Aaron Mendelson
Senior Vice President
Aaron’s expertise in building world-class guest experiences that drive operational insight has been acquired through a combination of hands-on experience and product vision. Starting with a degree in science and technology, he served in a leadership role at Universal Orlando’s entertainment division. From there, Aaron spent over 10 years creating technology-driven experiences within the hospitality industry at Marriott Hotels as the Director of Special Events and Entertainment. In this position, Aaron was responsible for the strategy, execution, marketing, operation, and financial success of each entertainment event. Using RFID, Bluetooth Low Energy, and interactive video, Aaron created a themed attraction that helped cement his ability to blend guest journey with operational excellence. Since 2012, Aaron has been part of the WhiteWater family to successfully drive technology across multiple product lines, with each one of them contributing to the client-focused product vision and stability that Vantage enjoys today.
David Black
Director, Technology
David is a proven innovator and a business savvy project manager who began his career with a BSc in Computer Science from the University of British Columbia. His expertise in systems and software engineering, product design and architecture, and real-time embedded functions has led him to create cutting-edge solutions over 30 years for a variety of applications, including telecommunications, medicine, entertainment, intelligence, security, and surveillance. David has worked with WhiteWater since 2015. His ability to envision and develop technology for both the corporate world as well as aerospace and the U.S. military means that Vantage clients will benefit from his creative, cross-functional thinking and a sharp eye for operational details.
Eduardo Henne
Marketing Manager
With over 10 years of experience delivering highly successful marketing strategies and branding initiatives, Eduardo endeavors to deliver the right messages across the right channels at the right times. Understanding human behavior and the consumer journey is one of his greatest skillsets. Through his years of experience, he has had the opportunity to design and implement high-performing targeted campaigns for brands such as Whirlpool, General Mills, Nestlé, Mondelez, Boeing, P&G, and Kimberly Clark. Currently, Eduardo’s interest lies in developing marketing solutions to meet the growing demands of the amusement technology space. “The leisure and technology industry is an exciting challenge for my career. I look forward to helping Vantage achieve its goals and help drive the joy economy.”
Eric Dunaway
Senior Software Development Engineer
Meet Eric Dunaway, our Senior Software Development Engineer with over a decade of hands-on experience in the US Military and six years as a technical team leader. Bringing his passion for event-driven and data platforms, Eric has been a key player in various successful projects since joining Vantage in 2018. From tackling different roles to his current position as Senior Software Development Engineer, Eric’s knack for engineering-focused problem-solving and impressive technical skills have been crucial in the triumph of complex projects. His commitment to excellence and deep technical knowledge not only make him an asset to the team but also add a touch of expertise to the mix. Eric is the go-to person for turning challenges into triumphs in the world of software development at Vantage.
Jamie Charlesworth
Vantage President and Whitewater Managing Director
Jamie brings operations and management expertise from over two decades in leisure and entertainment in the UK and the Middle East. An industry veteran who started as a lifeguard, he has ample leadership experience across water park and theme park operations, project management, and design and theming, overseeing and developing some of the most iconic attractions in those regions while working with companies such as Merlin, Emaar, Majid Al Futtaim, and SEVEN. With a keen understanding of the ambitions and challenges in the Middle East, Jamie has served on the board of the Middle East and North Africa Leisure & Attractions Council (MENALAC).
Lenique Bossr
Project Coordinator, MENA
Lenique brings her extensive background in the hospitality and water park industries with a deep understanding of client and guest experiences. Having specialized in guest-centric markets with a people-first approach, Lenique cultivates good business working relationships with all relevant stakeholders through open communication and highly organized processes. Lenique holds a Bachelor of Technology in PR and Communications Management.
Lucas Appratto
Customer Success Manager
Lucas has had a presence in the hospitality industry for over 5 years. He has been instrumental in helping parks define solutions to their unique challenges. Most recently, he helped devise the innovative virtual pass processing system for passholders at Island H2O water park, enabling passholders to skip queues and seamlessly enter the park for a more convenient experience. Lucas applies his creative, outside-the-box thinking to his role as the Vantage Customer Success Manager. He ensures that clients are maximizing the full potential of their park’s technologies in harmony with the Vantage platform.
Shay Babaki
Performance Marketing Lead
With a background in digital marketing and communications, Shay’s passion for technology shines through in her work bringing Vantage to market. She enjoys applying creative, value-led strategies to drive messaging around the digital transformation of the amusement industry. Shay is currently pursuing a Digital Marketing Associate Certificate from the British Columbia Institute of Technology and holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business and Sociology from the University of Victoria.
Una de Boer
WhiteWater & Vantage CMO
Una joined the WhiteWater family in 2015, already an international business to business marketing expert having enjoyed a broad 20-year career ranging across several market sectors from professional services to energy management SaaS. Una started her career running B2B advertising campaigns and then consulted on direct marketing best practice for large financial services providers in the UK. Since 2005 Una’s roles have involved building marketing teams to help organizations put customer understanding at their center and build meaningful brands which connect with employees and customers alike. As a literature graduate and MBA Una believes that Marketing merges storytelling, psychology, data analysis and common commercial sense to simplify ‘why?’ for customers. A member of WhiteWater’s executive leadership team, Una leads the marketing for WhiteWater and all its brands; making sure each international market and business area has a voice which leads the industry. She also heads WhiteWater’s Sustainability initiatives.
Vladan Pantelic
Project Manager, MENA
With an MBA in International Business Management from the Emirates Academy of Hospitality Management and extensive experience in research and in the corporate world, Vladan brings a sharp eye for opportunities. Prior to joining Vantage, he led a cross-functional team as Head of Revenue Operations in the Jumeirah Group, where his improvements in operating efficiencies delivered impressive measurable results. Vladan’s expertise encompasses digital strategy, experience management, business intelligence, and agile solutions for data-driven decision making. He regularly shares his knowledge through speaking and lecturing at conferences and educational institutions. With a versatile skillset spanning business and technology, Vladan has the right blend to help Vantage clients unlock competitive advantages driven by behavioral insights.
Zac McCallum
Senior Project Manager
Zac is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) who graduated from Colorado State University in 2015 with a degree in Economics. His studies in formal project management methodology, along with his background in economics, helped him develop a keen eye for efficiency. Zac’s prior life in design, construction, and engineering saw him managing complex projects featuring new technologies. This background sharpened his attention to detail and provided him valuable technology integration experience, which gave him all the tools for success as a Vantage Project Manager. Zac focuses on process creation and implementation to drive results while maintaining a focus on creativity and innovation.
