Andrew Preble
President
Andrew Preble founded Delaporte Ventures in 2014. A native of Abita Springs, he has worked in the hospitality industry for over 15 years. Before starting Escape My Room, he opened a New Orleans restaurant in Berlin, Germany. He returned to New Orleans in 2012, and produced large-scale, city-wide events that combined actors, mystery, and intrigue. He also co-owns the Abita Springs Hotel which opened in 2018.
Cyrus Cooper
Director of In-Person Experiences
Cyrus Cooper is a comedian and improviser in New Orleans that has been part of the Delaporte Ventures team since 2018. Cyrus is the General Manager of Escape Extinction: Sharks, an interactive educational experience at Audubon Aquarium of the Americas. Cyrus has hosted and produced the stand-up showcase Comedy Beast since 2012, now one of the longest running comedy shows in New Orleans. He is also a member of Dean’s List, a New Orleans based comedy group founded in 2013 known for their monthly multimedia live sketch comedy show, Fake News. Cyrus also has a blind pug named Wally.
Kali Russell
Director of PEOPLE
Kali Russell is a New Orleans native and has been a professional actress, performer, and choreographer for 20 years. She joined the Delaporte Ventures team in 2017, and has designed puzzles and immersive events for the company. Most recently, she was a creative producer for the three-day, immersive game for Overlook Film Festival 2022 entitled “An Accursed Arrangement”. She specializes in art direction and event management, stemming from her days working for a prominent wedding planner. She served as co-artistic director of See ‘Em On Stage for several years, a much awarded and applauded theatre company in New Orleans. She is a creative producer for Cosmic Family Films, the weird and wonderful film production team (or is it a cult?) with whom she has worked since 2019. She loves being a storyteller that combines theatrical immersion with puzzles. As such, she spends most of her free time playing video games or Dungeons & Dragons and will happily talk nerd any time.
Rachel Dunphy
Manager
Rachel Dunphy joined the Delaporte Ventures team in 2018. She writes, designs and produces puzzles and immersive events for the company, most recently as the co-producer of An Accursed Arrangement, a three day immersive experience commissioned by the Overlook Film Festival. She is a novelist, investigative journalist, and critic with bylines in New York Magazine and LitHub. Before transitioning to immersive experiences, she produced technology conferences for the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas and Consumer Electronics Week in New York City. She graduated from Columbia University in 2016.
Sam Moodey
Manager
First, Sam designs puppets, puzzles, and pictures. Second, he brings them to life. Third, he does a neat little dance and shouts “Look what I have created!” Sam graduated with a degree in Cinematic Storytelling in 2011, and worked in film, theater, and comedy before he began making mysteries with the Delaporte Family in 2018. Since then, he has created “Detective Game Show”, an ARG Comedy Competition that has bi-monthly shows in the New Orleans area. Despite the (innumerable) rumors, Sam asserts that he is absolutely, most positively NOT the Criminal Mastermind and host, Puzzle Pops.
Work with us
We are always looking for well-rounded and creative individuals in various disciplines. If you would like to submit your resume, please email apply@delaporteventures.com.