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Chair

Martha Grabowski is the Distinguished McDevitt Chair in Information Systems, and Professor and Director of the Information Systems program in the Madden School of Business at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, New York. She is also a Research Professor in the Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York. A member of the American Bureau of Shipping, she is a Lifetime National Associate of the National Academies/National Research Council, and most recently chaired the National Academies’ policy study assessing the U.S.’ Arctic Oil Spill Response capabilities for 8 sponsoring agencies.

Dr. Grabowski’s research focuses on the impact of technology on individuals, groups and organizations in complex, safety-critical systems; risk analysis and risk mitigation in largescale systems; and the role of human and organizational error in high consequence settings.

Dr. Grabowski is a licensed former merchant officer and retired LCDR in the US Naval Reserve. She received a B.S. in Marine Transportation/Nautical Science from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, and an M.B.A., an M.S., Industrial Engineering, and a Ph.D. in Management/Information Systems from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.
Vice-Chair

Dr. Craig Philip is Research Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Vanderbilt University, and Director of Vanderbilt’s Center for Transportation and Operational Resilience (VECTOR). Dr. Philip’s research focus includes institutional resilience and the application of risk management tools to public policymaking, management and sustainability of transportation networks and operations, carrier safety management and regulations and balancing multi-stakeholder interests. Dr. Philip spent more than 35 years with companies in the rail, intermodal and maritime industries, including Conrail and Southern Pacific Railroads. He joined Ingram in 1982 and from 1999 until 2014, he served as President/CEO of Ingram Barge Company as it grew to become the largest American marine transportation carrier. As an industry leader he served as Chairman of the American Waterway Operators, the National Waterways Conference and the National Waterways Foundation, and Chaired the US Chamber of Commerce’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Dr. Philip has been actively engaged in public policy development with regulatory agencies such as the Coast Guard and the US Dept. of Transportation and with infrastructure providers such as the US Army Corps of Engineers. Philip currently serves as: US Representative to PIANC’s InCom Commission (multinational water transport Congress); on the Boards of the ArcBest Corporation (publicly traded trucking firm); the Seamen’s Church Institute, the Red Cross of Tenn, and the Nashville Civic Design Center. Dr. Philip earned masters and doctorate degrees from MIT and his bachelor’s degree from Princeton, all in Civil Engineering. He has served on the Executive Committee of the Transportation Research Board and as a member of the Marine Board. In 2010 he was designated a Distinguished Diplomate in the Academy of Coastal, Ocean, Port and Navigation Engineers, and in 2014 he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering.
Naval Architecture and Naval Engineering

Dr. Joseph Timothy (Tim) Arcano, Jr. is a senior advisor at Rite-Solutions, Inc. who coaches and mentors in submarine design and technology development. A member of the Senior Executive Service since November 2011, he was appointed as the technical director for Naval Surface Warfare Center, Carderock Division in May 2013. He retired from Federal service in August 2017. He also served as: director, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Ocean Exploration and Research; Corbin A. McNeill Endowed Chair in Naval Engineering at the U.S. Naval Academy; deputy chief of nuclear safety at the Department of Energy; technical director for the USS Virginia (SSN 774) Class Submarine Program; technical authority for advanced submarines at Naval Sea System Command; and program manager on technical staff at the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board. For the National Science Foundation, he served as a member of the Replacement Human Occupied Vehicle (HOV) Oversight Committee. He served for 30 years of active and Reserve commissioned service in the Navy as an engineering duty officer qualified in submarines and as a salvage diving officer. He led the overhaul of the last USS Permit (SSN 594) Class submarine, was part of the team that started the design of the New Attack Submarine and then, as ship design manager, supported delivery of the lead ships of the VIRGINIA Class over a decade later. He commanded five Reserve units, including a Joint Reserve Unit for the Director, Defense Research and Engineering and a Navy Reserve Unit for the Director of Ocean Engineering, Supervisor of Salvage and Diving, USN. He retired as a Navy captain. He is a graduate of the U. S. Naval Academy, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, and the University of Maryland. He is a member of the Tau Beta Pi Engineering Honor Society, a fellow of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, and a licensed Professional Engineer in Maryland.
Shipbuilding/Shipyard Operations

