IAAPA has announced new speakers and program details for IAAPA Honors 2026, taking place May 12-14 at Hotel Xcaret México (Playa del Carmen, Mexico). The event, which celebrates the 2025 Brass Ring Excellence Award winners, is expanding its format this year with winner-led panel discussions across six award categories and immersive EDUTours of Xcaret’s operational facilities.
Live Entertainment Panel
The Live Entertainment Excellence Award panel features one of the event’s strongest speaker lineups, with creative leadership from Disney, Universal, and Image Engineering:
- Jason Ramsburg, SVP & Executive Producer, Entertainment, Universal Beijing Resort
- Randy Wojcik, Vice President, Entertainment Creative, Universal Studios Japan
- Michael Serna, Executive Creative Director, Disney Live Entertainment
- Dana Harrel, VP Entertainment, Disneyland Paris
- Ian Bottiglieri, Chief Operating Officer, Image Engineering
The panel is moderated by Stephanie Morehead, Senior Program Manager, Disney Live Entertainment. The session runs from 11:20 AM to 12:20 PM on Thursday, May 14.
Keynotes and Fireside Chat
Day one opens with a fireside chat between IAAPA President and CEO Jakob Wahl and Grupo Xcaret CEO Miguel Quintana. Xcaret won the Liseberg Applause Award in 2018, and Quintana is expected to discuss leadership, legacy, and industry trends.
Xavier López Ancona, President and CEO of KidZania, delivers a keynote on day one focused on creativity and strategies driving innovation. On day two, Jacob Robinson, Founder and CEO of Dig World, takes the stage with a keynote on resilience and entrepreneurship, drawing from his experience on Shark Tank.
Other Panels
Additional panel sessions pair award winners with industry leaders across categories:
- Human Resources — Deb Christensen, Chief People Officer, FACE Amusement, and Clarisse Linhares, Marketing Director, Beach Park
- Food & Beverage — Sandy Le, Director of Marketing & Sales, Gilroy Gardens Family Theme Park, Tommy Schatz-Thompson, Creative Director, Prime Materia and Director Exhibition & Facilities, Meow Wolf Grapevine, and Anthony Pratt, Director of Business Operations, Vancouver Aquarium
- Marketing — Robert Unuger, Digital Projects Manager, Liseberg, and Rebeca Morgado, VP of Brand Experience, Jungle Island
- FEC/LBE of the Year — Merve Timurlenk Sengul and Kaan Sengul, Co-Founders, HUPALUPA Istanbul, Robert Rückel, CEO, Deutschlandmuseum, and Chris Lange, Executive Creative Director, Deutschlandmuseum
- Games & Merchandise — José Fernández, Director of Stores (Parks & Resorts), Xcaret Park, and Clarisse Linhares, Marketing Director, Beach Park
- Sustainability — Femke van Es, Manager Community, Communication & Environment, Efteling
- Best New Product and Exhibitor Excellence — Sascha Czibulka, Executive Vice President, Intamin, and Thorsten Koebele, Chief Officer Sales & Marketing, Mack Rides
EDUTours
Both days include afternoon EDUTours offering behind-the-scenes access to Xcaret’s operations. On day one, tours split by category: HR attendees visit Xcuelas (Xcaret’s workforce development program), F&B attendees tour the Hotel Xcaret México restaurants, and Marketing attendees tour Evoluxión and the restaurant at Xcaret. Day two tours cover Games & Merchandise (Tiendas GX retail session), Sustainability (Hotel Xcaret operational sustainability), and Live Entertainment (inside look at the creative, technical, and operational production behind Xcaret’s shows).
Liseberg Applause Award
The 2026 Liseberg Applause Award will also be presented during the event. Widely regarded as the industry’s most prestigious park-level recognition, the award honors a park whose management, operations, and creative achievements have set new standards. Universal Studios Japan received the 2025 award. The 2026 recipient has not yet been announced.
Event Details
IAAPA Honors 2026 runs May 12-14 at Hotel Xcaret México in Playa del Carmen, Mexico. The event culminates with the IAAPA Honors Gala at Xcaret Park on the evening of May 14. For more information and registration, visit IAAPA.org/Honors.
