2020 NAMEPA Annual Conference and Awards Program

Conference Speakers

Amr Mostafa, President, United Bulk Carriers, USA

Amr began his career in 1995 as a trainee in the operations department of Norwegian shipowner, Jebsens. He then moved on to Intermarine in New Orleans as an Operation Manager and was promoted to Commercial Manager for the East Coast South America region. In 2001 he became a Chartering Manager with Hartmann Group when they bought Jebsens’ operations in the Americas and formed United Bulk Carriers. In 2007 he was promoted to Senior Chartering Manager and in 2011 became Vice President. In 2016 he became Co-Managing Director and in 2018 became the Managing Director and President of United Bulk Carriers. Amr holds a B.S. degree in Architectural Engineering from the University of Alexandria, Egypt and frequently attends management classes at Columbia University, NYC.

Anuj Chopra, Officer and Senior Vice President, Maritime Affairs, WGMA

Anuj leads the RightShip team for the Americas region, focused on providing consistent service managing Safety, operational risk and sustainability of the maritime supply chain for our customers and stakeholders. Passionate to improve maritime “Safety + ESG” for the maritime industry to maintain social equity and social license. He began his seafaring career as a deck cadet working his way up to Captain and holds a Commonwealth Extra Masters Certificate of Competency, and Shipping Management from the Indian Institute of Management, Ahmedabad. Anuj is a Fellow of The Nautical Institute and chairperson of the US Gulf Branch, an active supporter of seafarer welfare as an Ambassador for the Sailor Society, and sits on the Board of Directors of the Houston International Seafarers Center. He was elected President of the Industry Advisory Board for the Supply Chain & Logistics Technology Degree at University of Houston, and on the Board (and Treasurer) of NAMEPA – North American Marine Environment Protection Association. Anuj became a member of NOAA’s Hydrographic Services Review Panel at the beginning of 2019.

Brian Bailey, Director - Safety & Environmental Stewardship, The American Waterways Operators 

Brian S. Bailey serves as the Director – Safety & Environmental Stewardship for The American Waterways Operators, the national advocate for the U.S. tugboat, towboat and barge industry, which serves the nation as the safest, most environmentally friendly, and most economical mode of freight transportation. He oversees association efforts to promote continuous improvement in safety, security and environmental stewardship. Specifically, he administers the Responsible Carrier Program®, AWO’s safety management system; the Safety Statistics Reporting Program, a safety data point collection repository; and, AWO’s safety committees which seek to educate member companies. Mr. Bailey is an executive-level professional with 10+ years specializing in the successful leadership and management of organizations and programs. 

Brian Salerno, Senior Vice President for Maritime Policy, CLIA

Brian Salerno is the Senior Vice President for Maritime Policy at CLIA.  In this capacity, he works in conjunction with member companies to develop industry positions on a wide variety of safety, health, environmental and security matters affecting cruise ship operations around the world.  He oversees a team of experts who interact with government agencies, standards setting organizations and international bodies for the purpose of enabling uninterrupted cruise operations. Brian served 36 years in the U.S. Coast Guard, retiring in 2012 at the rank of Vice Admiral.  During his career, he worked in a variety of Coast Guard operational missions, with a particular focus on maritime safety.  His most senior position was that of Deputy Commandant for Operations. In 2013, he was appointed by the U.S. Secretary of the Interior to lead the recently established Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE), which was focused on offshore oil exploration and production.  While in this position, he strengthened Government oversight procedures based upon lessons learned from the DEEPWATER HORIZON oil spill.  He stepped down in January 2017.  Brian also serves as Vice President of the U.S. Friends of World Maritime University, and as a Board member for the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA).   

Cynthia Hudson, CEO, HudsonAnalytix

Cynthia A. Hudson is CEO and founder of HudsonAnalytix, Inc., a global maritime risk consultancy serving the maritime transportation sector, headquartered in the Philadelphia, US and internationally from London to Piraeus. Well-known and highly regarded throughout the maritime transportation industry for her work and contributions in her field, Ms. Hudson was honored by the Organization of American States (OAS) Inter-American Committee on Ports with the 2016 Maritime Award of the Americas: Outstanding Women in the Maritime and Port. Ms. Hudson serves on a number of Industry Boards, such as the American Caribbean Maritime Association and the Maritime Academy High School in Philadelphia. She is President of WISTA Delaware River & Bay Chapter and a Director of NAMEPA.

