Dana Barnett has spent nearly her entire career around attractions, from lifeguarding at Holiday World to helping operators modernize parks through technology today at Vantage. Along the way, she’s worked in administration, project management, and business development, giving her a unique perspective on how attractions operate behind the scenes.
We sat down with Dana to learn more about her journey, what excites her about Vantage, and where she sees the industry heading.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I grew up in a small town in southern Indiana called Boonville. There were fewer than 200 people in my graduating class, so it was definitely a small-town upbringing. My dad was a coal miner and heavy equipment operator for 40 years, so I grew up around bulldozers, dump trucks, and construction equipment. I’ve always joked that I was a tomboy, spending my morning competing in pageants and going to church in fluffy dressed but returning home to and digging for worms in the yard.
I went to Vanderbilt University and originally planned to become a child life specialist working in children’s hospitals, earning my degree in psychology. I later decided to return to school during COVID and completed my MBA at Lake Forest School of Business.
How did you end up in the attractions industry?
Like a lot of people in this industry, I started young. My first job was at Holiday World when I was 15 as a slide attendant before becoming a lifeguard. I stayed there through college before eventually moving into the commercial aquatics side of the business.
My career has taken me through several different parts of the industry. I worked for a stainless steel pool fabricator where I started in the office before moving into procurement and project management. From there I transitioned into commercial sales with Hayward, then became National Channel Manager at Paddock. Before joining Vantage, I spent some time working in a technology role outside the attractions industry, which gave me a much deeper understanding of AI and emerging technology. Looking back, it ended up being the perfect preparation for what I’m doing today.
What made you want to join Vantage?
I’ve always loved this industry, and I really believe technology is becoming one of the biggest opportunities for attractions. Every park is trying to create a better guest experience while making operations easier for their teams, and technology can help accomplish both.
What does your role look like day to day?
A lot of my first few months were focused on building the foundation to be successful here. We spent time creating processes, standard operating procedures, and really defining who we want to be as a company as we continue to grow.
Right now, a big part of my role is introducing myself to customers and partners. We jokingly call it my “welcome tour.” I’m meeting operators, reconnecting with people I’ve known for years, attending trade shows, and helping more attractions understand what Vantage can do. It’s been fun seeing familiar faces from a completely different perspective.
What’s one piece of advice you’d give to an attraction looking to modernize?
Keep your mind open. Technology and AI are already part of your operation, whether you realize it or not. The important thing is remembering that technology doesn’t replace hospitality; your people and guest experience are still what makes your attraction special.
I always encourage operators to imagine what their park could become. What’s the big goal you’ve always wanted to achieve? Once you know where you want to go, then we can help map out the best path to get there.
Is there a Vantage capability that excites you the most?
For me, it’s the depth of reporting and integration of data across different systems. I had the opportunity to help at Michigan’s Adventure during the roll out of Vantage during their season opening, and one of my favorite moments was showing park leadership live operational data halfway through the day. We could see admissions, catering activity, guest entry patterns, and everything else happening across the park in one place.
Watching their reaction was rewarding because they’d never had that level of visibility before. Instead of waiting until the end of the day to pull information from multiple reports, they could see what was happening in real time and make decisions immediately.
What’s the most rewarding part of your job?
Knowing we’re helping guests have a better day. Everyone has visited a park or attraction where something didn’t go quite right. Long lines, confusing processes, or little moments of friction can affect the whole experience.
When our technology helps remove those frustrations, guests get to spend more time enjoying themselves instead of worrying about logistics. If families leave having had a smoother, happier day together, that’s incredibly rewarding.
What do you enjoy outside of work?
My alter ego is definitely “soccer mom.” Our family spends a lot of time traveling to tournaments, and somewhere along the way I became what the other parents jokingly call the team’s cruise director and crisis negotiator. I am usually the one organizing plans, coordinating schedules, and making sure everyone is where they need to be.
It’s funny because there are a lot of similarities between working with a team at work and working with a team of parents and kids. Things simply run better when everyone enjoys working together!
What are you looking forward to most in the second half of 2026?
Trade show season is always exciting because it’s a chance to meet new operators, hear about the challenges they’re trying to solve, and continue building relationships across the industry.
I’m especially looking forward to speaking at ACOLAP at the end of July in Colombia and sharing more about what Vantage is doing. It’s a great opportunity to introduce new audiences to our platform and continue those conversations about where technology can take the attractions industry next.
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Thank you, Dana, for sharing your journey with us! While every team member brings a different background and perspective, they all share the same goal: helping attractions deliver exceptional guest experiences through smarter, connected technology.
Meet the people behind Vantage at www.vantage.co/meet-our-team
