on campus, and I thought, “I think I’ll get a job there.” It was really cool and really fun. And since I lived locally, I could work for them year-round. I figured I’d do that until I graduated and then move on. But they needed new managers, so they promoted me from supervisor to manager and I thought, “I need to follow this road.” So I did, and here I am.
SAMANTHA ROBINSON General Manager,
Boundless Adventures, N.Y. A t Boundless Adventures, which has parks in Massachu - setts, New York, and Wisconsin, Samantha Robinson is known as “the scheduling guru.” Give her a
“A role model for both guests and staff,” says a nominator, Ulianov’s “leadership is evident not only in his exceptional guest service but also in his hands-on approach. His well-rounded skillset, dedication, and leadership qualities position him to make significant contributions to the industry’s future.” HOW DID YOU COME TO CHOOSE THIS FIELD? It was hon - estly by chance. I needed a job and found one. But once I started, I kept getting promoted. What connected me to it was what connects most of us here: The freedom to make things the way we want things to be. We don’t have to wake up and feel like a robot at our jobs. We are humans. Thinking, caring humans. And this field embraces that. WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU FACE? I work with people and that can get complicated. My dad always said working with people is hard. We are all so different, and there are 45 of us working here. I take the time and effort to under - stand each individual but also to bond us with a common goal. YOU HAVE TECHNICAL EXPERTISE AND PEOPLE SKILLS. WHERE DID THAT COME FROM? The engineering comes from hanging out with my father as a child. He’s in construc - tion, and he often took me to work. I’d play with and learn from tools and extra materials. The human side? That comes from both my parents. My father was a theater actor first. And my mom? She’s a true mom: sensitive yet sensible, emo - tional in the right way. So, I come directly from them. WHAT’S THE BIGGEST CHALLENGE YOU PERSONALLY HAVE FACED IN THIS FIELD? When I started out it was me and a lot of guys, and I was really young. It seemed to really shock people—both other staff and guests—to see someone like me in a leadership role. But I tried not to let other people’s perceptions of me define me. I try to exude the confidence I have. I do run the park, and I am in charge; I make sure to always remember and show that. WHY STAY IN THIS FIELD? Every day here is different. It’s always new, good or bad. I take pride in being part of a good working environment. A lot of people have had not-so-great managers, including us. The last guy wasn’t a great manager. So we, together, created a better work environment, one where none of us are just a cog in the wheel. It gives stability to the park, and to all of us who work there. I really like being a part of making lives better like that.
challenge—like a last-minute large group sign up or a weather hinderance—and she’s there, sleeves rolled up, ready to solve the puzzle.
“When curveballs get thrown (which we all know can happen at any moment), she reads them well and knocks them out of the park, typically with bases loaded,” a nominator says. Now a general manager at Boundless Adventures in Purchase, N.Y., Robinson is always at the ready to solve problems, support the team, and most of all, elevate the guest experience. She’s been with Boundless Adventures “since the early days,” says a nominator, and “her skills within the industry sharpen each year, and her thirst for knowledge grows.”
WHAT BROUGHT YOU TO THIS INDUSTRY? I was an environ - mental science major at Purchase College when a park opened
FLORIN ULIANOV
General Manager, Coral Crater Adventure Park, Hawaii
I f you could build the ide - al adventure park gener - al manager, you might have a “dream list” like this: an engineering background, calm and confident people skills, a willingness to go above and beyond, and the drive
to take on the most challenging of tasks.
Coral Crater Adventure Park in Hawaii found someone who checks those boxes in Florin “Flo” Ulianov. A Ukranian transplant with a degree in engineering, he personally built
and maintains most of the park’s guest service and main - tenance structures. He also planned, designed, and helped install the off-the-grid park’s solar power system. As a team leader, he inspires confidence. And he took the time to teach himself the Hawaiian language—a commitment to cultural understanding and respect. Ulianov is the whole package.
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