Carleen Lyden Walker, Co-Founder and Executive Director, NAMEPA

Carleen Lyden Walker is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of NAMEPA (North American Marine Environment Protection Association) leveraging off her experience as a marketing and communications professional in the commercial maritime industry with over 40 years of experience.  She specializes in identifying, developing and implementing strategic marketing and communications programs that increase the visibility and effectiveness of NAMEPA as well as the development of educational resources promoting marine environment protection.  She works to develop strategic alliances between industry, regulators, conservation groups and educators to “Save Our Seas”. In 2015, Ms. Lyden Walker was appointed an Ambassador by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). She is a member of WISTA (Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association), the Connecticut Maritime Association, the Marine Society of the City of New York, The National Press Club, WIMAC (Women in Maritime Association, Caribbean) and is a Past-President of the Propeller Club Chapter of the Port of NY/NJ. She was also elected to the Board of Trustees of the Coast Guard Foundation, the Tall Ships America Foundation, New York Harbor Foundation and the New Era Academy Transportation Technologies Program in Baltimore. She was recently named one of the top 100 women in shipping globally. Ms. Lyden Walker is also Chief Executive Officer of Morgan Marketing & Communications, is Chief Evolution Officer of SHIPPINGInsight, Founder of CARIBMEPA and the Co-Founder/Executive Director of the Consortium for International Maritime Heritage.  In 2010, she was awarded the Certificate of Merit by the United States Coast Guard and in 2014 a Public Service Commendation for her work on World Maritime Day and AMVER, respectively.  Ms. Lyden Walker graduated from Wellesley College with a BA in Political Science and History (minor in Economics), studied Accounting at Cornell School of Business Administration and is a trained facilitator and media trainer.  She held a USCG Captain’s license.

Frederick Kenney, Director, Legal Affairs and External Relations Division, IMO 

Mr. Kenney currently serves as the Director of the Legal Affairs and External Relations Division at the International Maritime Organization, London. In this capacity, he is responsible for advising the Secretary General on all legal issues associated with the functioning of the Organization, with special emphasis on matters of treaty law and the law of the sea. He also oversees the operation of the IMO's Public Information Services, Maritime Knowledge Centre and External Relations Office. Prior to coming to IMO, Mr. Kenney served as The Judge Advocate General and Chief Counsel of the United States Coast Guard, attaining the rank of Rear Admiral. He was responsible for the delivery of all legal services to the USCG around the globe, with oversight of nearly 300 attorneys and 100 legal support personnel. Mr. Kenney has spent nearly five years at sea, including service on a polar icebreaker as a deck watch officer and conducting law enforcement and security operations. Mr. Kenney holds a juris doctor from the University of San Francisco School of Law, where he was editor in chief of the USF Maritime Law Journal. He also holds a B.A. in Economics from Michigan State University.

Gareth Burton, VP Technology, ABS

Gareth Burton is Vice President Technology in ABS (American Bureau of Shipping). He began his career with a consulting engineering company before joining ABS in 2001. During his time with the organization, he has held various roles in engineering, business management and product development in the US, Mexico and Singapore.  In his current role, he is responsible for the development and execution of the ABS research program. Gareth holds a Bachelor’s Degree from the University of Manchester, England and a Masters’ and Doctorate of Engineering from the University of Ulster, Belfast, Northern Ireland. In addition he has completed the Executive MBA program through Texas A&M University.

Guy Platten, Secretary General, International Chamber of Shipping

Guy was appointed Secretary General of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS) in August 2018. The ICS membership comprises national shipowners' associations in Asia, Europe and the Americas whose member shipping companies operate over 80% of the world's merchant tonnage. The ICS represents and promotes the views and interests of its member at a variety of fora including the International Maritime Organisation, International labour Organisation and many others. Guy has extensive experience in the maritime industry both at sea and ashore and is a qualified Master Mariner. He has held a number of senior positions including Chief Executive of the UK Chamber of Shipping, Chief Executive of Caledonian Maritime Assets Limited (a ferry and port owning company providing lifeline ferry services to communities in Scotland) and Director of Marine Operations for the Northern Lighthouse Board which is responsible for lighthouses, buoys, beacons and Aids to Navigation throughout Scotland and the Isle of Man. His career at sea began in 1982 with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service.  He joined the RNLI in 1993 as an Inspector of Lifeboats, latterly as Inspector for Scotland training and overseeing lifeboat crews around the coast and following this he served with the MOD as a Salvage Officer and led or contributed to a number of projects including the removal of oil from a sunken World War 2 battleship, recovery of ditched aircraft and the refloating of a grounded warship.

