Marine Board

Sandra Knight

Dr. Sandra Knight currently provides her expertise in disaster resilience, flood risk management, hydraulic engineering and marine transportation by serving on honorary advisory committees and through voluntary activities. As the past President of her own consulting company, WaterWonks LLC, she capitalized on 40 years of experiences including as a research engineer at the University of Maryland, a Senior Executive at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and as technical director for navigation research at the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE).
She currently serves as US Commissioner PIANC; Chair, PIANC Smart Rivers 2025 conference; Chair, Marine Board and member US Ocean Decade Committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM); member of the White House Ocean Advisory Panel and advisor to the Women’s Aquatic Network. She is a registered professional engineer in Tennessee and holds a Ph.D from University of Memphis in Civil Engineering.

James A. Watson, IV USCG

RADM Jim Watson is recently retired, living in Lusby MD. Previously he was Senior VP for Government Business at American Bureau of Shipping, Director of Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement at Dept of Interior, and Director of Prevention at USCG. RADM served on the NAS Marine Board for 6 years and has been a member of Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers. His USCG career included assignments as Captain of the Port at Savannah, San Diego, and Miami. He was the Federal On-scene Coordinator of the Deepwater Horizon spill response in 2010. He is a 1978 graduate of USCG Academy and holds MS degrees from University of Michigan and National Defense University. He is a former chair of the Committee for the Marine Transportation System.

Suzanne M. Beckstoffer

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.

Paul H. Bingham

Paul Bingham is a Director of Transportation Consulting in the Market Intelligence Division of information and analytics provider S&P Global. He has over 35 years of experience providing economics consulting to public and private sector organizations, including forecasting, benefit cost analysis and economic impact analysis. He has managed teams of economists developing and maintaining large-scale commercial econometric forecasting models of global maritime and other mode commodity trade. His current group provides consulting applying data and forecasts of North American freight activity for port authorities, Federal and state government agencies, and investors in transportation infrastructure and facilities. He has led maritime economic and market studies for Marad, USACE, USCG, the Panama Canal Authority, and the Suez Canal Authority in his consulting career. He is a subject matter expert in freight and economics serving the TRB as past Freight Transportation Data Committee and Freight Systems Group Chair, now as an Emeritus member of the TRB Freight Systems Group Executive Committee. He was Co-chair of the TRB Value of Infrastructure Task Force and served for a decade as a National Council Member of the Transportation Research Forum association of academic transportation economists. He completed the BA program in Economics at Cornell University, College of Arts and Sciences and earned a BS in Economics and Computer Applications from University of Maryland. He has had 30 years of on-the-job training in economics working for econometric forecasting firms led by academic economists, including University of Pennsylvania’s Lawrence Klein while working at Wharton Econometric Forecasting Associates.

Helen A. Brohl

Helen A. Brohl retired in January 2023 as the first Executive Director of the U.S. Committee on the Marine Transportation System (CMTS); a Cabinet-level policy coordinating committee, established to foster federal partnership to improve the safety, efficiency and competitiveness of the U.S. Marine Transportation System (MTS). During her tenure, Ms. Brohl built interagency teams of experts related to strategic planning; S&T; MTS infrastructure and ops in the U.S. Arctic; coastal resilience amidst climate change; supply chain and infrastructure development; MTS workforce; data integration; and offshore energy development, leaving a legacy of 68 published reports. She also served as the director of the U.S. Great Lakes Shipping Association, director of marketing for the Illinois Int’l Port of Chicago, and was a 1983 NOAA Knauss Fellow on the House Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee. Upon retirement, Ms. Brohl was presented with the USACE Bronze order of the de Fleury Medal which recognizes significant contributions to Army Engineering; and the Distinguished Public Service Award by the Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. Ms. Brohl received her Masters in Science from The Ohio State University in Great Lakes Land and Water Use Policy.

Robert K. Cook

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.