Suzanne M. Beckstoffer is an advocate for engineering education and financial literacy. She is President of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME), an international professional organization for the maritime and offshore communities with 5,000 members worldwide. She is also Chairman of the Board of BayPort Credit Union, a $1.9B financial institution with 140,000 members, headquartered in Newport News, VA. She retired in 2016 as an Engineering Director at Newport News Shipbuilding, after a 30+ year shipbuilding career. During her tenure at NNS, she led the migration of the new FORD class aircraft carrier 3D product model to a new Product Lifecycle Management toolset; directed the company’s Research & Development program; managed the installation of the Automated Steel Factory robotic cutting and welding lines for steel fabrication; and performed engineering and design activities for aircraft carriers, submarines, and commercial vessels. The Peninsula Engineers Council elected her Engineer of the Year 2015. Suzanne holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering from North Carolina State University and an MBA from The College of William and Mary. She serves on boards at NC State University, Christopher Newport University, and the ABET Industry Advisory Council.
Marine Transportation Infrastructure/Civil Engineering

Lieutenant General (Retired) Thomas P. Bostick is a 1978 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy and holds Master of Science Degrees in both Civil Engineering and Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University, and a PhD in Systems Engineering from George Washington University. He currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer and President, Intrexon Bioengineering at Intrexon, a leader in the engineering and industrialization of biology to improve the quality of life and health of the planet. As Chief Operating Officer and President, Intrexon Bioengineering, Lt. Gen. (Ret) Bostick oversees operations across the Company's multiple technology divisions, driving efficiency and effectiveness in the application of the Company's assets toward its development projects. Lt. Gen. (Ret) Bostick served as the 53rd Chief of Engineers and Commanding General of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, where he was responsible for most the Nation’s civil works infrastructure and military construction. Lt. Gen. (Ret) Bostick also served as the Deputy Chief of Staff, G-1, responsible for total Army personnel and manpower; Commanding General, U.S. Army Recruiting Command; and as the Assistant Division Commander-Maneuver; and then Assistant Division Commander-Support of the 1st Cavalry Division. He deployed with the Division in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom before commanding the Army Corps of Engineers Gulf Region Division, where he was responsible for more than $18 Billion of reconstruction in Iraq. Lt. Gen. (Ret) Bostick also served as an Associate Professor of Mechanical Engineering at West Point and was a White House Fellow, working as a special assistant to the Secretary of Veterans Affairs. Lt. Gen. (Ret) Bostick has been one of the leading advocates in the federal government on resilience and developing a systems approach to watersheds. He has appeared on CNN, FOX News, CBS Evening News, the Daily Show and more. He has spoken extensively on resilience including remarks at the United Nations, Risk Analysis World Congress in Singapore, and the National Academy of Sciences. He led the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the completion of the North Atlantic Coast Comprehensive Study: Resilient Adaptation to Increasing Risk report to Congress in 2015. Lt. Gen. Bostick was selected as a member of the National Academy of Engineering, the National Academy of Construction, and the George Washington University School of Engineering and Applied Science Hall of Fame for his many contributions to engineering.
Vessel Pilotage and Harbor Operations

Captain Robert K. Cook graduated from SUNY Maritime College in 1980 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Physical Oceanography and Meteorology. He also graduated with an Unlimited US Coast Guard 3rd Officer’s license. After graduation, Captain Cook worked with Military Sealift Command Atlantic for 10 years. He served on Underway Replenishment Ships, ultimately becoming the UnRep Department Head onboard. While in the service of MSC, Captain Cook oversaw dry-dock operations and ship repair work both in domestic and foreign shipyards. He also served on a MSC Hydrographic Surveillance ship, the USNS Harkness, and received the Navy Humanitarian Service award for work done in the Gulf of Suez and the Red Sea during Operation Intense Look. In 1993, Captain Cook became one of the first African American US Marine Pilots, in modern times, when he became a partner in the Pilot’s Association for the Bay and River Delaware. In 1994, he and 5 other African American SUNY Maritime College graduates formed the Organization of Black Maritime Graduates. As President of the OBMG since its inception, Captain Cook works tirelessly, along with his fellow board members, to provide opportunities for African Americans and minorities, including recruitment for the maritime industry, educational partnerships, scholarships, mentoring, and networking for students and graduates. In 2014, Captain Cook and fellow inductee Captain Howard Wyche were the first African Americans to be inducted into SUNY Maritime College’s Heritage Hall. He is a Trustee on the Board of Directors of the Maritime Academy Charter School in Philadelphia, a Port of Philadelphia Marine Society Board member as well as an active supporter of the Coast Guard Foundation. He supports Veterans and the 26th US Colored Troops Reenactors. Preservation of the environment, the empowerment of the community and advancement through education are his passions and he supports and works with numerous organizations both nationally and internationally.
Hydrographics

