Kaitlin Smith

Kaitlin Smith is an accomplished waterpark and attractions industry leader with more than 17 years of experience in aquatics, operations, and team leadership. She currently serves as Area Manager of Waterparks for Lucky Strike Entertainment, providing operational and strategic oversight for Big Kahuna’s Water & Adventure Park and Shipwreck Island Waterpark, which collectively serve more than 300,000 guests annually. She began her career as a frontline aquatics professional and has progressively advanced through leadership roles, including Aquatics Manager, Operations Manager, Assistant Park Manager, and General Manager. Throughout her career, she has focused on operational excellence, safety, workforce development, guest experience, and developing future leaders. She has also played a key role in international J-1 workforce programs and has recruited, trained, and retained more than 150 seasonal aquatics team members annually. Smith is an active member of the World Waterpark Association Education Committee and is passionate about sharing practical industry experience, developing strong teams, and helping waterpark professionals create safe, successful, and guest-focused operations.