Christopher A. Hart

Christopher A. Hart is the founder of Hart Solutions LLC, a safety consulting firm that applies transportation safety lessons learned to improving safety in other contexts, such as autonomous vehicles, mass transit, public utilities, healthcare, and workplace safety. Prior to that Mr. Hart was a Member of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) from 2009 until January 2018, where he served as Chairman, Vice Chairman, and Member. The NTSB investigates major transportation accidents, determines probable cause, and makes recommendations to prevent recurrences. Mr. Hart has served in senior positions at the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), he was Deputy Administrator for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and he has served in a variety of legal positions. Mr. Hart has a law degree from Harvard Law School and Master’s and Bachelor’s Degrees in Aerospace Engineering from Princeton University. He is a member of the District of Columbia Bar and the Lawyer-Pilots Bar Association.

Geraldine Knatz

Dr. 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 Marine Board of the National Academies Transportation Research Board, served two terms on the Executive Committee of the 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), the Peter Benchley Ocean Award (Blue Frontier Campaign, 2012) and a Lifetime Achievement Award from Containerization & Intermodal Institute (2014).

Lance Manuel

Dr. Lance Manuel is the Texas Atomic Energy Research Foundation Professor of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. His research is primarily related to quantification of uncertainties in load and response characteristics of engineered systems, with a prime focus on offshore/marine systems, civil engineering infrastructure systems, and energy generation. He is an elected Fellow of AAAS, ASME, ASCE, and ASCE-SEI; he is also a Diplomate of the Academy of Coastal, Ocean, Port & Navigation Engineers (ACOPNE). He serves as Editor-in-Chief of ASME’s Journal of Offshore Mechanics and Arctic Engineering and as Chair of ASME’s Ocean, Offshore and Arctic Engineering Division’s Executive Committee. He also serves as an Associate Editor of the ASCE Journal of Waterway, Port, Coastal, and Ocean Engineering. Dr. Manuel was a recipient of the 2015 ASCE Stephen D. Bechtel, Jr. Energy Award given in recognition of outstanding achievements in the energy field by a civil engineer. He was the 2012 McDonald-Mehta Lecturer, an honor reserved for nationally known scientists and experts in wind-related industries. He was awarded a National Science Foundation CAREER Award to support his research on inflow turbulence, loads, and reliability-based design of wind turbines. He was honored with the Lockheed Martin Award for Excellence in Engineering Teaching in 2020. Dr. Manuel earned BTech, MS and PhD degrees, respectively, from the Indian Institute of Technology (Bombay), the University of Virginia, and Stanford University.

Elspeth H. McMahon

Dr. Elspeth McMahon is Old Dominion University’s inaugural Associate Vice President for Maritime Initiatives, where she is working to make ODU the leader in all things maritime in the Hampton Roads region and beyond. She has twenty years of dynamic experience in the commercial, military, and education sectors of the maritime industry. McMahon is a Commander in the United States Navy Reserves and has experience supporting Military Sealift Command as a Strategic Sealift Officer. She holds a USCG Chief Mate’s License and has sailed for Maersk Lines, Limited.
With a passion for maritime education and training, she spent almost a decade as an Assistant Professor
in the Marine Transportation Department at the SUNY Maritime College. There, she educated the next generation of licensed deck officers, teaching everything from Leadership to Ship Stability.
McMahon holds a B.S. in Marine Transportation from Massachusetts Maritime Academy, an M.S. in International Transportation Management from SUNY Maritime College, and an M.S. in Maritime and Air Transport Management from the University of Antwerp, Belgium where she won best student award. She is nearing the completion of her doctoral degree in Nautical Sciences in Antwerp, focusing on the roles and behaviors of licensed mariners with the implementation of autonomous shipping

Brian K. McNamara

Dr. Brian McNamara is the Associate Director and a Professor of Practice with the John Lewis Public Administration Program at Tulane University. He joined the faculty after serving twenty-five years on active duty with the U.S. Coast Guard, where his work focused on maritime law & policy, military justice, and mission support. His teaching and research explore the intersection of law, public administration, and technology. Major awards include the Meritorious Service Medal (Gold Star in lieu of a Second) with the Operational Distinguishing Device, the Congressman James Sener Award for excellence in marine casualty investigations, and the Distinguished Faculty Award for the John Lewis Public Administration Program. He holds a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Policy from Old Dominion University, a Master of Laws (LL.M.) in Admiralty from Tulane University School of Law, a Juris Doctor from William & Mary School of Law, and a B.S. in Government from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy.