RADM Samuel P. De Bow, Jr., was the Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Commissioned Corps and NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations. RADM De Bow was Chief of the Hydrographic Services Division, where his primary responsibility was to provide overall guidance and leadership for NOAA’s national hydrographic survey program. RADM De Bow’s active duty career focused on NOAA’s mission to ensure safe navigation. He served aboard three NOAA hydrographic survey and mapping ships that acquired data to update the nation’s nautical charts. During his career, RADM De Bow conducted hydrographic surveys throughout the coastal waters of the United States and in Norway as an exchange hydrographer. RADM De Bow is a former member of the Mississippi River Commission.

RADM De Bow retired from active duty in 2007 after close to 30 years of service and in 2008 became the Director of the Center of Excellence for Research on Offshore Renewable Energy at the University of Rhode Island, Graduate School of Oceanography. There he was the Co-Principal Investigator for a comprehensive state funded $10 M Marine Spatial Planning effort to site offshore renewable energy in Rhode Island waters (Ocean SAMP) while also managing the National Science Foundation owned oceanographic Research Vessel Endeavor until August 2011. He is presently Vice President of Lynker Technologies, a technical service provided to the government.

RADM De Bow was a member of a group awarded the Department of Commerce Gold Medal (the Department’s highest award), and received two individual Department of Commerce Silver Medals, a Bronze Medal (NOAA’s highest award) and the NOAA Administrators Award for his achievements. He has also received a U.S. Coast Guard and three NOAA Corps Commendation Medals in addition to numerous other medals and ribbons.

RADM De Bow holds a B.S. degree in Commerce and Engineering from Drexel University and a M.S. in Hydrographic Sciences from the Naval Postgraduate School. He was a Senior Executive Fellow at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government, and attended the Leadership for a Democratic Society curriculum at the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, VA.
Military Transportation and Sealift

Mr. Jonathan D. Kaskin was a member of the Senior Executive Service for over 25 years. Mr. Kaskin retired with 37 years of government service as the duties of Director, Strategic Mobility and Combat Logistics Division, Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (N-42), in June 2012. He was rehired as a Senior Advisor, Maritime, to support the Navy Secretariat’s investigation of the business case for Dual Use Vessels on America’s Marine Highway which he completed June of 2014. He is now a part-time Senior Fellow at the Center for Naval Analyses. Following four years on active duty with the Navy and four years of graduate education, Mr. Kaskin began his civil service career as an Operations Research Analyst at the Military Sealift Command Headquarters in the Office of the Assistant for Special Programs in September 1979. From July 1982 to March 1987 he served as the Executive Assistant to the Vice Commander, Military Sealift Command. From May 1987 to June 2012 he served as the OPNAV Program sponsor for strategic sealift and combat logistics ships (OPNAV N42). Mr. Kaskin has a BSEE from the University of Pennsylvania (1971), a Master of Science degree in Engineering from Harvard University (1977) and second Master of Science degree in Shipping and Shipbuilding Management as well as a professional degree of Ocean Engineer from MIT (1979). Mr. Kaskin is a Member of the National Defense Transportation Association, Propeller Club of the United States, Fellow of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, Life Member of American Society of Naval Engineers (Gold Medal Recipient), Naval Reserve Association, U.S. Naval Institute and the Navy League at which he currently serves as National Vice President for Legislative Affairs. He was awarded the SES Presidential Rank of Meritorious Executive in 1999 and 2009 and Navy Distinguished Civilian Service Medal in 2012.
Liner Operations

Lee Kindberg is Head of Environment and Sustainability for Maersk in North America. She served six years on the US Environmental Protection Agency’s Clean Air Act Advisory Committee and the Mobile Source Technical Review Subcommittee, and co-chaired the EPA Ports Workgroup in 2014-2016. She serves on the National Academies of Science TRB Marine Board and Marine Environment Committee. She is also active in Business for Social Responsibility’s Clean Cargo Working Group, a global group dedicated to assessing and improving the environmental impact of shipping.

