in course maintenance and construc- tion. Today, as supervisor of the newly reopened Adventure Park at Heritage Gardens and Museum in Sandwich, Mass., Dreger has “proved herself to be the per - fect choice for spearheading the reopening efforts and played a crucial role in rebuilding the park from the ground up. Her future looks bright,” says a nominator.
SAMANTHA DREGER Park Supervisor, The Adventure Park at Heritage Museum and Gardens, Mass. O n a family vacation long ago, Samantha Dre -
WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU FACE IN THIS INDUSTRY? Doubting myself. I entered as a tour guide and then a park monitor. As I got into maintenance and learning skills I never had before in an industry I did not know before, I had to keep reminding myself I’m com - pletely capable. IS THERE A TRAIT YOU FEEL MAKES YOU STAND OUT? My ambition is what I’m most proud of. I did this on a whim, and four seasons later, I’m still here and still making steps forward. Maintenance is what I’ve found I’m really passion - ate about. That’s what drives that ambition every day. Every project is different and a chance to learn and experience something new. WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT UNCLE’S PUSH TODAY? I’m really thankful for it. I’ve always struggled with anxiety, and people don’t know or value what working outside can do for that. This work has helped me deal with losses, and that push got me into this. I’ll tell you this: I will never go back to an office job.
ger’s uncle propelled her into her adventure park career with a push. Dreger was standing atop the start of a zip line in Las Vegas, shaking and uncertain, when, to her surprise, her un - cle reached out and pushed her off, sending her flying across the hot desert sky. While not typically advisable, the outcome in this case was positive. “At the end of that, I said: I’m going to work here some day,” says Dreger. While she actually went on to become a law clerk, that mem - ory—and dream—stuck with her. Bored with her desk job, she, “on a whim,” applied to become a zip line guide, and has never looked back. Dreger has an “exceptional customer service focus and ability to collaborate effectively with her peers,” says a nominator. She has served as a guide and team lead as well as held roles
KELTON FICK “Jack of All Trades,” Experiential Systems, Inc.
W hen it comes to Kelton Fick, the sobriquet “Jack of All Trades” is two things: the highest of praise as well as his actu - al job title at Experiential Systems, Inc. Like many in the industry, Fick started his career as a zip line guide. He quickly rose through the ranks to become a park manager at Rogue Valley Zipline Adventures in Oregon, where he was tapped to join the crew at Experiential Systems as a field technician because, says a nominator, “his potential was too great to overlook.” Since joining the team, Fick has “prov - en to be an invaluable asset”—the scope of whose role can’t be captured in ordinary job titles. “His resiliency, business acumen, and passion for the aerial ad - venture industry have already begun to shape our operations and will continue to influence the future of the industry,” says a nominator. You’ll see it yourself: Fick is set to co-present at more than a few upcoming industry-related conferences.
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