Mike’s multi-faceted career in themed entertainment, game development, and startup environments spans well over two decades, and he brings exceptional leadership skills as well as a rare mix of creative vision and operational acumen to every project he’s involved with. After exiting his first successful startup in health and wellness and returning to a personal passion for theme parks and entertainment, Mike obtained a Bachelor’s degree in Game Art & Development in pursuit of securing a role at Walt Disney World, where he worked with Walt Disney Imagineering to bring incredible theme parks and attractions to life. Following Disney Mike secured leadership design roles at two fintech startups before creating Metaparks in 2021- with a strong vision and strategy that brings his knowledge and experiences together to deliver a platform that is poised to redefine multiple genres.

Dave is an accomplished technology leader and game developer with nearly 20 years of experience delivering high-quality video game projects on time and on budget. He has led teams to successfully complete projects across diverse genres, ensuring technical excellence and creative innovation. Dave specializes in architecting complex systems, mentoring growing teams, and streamlining workflows to maximize efficiency. His ability to align technical execution with creative vision has consistently resulted in projects that achieve both critical and commercial success. With a deep understanding of the game development lifecycle, exceptional leadership skills, and a commitment to creating outstanding player experiences, Dave is a trusted partner for publishers seeking to fund ambitious and successful game projects.

Ellin brings over 25 years of experience in the dynamic and fast-paced world of start-up companies. She has a proven track record of successfully managing financial operations, implementing robust accounting systems, and ensuring regulatory compliance in high-growth environments.

Throughout her career, Ellin has excelled in developing business and financial processes that enhance efficiency to support growth and sustainability. Her expertise includes budgeting, forecasting, reporting, and cash flow management.

In addition to her financial acumen, Ellin has extensive experience in HR, IT, and quality assurance, enabling her to create comprehensive strategies that align with organizational goals.

Her hands-on approach and strategic mindset have enabled her to work closely with executive teams, providing critical financial insights that drive informed decision-making. Her ability to adapt to rapidly changing environments and her commitment to continuous improvement have made her a valuable asset to every organization she has been part of.

Ellin brings this wealth of experience and expertise to Metaparks, where she continues to drive innovation and operational excellence, ensuring the company's success in creating unparalleled digital interactive theme park experiences.

Angelo brings a rich and diverse background in art direction and design. His expertise in creating immersive experiences, stage visuals, XR/digital fashion integrations, AI media pipelines, and creative coding supports the Metaparks Creative team from conceptualization through implementation.

Angelo has collaborated with a wide range of high-profile brands, including Vans, House Of Vans, AVON, Deliveroo, McFly, and Soho Theatre.

His innovative approach and creative prowess are pivotal in driving the unique and immersive experiences that define Metaparks.

Through his leadership, Metaparks aims to set new standards in digital interactive theme park experiences, blending cutting-edge technology with creative excellence.

From a young age, Mat has been fascinated by the inner workings of theme parks and attractions. Growing up in the UK, he spent much of his life exploring parks across the country and Europe, developing a deep appreciation for the mechanics and design of themed entertainment.

A pivotal moment came in the late 1990s when Mat visited Florida and witnessed the construction of Universal’s Islands of Adventure. Seeing a world-class theme park come to life further ignited his passion for the industry.

After finishing school, Mat began his career at his local theme park, and his hands-on experience quickly expanded when he joined the park’s maintenance team during the closed season—an opportunity that allowed him to learn how rides are dismantled, inspected, and rebuilt. This gave him critical insight into the engineering behind attractions.

Mat’s knowledge and firsthand experience remain a testament to his dedication and lifelong enthusiasm for themed entertainment.

Bryce brings nearly two decades of hands-on experience in theme park entertainment to the Metaparks team. Having held Senior Leadership and Management roles at three different parks, he offers a deep understanding of the inner workings of real-world park operations. A lifelong fan of theme park and management simulation games, Bryce is thrilled to combine his professional background with his passion for sims in his first video game project. At Metaparks, he aims to infuse the management and career systems with a level of realism that only someone with his unique experience can provide.

Patrick is a Music Producer and Sound Designer at Metaparks. A lifelong gamer with a special passion for building and simulation games, Patrick brings both creativity and technical expertise to the team. His background began with playing guitar in bands and grew into a career as a music producer, where he developed a strong foundation in composition, audio production, and sound design.

At Metaparks, Patrick is responsible for creating music and sound effects that immerse players in the game’s world. He also coordinates between different artists to ensure a cohesive and dynamic audio experience, making him a vital contributor to the overall atmosphere and storytelling of the project.

Vivian is a highly talented visual artist, known in our community for her ability to turn ideas into immersive and captivating works of art that feel both expressive and alive. Her background is filled with inspiring and unique stories that developed her natural talent, artistic vision, and creative vision over many years.

From gardening and cooking to crafting and video games, Vivian is highly gifted at channeling her love of beauty and attention to detail into her artistic process. At Metaparks, Vivian’s work reflects a unique voice that adds beauty, depth, and heart to everything we create.

Natty is a talented 3D and Concept Artist who excels in both traditional and digital art forms, bringing a diverse skill set to her role.

Natty’s career spans roles as a Concept & Sculpture Artist at Mero Desocupe Crafts where she has showcased her proficiency in various mediums, including acrylic, oil, and watercolor paints, as well as manual and digital sculpting of figurines and assets, with a notable proficiency in 3D printing.

At Metaparks, Nathalia leverages her artistic expertise and diverse skill set to contribute to the development of unique and engaging digital interactive theme park experiences.

Her ability to create compelling concepts, characters, and 3D models enhances the visual appeal and immersive quality of Metaparks' projects, ensuring a captivating experience for users.

Justin is a multidisciplinary creative professional with over a decade of experience in visual storytelling, digital art, and community guidance. With a foundation in both traditional and digital art, Justin’s exceptional writing skills are colored with a deep understanding of mythology, psychology, and world history.

Throughout his career, Justin has led and contributed to a variety of freelance projects, specializing in character design, worldbuilding, and story development across platforms including Adobe Creative Suite, Clip Studio Paint, and Unreal Engine. He has also worked collaboratively on game modding and narrative development in FiveM.

Lucas is a creative and dedicated Technical Designer with a strong background in interactive animation and community management. He holds a Bachelor's degree in Interactive Animation from SAE Institute Frankfurt and a Master's degree in Media and Communication Management from Macromedia University Cologne.

Lucas streamed Management Simulation Games on Twitch for many years, providing creative inspiration while fostering an inclusive environment. His volunteer work in the MMORPG EVE Online involved coordinating events and integrating new players into one of the game's largest communities at the time, improving team dynamics and developing a better user experience.

Lucas has now joined Metaparks as a Technical Designer and Community Manager, aiming to deliver exceptional experiences and to optimize work flows between designers and developers.

Michael Diaz is a versatile Game Developer and Technical Artist with extensive expertise in C++, C#, .NET framework, and Unreal Engine.

With a B.A. in Computer Animation from Full Sail University, Michael seamlessly blends technical programming skills with creative 3D design and animation capabilities. His diverse skill set encompasses character state machines, NPC AI, interactive systems, shader development, and AR implementation across multiple game development platforms.

Michael's professional experience spans mobile app development, multiplayer game creation, and contributions to animated short films, showcasing his adaptability in various projects.

Approaching challenges with a can-do attitude, Michael excels in agile, iterative environments, consistently bridging the gap between design and development to create engaging and visually captivating game experiences.