Dr. Kindberg received a B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Alabama and a Doctorate in Chemistry from the University of South Carolina. She completed the Competent Boards Certificate program and was granted their Global Competent Board Designation (GCB.D) in January 2020. She has an extensive background in both global shipping and the chemical industry. She currently serves on the Board of the Pacific Merchant Shipping Association (PMSA) and has served on the Boards of several industry associations. 
Seaport Administration, Planning and Operations

Geraldine Knatz is Professor of the Practice of Policy and Engineering, a joint appointment between the University of Southern California’s School of Public Policy and the School of Engineering. She served as the first female Director of the Port of Los Angeles from 2006 to January 2014 and prior to that was Managing Director at the Port of Long Beach. In 2014, she was named a member of the National Academy of Engineering in recognition of her international leadership in the development of environmentally clean urban seaports. She is past chair of the American Association of Port Authorities and past president of the International Association of Ports and Harbors. She is currently a member of the Executive Committee of the National Academies Transportation Research Board, served for 10 years as a gubernatorial appointee to California’s Ocean Protection Council and is on the board of Dewberry Engineering. Knatz is currently the vice-chairman of the Board of Trustees of Altasea, a 30 acre campus located within the Port of Los Angeles devoted to marine and maritime research, education and business entrepreneurialism. In 2020, Knatz published a political history of the Port of Los Angeles titled, Port of Los Angeles, Conflict, Commerce and the Fight for Control. Internationally recognized for her accomplishments, Dr. Knatz has received numerous awards, including Outstanding Women in Transportation (Journal of Commerce, 2007), Woman Executive of the Year (Los Angeles Business Journal, 2007), Compass Award (Women’s Leadership Exchange, 2008), honorary PhD, Maine Maritime Academy (2009), and the Peter Benchley Ocean Award (Blue Frontier Campaign, 2012).
Marine Transportation System Resilience

Dr. Sandra K. Knight currently splits her time as the President of WaterWonks LLC, District of Columbia and as a Senior Research Engineer at the Center for Disaster Resilience, University of Maryland, College Park, MD. Capitalizing on her extensive experience as a senior leader at the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), she now works with her academic partners and clients providing expertise in national policy, strategic planning, and technical matters in the areas of disaster resilience, flood risk management, hydraulic engineering and marine transportation. As a former Deputy Associate Administrator for Mitigation at FEMA, Sandra was responsible for the nation’s floodplain mapping, management and mitigation grants supporting the National Flood Insurance Program, environmental compliance for the agency, oversight of mitigation disaster cadres and the National Dam Safety Program. AT NOAA, she was responsible for corporate policies and planning strategies for research. At USACE, she conducted hydraulic research, directed navigation research programs, stood up the USACE asset management program and was chair of an international inland navigation committee. She is a science communicator and speaker appearing on NBC Nightly, CNBC, HBO Vice News and CBS This Morning, and contributing to various news media including the New York Times, ProPublica, Bloomberg and E&E News. She speaks at conferences and forums around the world on disaster resilience. Sandra has a PhD in Civil Engineering from the University of Memphis, TN; is a registered professional engineer in Tennessee, a Diplomate Water Resource Engineer and a Diplomate Navigation Engineering. She is a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers, the American Meteorological Society, the Society of Women Engineers, the Women's Aquatic Network, Sigma Xi and a Fellow for PIANC.
Cyber

Anil Markose has over 20 years of experience in technology and cybersecurity, and has been a strategic advisor to Fortune 250 clients and the US Government on the topic of Cybersecurity. He has a specialized focus on helping CXO and Board of Directors address complex cyber threat exposures that arise during business led digital transformations. Anil started his career in the United States Air Force as a Communications Engineering Officer with multiple combat deployments supporting IT Operations and Information Security mission needs during Operation Iraqi Freedom. After exiting the military, he has operated at the Senior Executive / Partner level at multiple global cyber consulting firms, leading innovation and next-gen services related to threat intelligence, cyber defense operations and IT resilience. Anil is currently a Director within AWS focused on security compliance and audit, related to the cloud. Anil has a BS in Computer-Systems Engineering from Boston University, and an MS in Management with a concentration in Information Systems from Florida Institute of Technology. He is also a Certified Information Systems Security Professional and a Certified Information Systems Auditor. Anil is an Advisory Board Member of New York University’s Cyber Fellows Program, and a Member of the Content Advisory Board for the Money 20/20 Conference.
Maritime Economics and International Trade

