IMERSA Board of Directors
DAN NEAFUS
CEO & Co-Founder
Dan Neafus has produced engaging audience experiences since 1974, created public artworks using experiential technologies, and distributed award-winning 360 cinema productions to dome theaters world-wide. He is a frequent speaker at international conferences focusing on The Language of Immersive Cinema and fulldome standards development. As Co-founder, and CEO of the international professional association IMERSA Inc, Dan has hosted twelve international fulldome summits, continuing his efforts to advance the art and technology of immersive dome theaters.
Serving as Director of Gates Planetarium, Denver CO. from 2003 to 2018 he promoted the convergence of immersive cinema, science, education, culture and performance art.
In 1994 he received Instructor Certification in AV technology from the Colorado State Board for Community Colleges. He was recognized in 2018 as a Fellow of the International Planetarium Society. In 2020 he was honored with the JANUS Lifetime Achievement Award for his “significant contributions to the world of immersive media”. In 2024 he was recognized by Dome Fest West for "dedicated service and countless contributions to the fulldome space".
MONICA BOLLES
Director
Monica is an immersive audio specialist, experience designer, and digital artist with over a decade of experience in immersive art production. As the founder and creative director of Resonant Interactions, Monica specializes in crafting multi-sensory, immersive environments that blend cutting-edge sound design with interactive technology. As both an artist and technician, Monica collaborates with composers, artists, and technologists to translate their creative visions into powerful, immersive experiences. Her work ranges from producing large-scale multichannel audio installations to developing custom toolsets that push the boundaries of immersive production.
Monica has extensive experience working in full-dome environments, where she has produced multiple live performances and is a strong advocate for the importance of high-quality audio in dome settings. She is actively involved in IMERSA, playing an important role in the organization and management of summits and events, contributing to the advancement of immersive media.
Monica is the co-host of the Immersive Audio Podcast and an organizer of Spatial Audio Meetups through NOTAM. Additionally, she is a sought-after speaker, workshop facilitator, and panelist, with appearances at major industry events such as New Visions Festival, SXSW, IRCAM Forums, Ableton Loop, IMERSA, and NIME.
Through Resonant Interactions, Monica continues to shape the future of immersive audio and digital art, focusing on delivering unforgettable, multi-sensory experiences that merge sound, technology, and human interaction.
RYAN WYATT
Director and Co-Founder
Ryan Wyatt assumed his role as Director of Morrison Planetarium and Science Visualization at the California Academy of Sciences (San Francisco) in April 2007. Prior to arriving in San Francisco, Wyatt worked for six years as Science Visualizer at the American Museum of Natural History in New York City; previously, he opened technologically-advanced planetariums in Phoenix, Arizona, and Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Wyatt’s professional interests include making research data sets accessible to the general public, and developing standards and “best practices” in the fulldome video community. A paper co-written for Natural History magazine reflects on the role of modern planetariums in bringing cutting edge science to a variety of audiences, and his “Visualizing Science” blog provides an informal look at his ideas and opinions related to visual representations of science. Wyatt also indulges avid enthusiasms for archeoastronomy, the history of science, and intersections between art and science.
MICHAEL DAUT
Director and Vice President
KAREN RONEY
Secretary Treasurer
Karen owns Better Bookkeeping LLC in Aurora Colorado and was Director of the Accounting & Business School of the Rockies from 2003 to 2008. Karen joined the IMERSA team in 2008 as a founder. She has cheerfully managed and welcomed our delegates to every Summit and has handled our fiscal management as Secretary Treasurer (CFO) of IMERSA Inc.
JULIETA AGUILERA, PH.D
Director
RUTH COALSON
Director
Ruth has worked in the film and creative sector for over 20 years and is a highly experienced Business Development Manager. Most recently, she led the planning and distribution of fulldome show sales for NSC Creative for 10 years and has many film credits to her name.
Ruth sits on the International Planetarium Society’s Design and Vision 2020 strategic planning team, helping guide the organisation forward and expand their International outreach. She also sits on the board of the Phoenix Cinema Leicester, England, a charity dedicated to film, arts and education. She is a dedicated advocate for large format film and new video entertainment technologies, working to ensure viewers have the most engaging and memorable immersive experiences. https://ruthcoalson.com/