as the Senior Manager, Operational Safety & ADA Compliance for Universal Orlando Resort.   For 31 years, she has held various leadership positions throughout the Resort.  In her current role, in addition to focusing on ride and guest safety, she oversees ADA compliance and accessibility Resort-wide ensuring the resort is constantly focusing on designing its facilities and rides to remain as accessible as possible.  She serves as a champion for guest and team member accessibility, which includes overseeing the Resort’s in-house American Sign Language Interpreters who support the deaf team member population and provide interpreting services to live shows upon Guests’ request.  In addition, she continues to find ways to equip our team members with service techniques when interacting with Guests with disabilities.

Marian holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida and is a certified ADA Coordinator through the ADA Coordinator Training Program (ACTCP).

Erik Beard is a managing member and general counsel to International Ride Training. He has worked in the amusement industry for over 30 years. Erik began his career working in ride operations for Cedar Fair Entertainment Company at Cedar Point and Worlds of Fun, where he spent 6 years as Manager of Ride Operations and Park Services. He also worked on the pre-opening operations team at Universal’s Islands of Adventure where he had direct responsibility for development of operating procedures for the Lost Continent and Jurassic Park islands and guided numerous attractions through construction, commissioning, and pre-opening training and testing. 

After spending 10 years in ride operations, Erik has spent the last 15 years serving the industry in a legal capacity. As a practicing attorney with two of the most sophisticated and well-regarded firms in the Northeast United States, Erik’s practice focused on product liability, amusement/leisure counseling and litigation, and general business litigation. He represented and advised amusement parks, aquatic facilities and industry suppliers with respect to the Americans With Disabilities Act, amusement ride and aquatic safety matters, operational best practices, and in legislative and regulatory matters.

Erik is a frequent speaker at industry events and trade shows, such as IAAPA Expo, World Waterpark Association trade show, and the IROC Safety School, and serves on the Board of Directors of NEAAPA – The Northeast’s Entertainment Association and NAARSO, the North American Government Relations Sub-Committee of IAAPA, the advisory board for the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Services, and the Government Relations Committee for the World Waterpark Association. Erik independently authors The Legal Roller Coaster, a blog specifically devoted to legal issues affecting the amusement and tourism industries. He is a graduate of Catholic University of America and George Mason University School of Law.

Morgan Duncan began her journey in the amusement industry in 1998 as a seasonal frontline employee at The Track Family Fun Parks in Branson, Missouri. She continued her employment while teaching in public education for 12 years. Upon completion of her masters in administration, she was offered a position as an Operations Manager for The Track where she oversaw one of their facilities. While she enjoyed teaching, she was always drawn to the amusement industry. Over her 18 year tenure with The Track, she was responsible for overseeing daily operations, completing weekly schedules for the entire company, developing standard operating procedures for each ride, and creating a detailed training program for all rides amongst many other duties. In 2017, Morgan transitioned to Silver Dollar City Attractions where she was a Manager in the Attractions Division. Her duties at Silver Dollar City included a vast assortment of activities such as overseeing daily operations, ride screening, maintaining standard operating procedures for each ride, and collecting and assessing safety data. At the end of 2019, Morgan accepted the position of Operations Manager over Silver Dollar City’s White Water where she oversees operations. Her involvement in the community and industry includes Jobs for Life, an organization that addresses unemployment by teaching, engaging, and equipping those in need. Morgan is currently serving as the chair for the IAAPA Facility Operations Committee.