Hilde Meersman studied Quantitative Economics at the University of Antwerp receiving a PhD from the University of Antwerp in 1987. Now a full professor at the University of Antwerp, Dr. Meersman instructs in the fields of Econometrics, Transport Modelling, and Economics. She also teaches at the Technical University of Delft, delivers guest lectures at a number of European universities, and was co-founder of the Centre for Maritime & Air Transport Management (C-MAT) in Antwerp.

Dr. Meersman was the coordinator of the policy research centre of the Flemish Government on Freight Transport. She is also involved in TransportNET, a network of leading university groups in transport research and high-level education. She is a member of the Belgian Economic Council which gives advice on the national economic policy. She has also been chairing the International Scientific Committee of the World Conference on Transport Research Society.

Her research activities are focused at the intersection of transportation economics, policy, international trade, and transport modelling and forecasting, enabling her to link the evolution in the world economy to specific freight transportation problems, and to understand the interaction between the modes with respect to international trade.
Coastal, Dredging, and Environmental Engineering

Dr. Ram Mohan is an internationally recognized expert in Coastal, Dredging and Environmental Engineering, and for over 30 years has applied his expertise to develop solutions to complex coastal issues including coastal erosion, flooding, navigation, and environmental dynamics. He is a past member of the National Research Council’s (NRC) Ocean Studies Board and is involved in several national boards and committees related to ocean and coastal systems. He was part of the NRC panel mandated by the U.S. Congress to review the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) Planning and Policy Manual. In 2005, the Western Dredging Association (WEDA) named him its “Dredger of the Year”. From 2013-2016, he served as the Chairman of the World Organization of Dredging Associations (WODA) and is now Chairman Emeritus. In 2014, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) elected him as a Fellow. 

Dr. Mohan is a Principal at Anchor QEA, LLC and directs the firms’ Coastal Engineering practice to evaluate port and harbor maintenance needs, beneficial uses of dredge material, wetland restoration and coastal resiliency projects, and a wide range of modeling efforts to support coastal protection and infrastructure designs. His experience includes planning and design studies, technical reviews, technical evaluations, and project management for a variety of clients, including U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, Port authorities, municipalities, Fortune 50 industries, and private parties. 

Dr. Mohan also serves as an Adjunct Professor of Coastal and Ocean Engineering at Texas A&M University and has previously taught coastal and marine engineering courses at the Johns Hopkins Whiting School of Engineering. He is the founding editor for WEDA’s Journal of Dredging Engineering (2000-2016) and is now the Editor-in-Chief for the Journal of Marine Environmental Engineering (JMEE). He also served as a past member of the Board of Directors of the American Shore & Beach Association (ASBPA) and the Association of Coastal Engineers (ACE). As the author of more than 200 publications, he brings strong technical/team leadership and motivational abilities to projects. A resident of Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, Dr. Mohan continues to be active in the coastal and marine engineering fields, mostly focusing his work on practical solutions to complex challenges that exist along America’s coastlines.
Maritime Law

Sean T. Pribyl, Esq. is a business attorney in Holland & Knight's Washington, D.C., office. Sean focuses his practice on maritime regulatory compliance matters, international law and trade, autonomous transportation (including unmanned aircraft systems/drones and autonomous vessels), marine claims, civil litigation and dispute resolution, and white collar criminal law.  He has more than 25 years of combined experience in the transportation sector as a commercial marine operator, federal regulator, international maritime and trade attorney, active duty military attorney, federal prosecutor, and most recently, as an international protection and indemnity (P&I) club lawyer and senior claims executive while based in Arendal, Norway. Sean is also an internationally recognized thought leader on Shipping 4.0 and the use of autonomous vessels and novel technologies in the maritime industry and is a widely published author and regular speaker at international conferences and seminars on topics related to maritime law and advanced automation in the transportation sector, including as committee member for the NASEM Consensus Report Leveraging Unmanned Systems for Coast Guard Missions.

