MICHAEL BENEVILLE

Beneville Studios
Fournder and CEO

Michael Beneville is an artist, storyteller, and futurist whose creative practice transcends medium and scale. A global citizen from birth—having lived in Beirut, Morocco, India, Mauritius, Senegal, Ivory Coast, London, and the United States—Michael brings a borderless perspective to every endeavor, crafting experiences that connect people to new ideas, environments, and futures.

 As Founder and CEO of Beneville Studios, Michael leads an Idea Manifestation Machine dedicated to designing objects, environments, conceptual roadmaps, and digital realms that inspire and transform. His work is grounded in the belief that creativity, strategy, and storytelling must converge to create impact at every level—physical, emotional, and cultural.

 Michael is also the visionary Creative Partner behind AREA15, the groundbreaking 250,000-square-foot immersive art and entertainment district in Las Vegas, and serves as an Advisor to Vatom, a pioneering next-generation Web3 platform. Whether advising on the design of millions of square feet of real estate or reimagining engagement strategies in the metaverse, Michael thrives at the intersection of creative vision and executive leadership.

 Under his direction, Beneville Studios has shaped award-winning projects including the headquarters for iHeartMedia in New York City, the transformative visitor journey at the Empire State Building Observatory, AREA15 and its district expansion, lounges for BLADE helicopters in New York and Miami, and campus and visitor experience developments for leading sports organizations and tech companies.

 Michael excels at partnering directly with C-suite leadership to bring ambitious ideas to life, helping brands and institutions articulate their missions through immersive storytelling and spatial innovation. His work today spans continents and disciplines, creating new realms of experience that challenge conventional boundaries—and reimagine what’s possible

PAUL SMITH

R&R Partners
Vice President Research and Insight

At R&R Partners, Paul leads groundbreaking research for clients including the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, Boeing, Las Vegas Raiders, Intermountain Health, NV Energy, the Southern Nevada Water Authority, and others. Specializing in market analysis, competitive intelligence, and strategic planning, he provides the insights that drive impactful business decisions.    

With experience spanning political campaigns to shaping strategies for global brands, Paulbrings a unique perspective on how data, research, and storytelling power can propel brands forward. As a proud Las Vegas native and UNLV alum, his insights reflect both a professional and deeply personal connection to the city.

KENT CALDWELL

Meow Wolf
Creative Director, Omega Mart

Kent Caldwell currently acts as Exhibition Creative Director for Meow Wolf's Omega Mart in Las Vegas, serving as the “creative north star” for this 52,000 sf exhibit, guiding its overall creative strategy and curating new artistic voices for the exhibit. Originally from Charlotte, NC, Caldwell received his Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in Sculpture from the University of Michigan where he was also a member of the NCAA Men’s Gymnastics team. After then performing in Cirque du Soleil’s Mystère as a Chinese Pole specialist, as well continuing a multidisciplinary artistic studio practice, he eventually joined Omega Mart as Exhibition Creative Director in early 2023. In his personal artistic practice, Caldwell combines elements of classical sculpture, 3D printing, painting and performance. When not creating, Caldwell enjoys spending time with his wife and their 15 pound mutt, Susan.

THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSOR! 

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