Zach Miles
Winter Garden,FL
Summary
Results-driven production specialist with 5+ years of hands-on experience designing and executing large-scale events, concerts, themed installations, and high-profile productions at Universal Orlando Resort, the White House, and major venues. Proven ability to lead teams, manage complex logistics, tight timelines, and deliver seamless outcomes under pressure while working with Fortune 500 clients, federal agencies, and touring artists. Recognized for troubleshooting critical issues on-site, streamlining workflows, and mentoring individuals to ensure efficient execution.
Overview
4
4
years of professional experience
Work History
Lighting Technician
Universal Orlando Resort
Orlando, FL
06.2022 - Current
- Designed and programmed stage and event lighting for Islands of Adventure New Years Eve 2026, Rock the Universe’s Sunday Service, GCX Expo, Mpire Mortgage Con, WorldStrides Festival, Contest of Champions, AmeriCheer, and Orlando Informer Meetup on GrandMA 3, GrandMA 2, and Hog 4 consoles.
- Master Electrician for large-scale shows such as Nightmare Fuel and Grinchmas, building all temporary power distribution infrastructure. Also tasked with leading daily maintenance and upkeep of show systems and writing post-show reports.
- Spent one year on the Special Projects team installing architectural and low-voltage lighting for the Halloween Horror Nights haunted houses, then promoted to the ADL (Area Designated Lighting) team, where I installed rooftop and street-level themed lighting for Halloween Scare Zones, the Mardi Gras parade, and parkwide décor.
- Appointed as lighting crew chief for private full-park buyout events, working directly with representatives from Fortune 500 companies such as SpaceX, JPMorgan Chase, ExxonMobil, Comcast, Subaru, SAP, and others, to deliver custom-tailored visuals that matched the client’s vision.
- Handled start-to-finish stage builds for national touring artists such as Zedd, Maroon 5, Bebe Rexha, All-American Rejects, 3 Doors Down, Skillet, Usher, etc.
Lighting Lead / Programmer
Light and Shadow, LLC.
Traveling
06.2023 - Current
- Served as Lighting Crew Chief for two major White House events, the 2025 Congressional Picnic, and the high-profile U.S. Army 250th Anniversary Parade
- Collaborated with other team leaders and high-profile production firms to coordinate logistical elements, including laydown space, truck packing, and on-site adjustments, ensuring seamless integration and no compliance issues
- Managed all on-site execution of installations, leading a cross-specialized team of local technicians in the full installation and teardown of multiple large structures, loading and unloading three semi-trucks full of equipment, running extensive cabling, and completing all tasks in a very tight timeline.
- Led start-to-finish coordination and execution of architectural lighting for the White House, including design input, integration, and programming on GrandMA3
- Partnered closely with the U.S. Secret Service to ensure all federal guidelines, policies, and restrictions were closely followed
- Assisted with main stage build-out at the Washington Monument and refined all paperwork and documentation to better streamline efficiency and execution
- Served as on site L2 (technical lead supporting the Lighting Designer/Electrician), directing installation, operation, and strike for two major resort events: ICE! at Gaylord Palms Resort and the Chi Omega convention at the Ritz Carlton Orlando.
- At Chi Omega, I built and routed MA Network Processing Units, Optosplitter Data Racks, and back-of-house control systems spanning three ballrooms, while acting as the lighting focus caller on the main stage, ensuring a precise and balanced look.
- During ICE, I assisted in install execution for the Cirque: Spirit of Christmas show and managed the count and manifest inventory of a 200-fixture rental order for the themed lobby/reception area known as Alpine Village.
- Contributed to the lighting installation for a trackless dark ride prototype in the Attractions Technology Lab at InfoComm 2023, located at Oceaneering’s R&D Facility.
- Built and configured the lighting control rack with an eight-universe Optosplitter and Network Processing Unit
- Developed all power distribution plans to a 48-channel PD, and integrated all data.
Lighting Designer
OPAV
Orlando, FL
04.2024 - 04.2024
- Contracted as Lighting Designer and Programmer for the Orlando Phiharmonic Orchestra’s Spring Pops, leading the entire project from start to finish.