Sean served for six years as a U.S. Coast Guard officer and judge advocate (“JAG”), where he served as an attorney-advisor in legal and policy matters related to international and maritime law, national security, major marine casualties, regulatory compliance, internal government investigations, cybersecurity, marine environmental protection and environmental crimes, maritime law enforcement, piracy, rulemaking, maritime and critical infrastructure security, the Arctic and Antarctic, mariner credential Suspension and Revocations, and unmanned aircraft and autonomous vessels. Prior to transferring his commission to the Coast Guard, he served for twelve years as a Naval Reserve Officer in the Strategic Sealift Command (Merchant Marine Ready Reserve Group) with an expertise in sealift, logistics, and port security. He also served for close to eight years as a merchant mariner deck officer aboard oceangoing cargo and fiber-optic cable ships before commissioning as a JAG.
 
Sean holds a M.A. degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the U.S. Naval War College, a J.D. from Washburn University School of Law, and a B.Sc. from the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy.                     
Marine Safety / Environmental / Offshore Energy / Cruise

Brian M. 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 shaping the regulatory landscape in a way that enables 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. He commanded field units in San Juan, Puerto Rico and in Boston MA, serving concurrently as Captain of the Port, Officer in Charge Marine Inspection, Federal On-Scene Coordinator for environmental responses, and after the 9/11 attacks, as Federal Maritime Security Coordinator. Overseas assignments included a tour as the Maritime Safety Advisor to the Panama Canal Authority. As a Flag Officer, he was responsible for establishing program policy for all prevention and response missions. He also led the U.S. delegation to the International Maritime Organization’s Maritime Safety Committee. His most senior position was that of Deputy Commandant for Operations, which he held from 2010 to 2012. Immediately upon retirement, Brian began working as a marine consultant. He served as the U.S. Liaison for BIMCO - an international ship owner’s association headquartered in Copenhagen. He also served on the Panama Canal Navigation Safety Advisory Board. In 2013, he was appointed by the 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. Following his term at BSEE, Brian resumed work as an independent marine consultant. He also serves as Vice President of the U.S. Friends of World Maritime University, and as a Board mem-ber for the North American Marine Environment Protection Association (NAMEPA). He joined CLIA in December 2017.
Tug/Tow/Inland Waterway Operations

Dale Sause is President and CEO of Sause Bros., Inc., which is headquartered in Coos Bay, Oregon. He is the third generation of his family to own and operate Sause Bros., which was launched in 1936 to tow log rafts along the Oregon and Washington Coasts. Today, Sause Bros.’ fleet of tugs and barges serves customers along the Columbia River system and throughout the Pacific Rim. Sause began his business career in 1974 when he joined the management of Crescent City Marine Ways & Drydock Company, which provided contract union stevedoring services in Oregon, Washington and California. Sause later returned to the family company serving as Executive Vice President of Sause Bros. from 1980 – 1983 until he was named President in 1984. In addition to serving customers in the petroleum and timber industries, Sause also oversees a shipyard and stevedoring company, as well as an aviation company, all of which are based in Oregon. Sause has served as a maritime consultant for Georgia-Pacific Corp. in Indonesia and The Milburn Lime and Cement Company Ltd. in New Zealand. He has been a member of the American Bureau of Shipping since 2005. From 2006-2007 he served as Chairman of the American Waterways Operators, and has held a number of other leadership roles within that organization. In addition, to his roles in the maritime industry, Sause serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees for Willamette University in Salem, Oregon Sause was born in Tillamook, Oregon and received his B.S. in Economics/English from Willamette University. He attended Tokyo International University in Japan with studies in the statistical methods of Dr. W. Edwards Deming and their application to product quality. Sause received his M.B.A. from the University of Washington in Financial Accounting.
Offshore Energy Operations and Safety

Sylvie Tran has been working in the Oil & Gas industry for over 20-years. She is the Vice-President, Engineering, for Suncor’s Exploration and Production global offshore business unit. Sylvie is also passionate about the budding digital transformation in the energy industry and is an active leader in this realm. 

