Emma Saint James is a AVC Systems Designer at TechMDinc with a passion for story telling and the technical elements that make it possible. She holds a degree from USC with a BFA in Sound Design for theater. She enjoys attending various haunt experiences throughout Southern California and can't wait to see what the participants create this year.

Trey is a Los Angeles based Electrical Engineer in the themed entertainment industry. He was raised in Orlando, FL and received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from the University of Central Florida. He is currently an Associate Technical Coordinator for AOA, in Burbank, CA. He interned for three years at AOA in both Orlando, FL and Burbank, CA before joining full-time in January 2023. In his free time, he loves to recreate props from film and television, and ideate on his own themed experiences. This is his first year with the Haunt Comp team, and he is thrilled to see what each team designs.

linkedin.com/in/trey-sandefur

D'Angelo Reyes is currently working as a show set and dimensional designer at THG Creative. He also works as a production & scenic designer for film, theater, and immersive experiences. He is a 2022 graduate of Cal Poly San Luis Obispo with a B.S in Civil Engineering and a minor in Theatre. Outside of work, he has a passion for improv comedy, musical theater, film, and transit-oriented city development. D'Angelo is terrified to see what thrills & chills will keep him up at night!

dangeloreyes.com

@dreyes_designs on Instagram

Paige Brunson is a Los Angeles native who specializes in entertainment design and concept art. She currently works as a Concept and Storyboard Artist for Sphere, an immersive experience in Las Vegas. At Sphere, she ideates key looks and partnerships for the world’s largest LED screen. Previously, she studied at UCLA Design Media Arts, focusing on sustainable design research and public art initiatives. In her free time, she loves attending concerts and spoiling her cat. As an avid haunt lover, Paige is stoked to be back with the Haunt Comp team this year! 

linkedin.com/in/paigebrunson/

Nathan Bowden is an Orange County based designer specializing in concept design for the themed entertainment industry. His passion for visual storytelling led him to earn a BFA in Scenic Design from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts. He currently works as a content creator and technical writer for JB3D, an environmental graphics company, and also freelances as a designer for theme park and theatrical experiences. Outside of work, he is developing a series of horror comics that explore the abstract and psychological aspects of human nature, an ongoing project to help sharpen his illustration and storytelling craft. This is his first year joining the Haunt Comp team and he is so excited to see what each team comes up with!

https://www.nsbowden-designs.com/ 

Maki Niikura is a freelance illustrator, designer, and costumer, with a background in technical theatre and a passion for all things creation. Winner of the 2025 Haunt Comp Producers' Choice award as a marketing lead, concept artist, scare actor designer, and editor, they have fallen in love with the haunt and horror industry. They received a BFA in Costume Design from UNC School of the Arts in 2024, which essentially means they enjoy dressing people up in funky looks (glitzy or gorey). She can often be found scribbling down artistic visions, or furiously crafting in a cave.

Alex is currently an associate producer at Universal Kids Digital Studios within NBCUniversal. Before that she was a writer at Disney Television Animation and a Universal Studio Tour Guide! She graduated from DePaul University in 2019 with a BFA in Screenwriting. She fell in love with haunts when she was just 10 years old and has been attending Halloween Horror Nights every year since!

Dana Spillinger is a creative technologist and lover of all things themed entertainment, storytelling, and immersion. She graduated with a bachelor's degree in computer science from the University of Washington in 2020 and is a proud alumni of their Computer Animation and VR Capstone programs. She is currently a software engineer at The Walt Disney Company, served as Creative Director of her Immersive Design Academy '24-25 team, and, of course, was an eager participant of Haunt Comp '25. In her free time she can be found hosting themed events, traveling, going to theme parks/escape rooms/museums, and even commenting on 'Kid's Birthday Party Themes & Ideas' Facebook group posts with suggestions. Dana is always looking for an outlet to bring memorable experiences (whether delightful, inspiring, or spooky) to life and is extremely excited to do so as part of this Haunt Comp team!

Connect with Dana on LinkedIn here: Dana Spillinger | LinkedIn 

Alec Zbornak is a writer and content strategist for themed, immersive, and cultural experiences. After graduating from Yale, where he studied humanities and Chinese, he took part in a year-long language and culture fellowship through National Taiwan University. He currently serves as a freelance show writer for a Brooklyn-based immersive experience called The Drunken Laboratory. Alec is delighted to join Haunt Comp this year as the team’s Copywriter. 

aleczbornak.com

Spencer graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles in 2021 with Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and English Literature, and recently completed a certificate in Library Services to Children at Cuesta College. They currently work in Guest Services at the Disneyland Resort, and serve as a freelance writer and editor. Spencer loves all things storytelling, including show-writing for themed entertainment, even competing in Haunt Comp for six years.

Chiara received her B.S. and M.S in Electrical Engineering as well as a minor in Themed Entertainment from the University of Southern California — Fight On! She currently works as a systems engineer at Northrop Grumman and in her free time loves to tinker with Arduino-based animatronics and projects. Growing up going to theme parks in southern California sparked her curiosity and passion for the themed entertainment industry. During her college experience, she learned about concept design, art direction, and the development processes of themed experiences.

Connect at: 

http://linkedin.com/in/chiara-di-camillo

Chad has worked at Universal Studios, Disneyland, and now works at NASA as a Safety Engineer. He previously helped the Haunt Comp team with promotion and assistance at the Midsummer Scream booth. He is looking forward to helping the team have another successful year! 

Sedona Cruz is a Designer and Video Engineer working on all things immersive, from themed entertainment to experience design. Sedona came to Los Angeles in pursuit of filmmaking at California Institute of the Arts—and along the way discovered the boundless thrills of working in Theater and Attraction industries. Sedona is currently working on show-stopping experiences as a Video Engineer at TechMDInc.

Connect at Linkedin HERE

Mia is an Atlanta based designer in the entertainment industry with a focus on graphic props, signage, and world-building graphics that bring guests closer to their favorite stories. She currently works at Warner Bros. Discovery as a Product Designer and freelances within the Themed Entertainment industry designing for theme parks and museums internationally. Mia is also in the process of getting her MFA in Graphic Design and Visual Experience at SCAD with a thesis on storytelling through graphic design. In her free time, Mia also builds her own haunted houses and props and has a love of scary movies, puppets, and scary puppets. 

mialestorti.com

Jacob Brickman is a Los Angeles-based Sound Designer with over a decade of experience working with audio. Graduating from Berklee College of Music, he is known for creating immersive audio environments for a range of projects including games, films, and live events. Jacob has a demonstrated history of enhancing the overall audio quality through technical proficiency and creative prowess. 

https://jacobbrickman.com/