- Designed the full lighting rig and programmed the complete showfile from scratch using Grand MA 2 software and hardware, creating all cue stacks, positions, profiles, and effects to capture exactly what the client had in mind.
- Served as the on-site L1 Lighting Lead, working directly with the venue and orchestra team to turn their artistic vision into reality
- Set up the entire show system, configuring all network switches and console servers, distributing power and putting together clear load balance paperwork.
- Operated the concert series’ first show at the Apopka Amphitheatre, then handed off the fully programmed and documented show so the next technician could take over and run the remainder of the concert series at venues across the area, no issues were ever reported.
Lighting Technician
Hard Rock Live
Orlando, FL
09.2023 - 10.2024
- Worked as an on-call lighting technician for concerts, corporate events, and banquets at a 3,000-person capacity venue.
- Served as an L2 Lighting Assistant Lead for touring acts including Becky G, Manuel Turizo, Motionless in White, 6LACK, Brothers Osborne, and Chase Atlantic.
- Aided touring designers in adapting, transferring, and integrating their show files and programming into the house system for smooth performances.
- Experience running follow spotlights during shows and handling regular maintenance on house owned fixtures to keep everything running reliably night after night.
- Performed stagehand duties including truck packing, heavy lifting, venue load-ins, and strikes, often turning the space around quickly.
Lighting Designer
Orange County Public Schools
Winter Garden, FL
09.2022 - 05.2023
- Served as Lighting Designer and Crew Chief for two professional-quality high school theatre productions, The Prom (2022) and Mean Girls (2023) at West Orange High School in Winter Garden, Florida, my alma mater.
- Programmed full shows on an ETC Eos Ion Xe and designed completed lighting plots in Vectorworks using a mix of in-house and rented fixtures within a $6,500 budget.
- Worked closely with the school’s director, student designer, and student technical director, sharing bring real-world experience and guide the students through the key aspects of a premiere production.
- Handled all fixture maintenance, rigging, and safe weight distribution
- Traveled with the team as a consultant and programmer to ensure smooth show file transfers between venues after their production of The Prom was awarded with a state championship.
Lighting Designer
4SO Productions
Winter Haven, FL
10.2021 - 10.2022
- Designed and programmed live concert-style lighting for a DJ at events, banquets, and parties, creating dynamic looks on ADJ CompuShow that synced with the music and matched the energy of the moment.
- Same day load-in and load-out at large venues including Hyatt Grand Cypress, Loews Sapphire Falls, and House of Blues, hanging, addressing, and patching fixtures for a variety of rigs
- Programmed and set up lasers using Pangolin Beyond, along with other fixtures such as moving heads, scanners, and uplights to bring visual impact to the music.
- Performed power distribution calculations and planning to safely match venue circuitry for each event.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Sports Broadcasting
Full Sail University
Winter Park, FL12.2026
No Degree - Live Event Design And Production
Valencia College
Orlando, FL04.2024
High School Diploma -
West Orange High School
Winter Garden, FL05.2022
Skills
- End-to-End Project Leadership
- Team & Crew Management
- Client Collaboration
- Timeline & Deadline Management
- Budget & Resource Allocation
- Risk Mitigation & On-Site Problem Solving
- Logistics Coordination
- GrandMA & Hog 4 Programming Proficient
- Power Distribution & Load Balancing
- Master Electrician
- Architectural & Themed Lighting Installation
Timeline
Lighting Designer
OPAV
04.2024 - 04.2024
Lighting Technician
Hard Rock Live
09.2023 - 10.2024
Lighting Lead / Programmer
Light and Shadow, LLC.
06.2023 - Current
Lighting Designer
Orange County Public Schools
09.2022 - 05.2023
Lighting Technician
Universal Orlando Resort
06.2022 - Current
Lighting Designer
4SO Productions
10.2021 - 10.2022
Bachelor of Science - Sports Broadcasting
Full Sail University
No Degree - Live Event Design And Production
Valencia College
High School Diploma -
West Orange High School