Prior to her current role, Sylvie worked in various leadership roles with Shell Oil Co in New Orleans LA, Pittsburgh, PA and Calgary, Canada covering Deepwater Gulf of Mexico safety & environment and joint venture management, shale developments, sour gas developments and coal-bed methane exploration. Finally, before joining Shell in Canada (2004), Sylvie worked as a drilling engineer and rig supervisor with various oil and gas companies worldwide in Canada, Australia, France and Algeria. 

Sylvie holds an MBA from Harvard Business School and a Bachelor in Mechanical Engineering from McGill University.   
Port and Maritime Security

Thomas Wakeman is currently the Associate Departmental Director, Civil, Environmental, and Ocean Engineering for Graduate Studies, Deputy Director of Davidson Laboratory, and Research Professor at Stevens Institute of Technology in Hoboken, New Jersey. Previously he worked for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, New York, for 13 years (including Dredging Manager, General Manager, Waterways Development, and Strategic Planning Manager) and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, San Francisco and Sacramento Districts, California for 24 years (including Civil Engineer, Research Hydraulic Engineer, Technical Director, Bay Delta Model, Project and Program Manager). In 2004, he was the Principal Maritime Advisor, Coalition Provisional Authority, working in Iraq and responsible for reopening the country’s ports. His educational degrees include Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California, Davis, Master of Arts, Marine Biology, San Francisco State University, California, and doctorate of engineering-science, Columbia University, New York. His publications include more than one hundred technical articles, three book chapters, and co-author/editor for three books.
Maritime Safety

James Watson is currently serving as President and COO for the Americas Division of ABS. He is responsible for all operations of the American Bureau of Shipping in the Western Hemisphere. Prior to joining ABS, Watson served as Director of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement at the US Department of Interior. In this role he provided regulatory oversight for energy exploration and production on the US Outer Continental Shelf. Before becoming BSEE Director, Watson served as the US Coast Guard’s Director of Prevention Policy for Marine Safety, Security and Stewardship, where his responsibilities included commercial vessel safety and security, ports and cargo safety and security and maritime investigations. He was also designated as the Federal On-Scene Coordinator for the government-wide response to the Macondo incident in the Gulf of Mexico.

Watson earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Marine Engineering from USCGA in 1978. He received his Master of Science in Naval Architecture and his Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1985. Watson earned an additional Master of Science in Strategic Studies at the National Defense University in 2001.
Offshore Energy Development, Operations, and Safety

C.R. (Charlie) Williams II as been the Executive Director for the Center for Offshore Safety (COS) since March 2012. Beginning in late 2011, Charlie led the creation of COS and received the Offshore Technology Conference Special Citation plus the Society of Petroleum Engineers HSSE Award for this work. Most recently he received the Offshore Energy Center Pioneer Award for lifetime achievement. Mr. Williams retired from Shell in 2012 as Chief Scientist - Well Engineering and Production Technology after a 40 year career in which he achieved numerous other senior positions including VP Global R&D. He is a mechanical engineering graduate of the University of Tennessee and Professional Engineer. Mr. Williams served on the Department of Interior Ocean Energy Safety Advisory Committee, a Federal Advisory Committee and the Deepwater Horizon Science Advisory Committee. He has testified and presented extensively on Safety Management, drilling, drilling safety, and technology to various groups including Congressional Committees, Center for Strategic and International Studies, Chemical Safety Board, Presidential Commission on Deepwater Horizon, International Regulators Forum, 11th National Conference on Science, Policy, and Environment, and the Marine Board and other NAS Groups. He previously chaired the Joint Industry Task Force - Subsea Well Control & Containment and the BSEE/Argonne Labs Workshop - Effects of Water Depth on Offshore Equipment & Operations. As a result of this work he played a key role in the creation of the Marine Well Containment Company and served on the Board. Additionally, he serves on the Harte Research Institute Board, the Offshore Energy Safety Institute Advisory Committee and has served on the Petroleum Engineering curriculum advisory committee at University of Texas, and as a guest lecturer at two Chinese Universities. Mr. Williams is a 35 year member of the Society of Petroleum Engineers and has served in the U.S. Army National Guard where he was an honor graduate of the Reserve Component NCO Academy. His recognitions also include receiving the U.S. Department of Interior - Corporate Citizenship Award and his offshore work has been awarded the National Ocean Industries Association "Safety in the Seas Award", the UK Energy Institute Award for Technology, and Offshore Engineering Project of the Year.
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