Brian M. Salerno

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.

Jane M. Smith

Dr. Jane McKee Smith is a Research Professor, Department of Civil and Coastal Engineering, University of Florida, and Emeritus Senior Scientist, US Army Engineer Research and Development Center. Dr. Smith is a coastal engineering researcher with 39-yrs experience in numerical model development, field and lab measurement and analysis, coastal wave/surge/sediment transport evaluation for project design, teaching and mentoring, and project development. Her professional experience includes co-developing STWAVE coastal wave model; wave modeling lead for the Interagency Performance Evaluation Task Force evaluation of Hurricane Katrina; team lead for development of an innovative, surrogate hurricane wave/surge forecast model; and lead for surge and wave modeling of sea level/climate change impacts on Naval Bases and on Texas and Louisiana coasts. Dr. Smith’s honors include National Academy of Engineering, International Coastal Engineering Award, Distinguished Member of American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Waterways Experiment Station Gallery of Distinguished Employees, and former Chair of the Coastal Engineer Research Council (ASCE). Her PhD is from University of Delaware in Civil/Coastal Engineering.

Shepard M. Smith

Rear Admiral Shepard M. Smith served as the Director of the Office of Coast Survey at NOAA from 2016-2021, where he led the hydrographic program responsible for U.S. nautical charts. He represented the U.S. at the International Hydrographic Organization (IHO) where he chaired the inaugural triennium of the IHO Council. Under his leadership, the IHO and NOAA launched a generational shift to provision of cutting edge electronic navigation services. In 2016, he was appointed by the President as a member of the Mississippi River Commission, overseeing the flood control and navigation on the river. Smith has deep expertise in hydrography, marine information services, marine operations, and coastal geospatial information. He earned a B.S. in Mechanical Engineering from Cornell University in 1993, and a M.S. in Ocean Engineering from the University of New Hampshire in 2003.

Karrie A. Trauth

Karrie is currently the Senior Vice President, Shipping & Maritime, for Shell International, having previously led Maritime Operations in the Americas. Prior to Shell she held a number of roles with increasing responsibility in the US defense shipbuilding industry with Northrop Grumman and Huntington Ingalls Industries, concluding as Program Manager for the DDG 1000 shipbuilding program.
Karrie’s professional career spans the themes of maritime safety, domestic and international shipping and terminal operations, shipping decarbonisation, and workforce development and diversity. She has led applied research & development, and deployed solutions in the maritime space for safety, security, port efficiency and new marine fuels.
Karrie is a life member of the Society of Women Engineers and has been recognized by SWE for technology and innovation leadership. She is the Vice President of the UK Chamber of Shipping, a member of the Excomm of OCIMF, and is chairman of the Blue Sky Maritime Coalition.
Karrie holds Bachelor and Master of Science degrees from MIT in Ocean Engineering and an MBA from Georgetown University. Additionally, she qualified as Surface Warfare Officer in the US Navy in the early years of her career.

Edward J. Tregurtha

Ted is the President and CEO of Moran Holdings, a diverse North American maritime and environmental services firm. He has held this position for the past 20 years. Ted began his business career in commercial banking and technology where he developed skills that he has applied to various positions in international and domestic shipping over the past 30 years. Ted is the Vice-Chairman and a founding director of the Blue Sky Maritime Coalition, which was formed to accelerate the transition of waterborne transportation toward net zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Ted is also a long-time supporter of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and currently serves on the board of trustees. Ted has been an active participant and supporter of numerous industry organizations during his career including American Waterways Operators (AWO) where he is a former chairman. AWO both advocates for the tug barge industry and facilitates strategic advances for the industry in areas such as safety and sustainability. Ted graduated from Cornell University with a degree in Economics in 1985 and returned to Cornell University where he received a Masters of Business Administration, with distinction, in 1991.