Kevin Krick, Senior Director - Safety, Quality, Environment, and Security (SQES), Matson

Kevin Krick serves as Matson’s Senior Director, Safety, Quality, Environment, & Security (SQES).  As the department head, Kevin is responsible for all initiatives and aspects of SQES compliance programs for the Matson companies.  Overseeing a geographically diverse department that serves vessels, terminals, and supply chain operations throughout the Pacific, SQES oversees physical security and supports cyber security initiatives as well as the monitoring of the carriage of dangerous goods.  In addition, Kevin serves as the Designated Person Ashore and is a board member of the Chamber of Shipping of America and the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center advisory board.  Previously, he served as a Presidential appointee to the U.S. Maritime Administration and is currently a Captain in the United States Navy.  Early in his career, as a dual license graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, Kevin sailed aboard tankers for most of the 90s.  

Ingrid Irigoyen, Deputy Director, Aspen High Seas Initiative 

Ingrid Irigoyen serves as the Deputy Director of the Aspen High Seas Initiative, an initiative of The Aspen Institute’s Energy and Environment Program that is focused on ocean sustainability. Her primary roles include new project development and leadership of existing workstreams related to sustainability and decarbonization of the ocean economy, marine conservation, and strategic advisory and facilitation services for partners striving to work collaboratively to address multi-sectoral ocean and coastal challenges. She is the facilitator and project lead for the Cargo Owners Zero Emission Vessel Initiative (coZEV), a new collaborative initiative to harness the buying power of major cargo owners to accelerate the pace of decarbonization in container shipping.  Prior to joining Aspen in 2018, she was a Senior Mediator and Program Manager at Meridian Institute, where she devoted 13 years to the design, management, and facilitation of collaborative efforts to solve environmental and sustainability problems, with a special focus on oceans and coasts. Prior to this, among other positions, Ingrid was a John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellow with the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. She holds a Master of Environmental Management from the Nicholas School of the Environment at Duke University and a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science from the University of New Hampshire.  

Jeanne M. Grasso, Partner, Blank Rome LLP and Vice Practice Leader of the Maritime and International Trade Practice Group

Jeanne M. Grasso is a partner at Blank Rome LLP, and Vice Practice Group Leader of the Maritime and International Trade Practice Group. Jeanne focuses her practice on maritime and environmental law for domestic and international clients.  She regularly counsels owners and operators of vessels, charterers, cargo owners and facilities on maritime and environmental issues, including ballast water, air emissions, and coastwise trade.  Her practice involves counseling on all aspects of maritime and environmental regulatory compliance related to U.S. Coast Guard, Environmental Protection Agency, Maritime Administration and U.S. Customs & Border Protection matters; internal and grand jury investigations; defense of administrative, civil, and criminal enforcement actions; and pollution incident response.

Joe Hughes, Chairman & CEO of Shipowners Claims Bureau (SCB), Chairman of NAMEPA

Joe has served as Chairman and CEO of the managers of the American Club, an International Group mutual, for nearly twenty-five years. Joe also oversees the activities of Eagle Ocean Agencies, Inc., an affiliate of SCB, which operates the Eagle Ocean Marine and Eagle Ocean America insurance facilities. In addition, he is a director of American Hellenic Hull Insurance Company, Ltd., a Cyprus-based underwriting investment of the American Club. Having graduated from Oxford University, Joe qualified as a barrister specializing in maritime commercial law before commencing his career in marine insurance. Prior his arrival in the United States, Joe worked for other P&I clubs in the United Kingdom and Norway, latterly serving as chairman of the global marine practice of Jardine Insurance Brokers in London.  In addition to his corporate responsibilities, Joe is chairman of the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA), a director (and former president) of the Maritime Association of the Port of New York and New Jersey, a former chairman of the Association of Average Adjusters of the United States, a director of New York Maritime, Inc. (NYMAR) and a member of the National Cargo Bureau. Joe also serves on the classification committee of the American Bureau of Shipping, and the North American advisory committee of Lloyd’s Register. 

