Beginning 25 years ago with her first job ever as a lifeguard, Olivia has devoted her professional career to the waterpark industry and aquatic safety.  It all started for her in 1998 and the few years that followed that Olivia turned what was a seasonal lifeguard job into a full time management job at her local hometown waterpark, Wet’n Wild Emerald Pointe in North Carolina, spending 11 years with the park. In early 2009 Olivia took an opportunity to expand her knowledge and experience joining Great Wolf Lodge Resorts & Waterpark in Concord, North Carolina as the waterpark’s Aquatics Training Manager. She oversaw all pre-opening training and operational development for the resort’s indoor waterpark, as well as taking on additional responsibilities with the resort’s hotel operation. After a successful opening and first operating quarter Olivia received a life changing opportunity to work abroad within another resort waterpark operation.

Landing in Dubai in late 2009, Olivia began her career with Atlantis Dubai, joining Aquaventure Waterpark in the role of Operations Manager. Overseeing not only the waterpark, but also the resorts pools and beaches, Olivia expanded her knowledge and experience with the new areas of responsibility working alongside a diverse team from all over the world. In 2014 Olivia was promoted to Director of Operations in which she continued to lead a team of more than 400 colleagues in the safe and successful daily operation of one of the world’s largest waterparks. Over the course of the next few years, Olivia began her involvement in the expansion side of the waterpark, taking part in four separate expansions including the most recent, Trident Tower, which added an additional 28 slides, action river and first ever in the region cliff jumps, to the Aquaventure attraction portfolio. Upon a successful opening of the new area in March of 2021, Olivia concluded her 11.5 years with Aquaventure and joined one of the Kingdom’s up and coming mega projects, Qiddiya.

With Qiddiya, Olivia is currently the Senior Director of Operations and Aquatics for the Water Theme Park, which will be the region’s largest water theme park offering a variety of attractions for guest. Incorporating world class waterslides with the adventures of white-water rafting and surfing waves in the desert, Olivia is looking forward to opening a world class water theme park for all of Saudi to enjoy. Alongside Olivia’s vast operational experience, her passion for safety and aquatic risk management over the course of the past two decades has had an influential impact on the international training and development of lifeguards and aquatic professionals in the region. This dedication and commitment to aquatic safety has contributed to her being recognized in January of 2021 as a Senior Associate with Ellis and Associates, who specialize in the areas of risk management and aquatics. Olivia will continue to mentor and establish the same standards and values for aquatic safety that she has done so for the past 25 years, here in Qiddiya and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.