Christopher J. Wiernicki

Christopher J. Wiernicki is Chairman, President and CEO of the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) and Chairman of the ABS Group of Companies, Inc. (ABS Group). Founded in 1862, ABS, a mission-driven global leader in classification and technical services, develops industry recognized design and construction standards for marine and offshore assets and audits against those standards to ensure regulatory, safety and environmental compliance. ABS Group is a leading risk management consulting company, and together, the ABS affiliated companies provide support for the marine, offshore, energy, and government sectors. Prior to his current role, Wiernicki served as Chairman of the International Association of Classification Societies and held senior roles at ABS, including President and Chief Operating Officer (COO), Chief Technology Officer and President and COO of ABS Europe Ltd. Prior to joining ABS, Wiernicki was the CEO of Designers & Planners, Inc. Wiernicki is a recognized industry thought leader in the areas of decarbonization and sustainability, digitalization and advanced technology, marine safety management and human factors, naval architecture, marine engineering, alternative fuels, carbon economics, and environmental, social and governance (ESG). In 2021, Wiernicki was elected to the U.S. National Academy of Engineering for his innovative leadership in the design, engineering and operation of ships and offshore structures. He is a Fellow with the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers and serves on numerous university boards and advisory councils. In 2013, he was awarded the Vice Admiral Emory S. Land Medal for outstanding accomplishment in the marine field. In 2016, he earned the United Seaman’s Service Admiral of the Ocean Seas Award for outstanding contributions to the maritime industry, and he is a member of the International Maritime Hall of Fame Class of 2016. In 2017, Wiernicki was named Massachusetts Maritime Academy’s Person of the Year, and in 2018, he was recognized as one of the top 50 influential people by Tanker Shipping & Trade magazine. Wiernicki holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering from Vanderbilt and was inducted to Vanderbilt University School of Engineering Academy of Distinguished Alumni. He holds a master’s degree in structural engineering from George Washington University where he was elected to the George Washington University Engineering Hall of Fame. Wiernicki also holds a master’s degree in ocean engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and completed Harvard University’s Advanced Management Program. Wiernicki also received honorary Doctor of Science degrees from Maine Maritime Academy and SUNY Maritime College, and an honorary Doctor of Engineering degree from Stevens Institute of Technology.

Heather L. Wood

Heather Wood joined CMA CGM as Head of Sustainability for North America in April 2021. With over 25 years’ maritime industry experience, Heather leads the Group’s Sustainability strategy and policy agenda for People, Planet, and Responsible Trade in the U.S. and Canada. Prior to joining CMA CGM, Ms. Wood provided sustainability and management consulting services to Norfolk Southern Railroad, and the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach, Houston, New Orleans, North Carolina, Massachusetts, and Virginia.

Ms. Wood’s 25-year career in maritime sustainability and public affairs evolved at The Port of Virginia, the third largest container port complex on the U.S. East Coast. As Vice President of Sustainability, Ms. Wood developed and directed sustainability strategy, policy, and programming for the Port and was responsible for environmental performance, public engagement, and regulatory affairs related to port operations. She served as the Port’s representative and consultant on international and national issues and policies related to sustainability, transportation, navigation, and environment.

Ms. Wood’s governance and leadership service includes the boards of St. Margaret’s School, the Williams School, and the Elizabeth River Project. In 2019, she was re-appointed by Governor Ralph Northam to a third term and elected chairman of the Virginia State Water Control Board. Ms. Wood is a McDonnell CPE, Certified Port Executive and has served as Chairman of the Environment Committees for the American Association of Port Authorities and the Virginia Maritime Association.

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