Jonathan T. Daniels, Chief Executive/Port Director, Port Everglades Department

Jonathan Daniels is the Chief Executive and Port Director for Port Everglades, a self-supporting enterprise fund of Broward County, FL, that generates approximately $32 billion in economic activity and 13,000 direct jobs annually. Port Everglades is the world’s third busiest cruise homeport and is ranked among the nation’s leading container ports, annually exceeding 1 million TEUs (20-foot equivalent units, the industry standard used to measure containers). It is also South Florida’s main seaport for receiving energy products including gasoline, jet fuel and alternative fuels. The Port’s diverse business mix – cruise, cargo, petroleum, real estate – helps the Port maintain financial stability during economic downturns. Port Everglades is currently undergoing a $1.6 billion expansion program to expand berth and crane capacity, deepen and widen channels and modernize cruise facilities. Mr. Daniels comes to Port Everglades from the Port of Gulfport, Mississippi, where he was the Executive Director from 2013 until 2020. During his time in Gulfport, he led a $570 million restoration and expansion project and created a business development program that allowed the Port Authority to successfully fulfill a federal job creation mandate to generate at least 1,300 new jobs. Under his leadership, Gulfport became the first “green” Port in the U.S. Gulf of Mexico by joining the Green Marine environmental program. In addition to his time in Gulfport, Mr. Daniels gained valuable maritime experience as the Executive Director of Port of Oswego Authority in New York, Managing Director for the Port of Greater Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and as Port Director of the Eastport Port Authority in Maine. Mr. Daniels is a proponent of regional economic development having served as the Chief Executive Officer of the Eastern Maine Development Corporation and as the Director of the City of Bangor, Maine, Office of Economic and Business Development. He also served as Senior Trade Advisor and Director, Maine International Trade Center. Currently, Mr. Daniels serves on the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) Board of Directors and National Defense Committee. He was also appointed by the Governor of Mississippi to the Mississippi Military Defense Task Force and Ocean Task Force and served on the Mississippi Gulf Coast Foreign Trade Zone Board of Directors and the Mississippi State Pilots Board. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science – International Politics and Foreign Affairs from The Citadel, in Charleston, South Carolina, and continued his education at the Maine Maritime Academy in Castine, Maine. He has a son in the U.S. Air Force and three daughters living in Florida.

John Hadjipateras, Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer, Dorian LPG

John C. Hadjipateras serves as Chairman, President and Chief Executive Officer of Dorian LPG.  Mr. Hadjipateras has been actively involved in the management of shipping companies since 1972. From 1972 to 1992, Mr. Hadjipateras was the Managing Director of Peninsular Maritime Ltd., in London and subsequently served as President of Eagle Ocean. He has served as a member of the board of the Greek Shipping Cooperation Committee, of the Council of Intertanko and has been a member of the Baltic Exchange since 1972 and of the American Bureau of Shipping since 2011. He also served on the Board of Advisors of the Faculty of Language and Linguistics of Georgetown University and is a trustee of Kidscape, a leading U.K. charity organization. He was a Director of SEACOR Holdings Inc., a global provider of marine transportation equipment and logistics services, from 2000 until 2013. 

Linden Coppell, Director of Sustainability, MSC

Linden is a highly skilled sustainability specialist who has worked for MSC Cruises since 2019. With responsibility for developing and implementing the sustainability strategy, a key role for her is in supporting projects to reduce the fossil fuel dependence and minimize the carbon footprint. Prior to joining MSC Cruises, she worked for Etihad Airways and Cathay Pacific Airlines with responsibility for environmental management and sustainability, successfully implementing projects including BIOjet Abu Dhabi, which focused on bringing together national and international stakeholders in finding ways to decarbonize the aviation industry.

Liz Burdock, CEO and President, Business Network for Offshore Wind

Liz Burdock is the CEO & President of the Business Network for Offshore Wind, a national 501(c)3 nonprofit organization, dedicated to building the US offshore wind supply chain. Ms. Burdock has extensive experience running public/private partnerships. Prior to joining the Network, she managed Partnership for Advancing Technology in Housing, a White House initiative, and the Chesapeake Crescent, a regional initiative aimed at growing a green economy in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. Her career is focused on convening and coordinating diverse stakeholders, including businesses, academics, government agencies, policy makers, community leaders, workforce organizations and strategic investors to develop sound solutions that facilitate the implementation of clean energy in the US. Ms. Burdock is a 2015 graduate of Leadership Maryland, and was named to Windpower Monthly’s 2018 list of Influential and Interesting leaders in the Offshore Wind Industry.

Longji Yiljep, Senior Corporate Development Analyst, Dorian LPG  

Joined Dorian LPG in 2015 as a Corporate Development Analyst, focusing on business and financial analysis. Also focused on internal development and fleet optimization projects. Holds a BA in Economics from Brown University, and an MSc in Finance from Goldey-Beacom College.  

