Jessi O’Daniel is the dedicated, passionate, and energetic General Manager of Typhoon Texas Waterpark in Austin, Texas and an aspiring leader in the attractions industry. She began her career at the Kentucky Kingdom and Hurricane Bay theme park in her home town of Louisville, Kentucky. O’Daniel started on the front lines in the park’s Guest Services Department when she was 19 and worked her way up. Seven years later, she was the youngest Vice President at Kentucky Kingdom. As the VP of Guest Experience, she oversaw more than 1,000 seasonal team members. Her operational and business expertise includes the areas of admissions, revenue, attractions, sales, public relations, and security.
Outside of her day job, Jessi volunteers with IAAPA as the leader of the Young Professionals task force for the North American Regional Advisory Committee. She made quite a splash at Typhoon Texas in her first season as General Manager in 2022 and looks forward eagerly to the 2023 season. Her goal is to continue the legacy of the Typhoon Texas brand and to provide the best possible experience to all guests.
