Legendary former Disney Imagineer Joe Rohde joins Virgin Galactic as Experience Architect

Joe Rohde is clearly not yet ready to retire and has taken up perhaps one of the most ambitious projects of his career so far – Experience Architect of Virgin Galactic.

With preparations underway for the first Future Astronauts to arrive at Spaceport America, Virgin Galactic has brought in Joe Rohde as a strategic advisor to help design and guide the overall experience journey for future astronauts, friends and family, and inspired fans alike.

According to Virgin Galactic, “Joe will become Virgin Galactic’s first Experience Architect, bringing more than 40 years’ experience from Walt Disney Imagineering where he led projects that transformed the image of Disney’s iconic experiences and attractions. Rohde is truly a transcendent creator whose design work leverages careful detailed composition to create authentic and remarkable experiences. The work he is starting will stimulate curiosity, guide the imagination, and anchor the Virgin Galactic customer experience with purposefulness and meaning.”

Michael Colglazier, CEO of Virgin Galactic and former Disney executive said, “As soon as I joined Virgin Galactic, I knew there was one person we just had to work with to help shape the incredible experience we are developing – and that person was Joe Rohde. Joe has a methodology that is unique, inspired, and truly effective. His track record for keeping authenticity central to the design and creating deeply transformative experiences aligns perfectly with our mission. I couldn’t be more pleased to see Joe choose Virgin Galactic for his first encore!’’

Listen to Joe Rohde explain his new role, as only Joe can.

Article Posted:
Feb 22, 2021 / 3:08pm ET