Mary Crowley, Founder and Executive Director, Ocean Voyages Institute 

Mary Crowley is the founder and executive director of Ocean Voyages Institute established in 1979 as a non-profit, public charity based in Sausalito, California, with the goal of preserving the ocean environment, the maritime arts and sciences and island cultures. Mary's efforts since 2009 at Ocean Voyages Institute have focused on stopping the flow of plastic pollution into our global ocean and conducting ocean cleanup of these consumer plastics and derelict fishing gear which entraps sea life, kills reefs and marine habitats. With the assistance of forward thinking Foundations, Companies and a worldwide grassroots effort, people from around the world have come together to assist make the goal of cleaning up our global ocean a reality. Using re-purposed maritime industry equipment & innovative technology such as GPS satellite trackers and drone patterns, Ocean Voyages Institute successfully conducted record setting cleanup expeditions in 2019 & 2020 removing more than 424,000 pounds of plastic (fishing nets and consumer plastics) from the area known as the North Pacific Subtropical Convergence Zone, or more commonly known as the Pacific Gyre.
Mary is one of the founders and project directors of the environmental mission Project Kaisei and personally led two month-long expeditions on board the 151' Brigantine Kaisei to the North Pacific Gyre. She has previously served as Executive Director of the Oceanic Society, publisher of Oceans magazine and on the board of Directors of WELL Network, Richardson Bay Maritime Association, Project Jonah, the Maritime Museum of San Diego, Sail San Francisco and many other organizations. She is a founding member of Planetree, which enhances healing environments in hospitals and healthcare education. Besides being an educated and ardent environmentalist, Mary has found time to enjoy exploring the world via yacht, logging over 115,000 miles at sea. She was a teacher and program director for the Oceanic School of New York on board the 345' Brigantine Statsraad Lehmkuhl for nine months, (a school year). She was also on the first voyage of S.E.A. of Woods Hole on board the Brigantine Westward as staff. She has sailed in the Galapagos archipelago 23 times as well as repeat visits to most of the world’s ocean areas.  It is Mary’s lifelong passion for sailing, snorkeling, diving and exploring the world’s oceans that has fueled her continuing commitment and dedication to ocean conservation and the marine environment. She feels we all have an opportunity to be part of the solution and take action to change behaviors around the epidemic of throw away plastics and support ocean cleanup.

Myra Shannon-Fuller, Communications Manager, Hub Americas - DNV GL

As a maritime professional with more than a decade of experience in the industry, Myra is passionate about fostering relationships and building connections through communications. Myra joined DNV GL in 2012 and, in her current capacity, supports DNV GL Maritime Region Americas in achieving its strategic and tactical goals by developing and implementing integrated communications strategies and plans through outreach and industry engagement. Myra is a graduate of Massachusetts Maritime Academy with a BSc in International Maritime Business.

Peg Brandon, President, Sea Education Association (SEA)

Peg Brandon, president of Sea Education Association (SEA) in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, first went to sea with SEA’s flagship study abroad program, SEA Semester, as an undergraduate student. Since then, as mariner and educator, she has committed herself to empowering students with life-changing sea voyages of scientific and cultural discovery, academic rigor, and personal growth. Established in 1971, SEA is an internationally recognized leader in undergraduate ocean education, taking students of all majors to the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans aboard its two tall ships to conduct oceanographic research. Brandon was a member of SEA’s faculty for more than 15 years, leading numerous SEA Semester voyages, and has logged more than 100,000 nautical miles at sea as a U. S. Coast Guard licensed captain. She taught at Maine Maritime Academy as associate professor of Marine Transportation and her service was recognized most recently with an honorary doctor of science from the University of Rhode island. During her tenure as president, SEA has received the National Science Board Public Service Award and the Walter Cronkite Award for Excellence in Maritime Education. Under Brandon’s leadership, SEA continues to equip its students with the tools needed to become environmentally literate leaders prepared to address human impact on the environment.

RDML Rich Timme, Assistant Commandant for Policy Prevention, USCG

Rear Admiral Richard Timme serves as the Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy, with the responsibility for the development of national policy, standards, and programs promoting Marine Safety, Security and Environmental Stewardship. Three Directorates carry out the mission: Inspections and Compliance, Marine Transportation Systems, and Commercial Regulations and Standards. Programs include waterways management, navigation and boating safety, ports and facilities, merchant mariner credentialing, vessel documentation, marine casualty investigation, commercial vessel inspections, and port state control. His operational experience includes serving as Commander of Coast Guard Sector Ohio Valley and as Commanding Officer of Marine Safety Unit Pittsburgh. He served as a Deputy Incident Commander and Federal On-Scene Coordinator Representative during the 2010 DEEPWATER HORIZON oil spill response.