The Honorable Max Vekich *
Federal Maritime Commissioner, Federal Maritime Commission
Commissioner Max Vekich was nominated by President Biden on June 24, 2021, and again on January 4, 2022, to a term expiring on June 30, 2026. The United States Senate confirmed his nomination on February 10, 2022, and he was sworn into office on February 15, 2022.
Commissioner Vekich was previously a longshoreman and union official with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union. He served as a Member of the Labor Relations Committee for ILWU Local 52, as President of the ILWU Local 52, and on the International Executive Board.
Between 1983 and 1991, Commissioner Vekich served in the Washington State House of Representatives representing the 35th Legislative District. He also served as a Commissioner on the Washington State Maritime Bicentennial and the Governor’s Industry Safety Board.
Commissioner Vekich has earned numerous recognitions for his work, legislative, and community service.
Commissioner Vekich earned his A.A. from Grays Harbor Community College and his B.A. in Political Science from the University of Puget Sound. He has been married to Marcee Stone-Vekich since 2012 and survives his first wife, Ivy Frost Vekich, who died of breast cancer in 1995. Commissioner Vekich is the father of two children and one stepchild.
Anthony Bedell
Senior Corporate and Government Relations Director, Becker & Poliakoff
Anthony Bedell currently serves as Senior Corporate and Government Relations Director at Becker & Poliakoff. He advises his clients on how to take a bipartisan and diverse approach to achieve successful public policy initiatives strategically and tactically with federal, state, and local governments.
He previously served as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Intergovernmental and Tribal Affairs and then of Deputy Assistant Secretary for Congressional Affairs at U.S. DOT. Prior to that, Bedell was President of Red Five Strategies, a prominent government relations firm, which he started in 2014. He was also the former Director of Federal and State Government Affairs for a Fortune 500 software company.
He also has additional executive branch experience, serving as Senior Legislative Officer for Congressional Affairs handling a variety of legislative matters for the U.S. Department of Labor and Associate Administrator for the Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs at the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Katie Bennett
Senior Vice President and General Counsel, Ports America
Katie serves as Senior Vice President and General Counsel at Ports America, one of the largest marine terminal operators and stevedores in the United States, operating in more than 33 ports and 70 locations domestically, and handling all types of cargo, including container, bulk, breakbulk, auto/roro military and cruise. In her current role, Katie advises the CEO and Board of Directors on all areas of the company, including legal, compliance, and government affairs. Prior to Ports America, she served as Chief Legal and Compliance Officer and General Counsel for two equipment leasing companies in the transportation and logistics space. In private practice with elite AmLaw 100 and boutique law firms, she served as outside counsel for companies of all sizes, from Fortune 500 multinationals like Google, Cisco and Expedia, to start-ups.
Ashley Chappell
Executive Director, U.S. Committee on the Marine Transportation System
Ashley Chappell is the new Executive Director for the U.S. Committee on the Marine Transportation System. She comes to the CMTS from NOAA, where she led Integrated Ocean and Coastal Mapping and co-chaired the Interagency Working Group on Ocean and Coastal Mapping. Ashley has always participated in the CMTS, with a focus on the national need for better marine transportation system information infrastructure and foundational geospatial data to support science-based decision-making in the coastal zone.
Tretha Chromey
Deputy Associate Administrator for Ports & Waterways for the Maritime Administration (MARAD)
Tretha Chromey serves as the Deputy Associate Administrator for Ports & Waterways for the Maritime Administration (MARAD) at the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT). She strives to advance the mission and goals of MARAD while working with various stakeholders to advance programs that foster innovation to support and strengthen the U.S. marine transportation infrastructure, including ports, waterways, shipyards, and vessel operations for the agency.
Ms. Chromey has over 20 years of policy, programmatic, and organizational management experience across Federal multimodal transportation portfolios and nearly ten years of state-level field experience. Since joining the USDOT in 2005 as a transportation industry analyst in the Office of International Aviation, she has successfully navigated her way up and across the Department. She has proven to be a trusted senior policy advisor to executive leadership within several modes of the USDOT. Ms. Chromey focuses on cultivating and facilitating stakeholder relations to achieve consensus on many transportation programs, including the future of freight transportation, rail, truck, and bus safety, and streamlining organization processes.
Ms. Chromey began her professional career with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, where she held several positions in areas such as environmental compliance and management, transportation planning, research program development and implementation, strategic planning, and performance management. Ms. Chromey holds a bachelor’s degree from Millersville University, as well as earned several certificates.
Omar Franco
Senior Director, Becker & Poliakoff
Omar Franco heads Becker’s Federal Lobbying Practice in Washington, D.C. He currently represents a wide variety of clients including Fortune 500 companies, small businesses, higher education institutions, trade associations, non-profit organizations, and municipal governments. In 2020, Franco was named a Top Lobbyist by the National Institute of Lobbying & Ethics (NILE). He has also been recognized as a Hired Gun in The Hill’s annual list of Top Lobbyists since 2018.
LTJG Matthew Fritz
Marine Transportation System (MTS) Cyber Incident Responder, U.S. Coast Guard Cyber Command Maritime Cyber Readiness Branch
Lieutenant Junior Grade Matthew Fritz is a Marine Transportation System (MTS) Cyber Incident Responder for the United States Coast Guard Cyber Command (CGCYBER) Maritime Cyber Readiness Branch (MCRB). He manages Coast Guard response efforts for MTS cyber incidents, provides cyber incident response training to Coast Guard field units, and educates MTS stakeholders of CGCYBER capabilities and efforts. He is also a co-author of CGCYBER’s 2023 Cyber Trends and Insights in the Marine Environment Report.
Jason Gasparik
Business Development, Moffatt & Nichol
Jason Gasparik has more than 22 years of experience in container terminal automation, equipment and systems design. Jason has predominantly worked with cargo handling, crane and automation systems for the container port/terminal business throughout his career but has also been deeply involved in other heavy industries such as intermodal, steel making, forestry products and precast products. He has been a global leader for product strategy as well as been instrumental in presenting long term business strategies to C-level leadership teams throughout his career.
Lisa Lillelund
Director of Partner Development, Proterra
Lisa Lillelund is the Director of Partner Development at Proterra, the manufacturer of battery technology for heavy duty machinery and vehicles. Lisa works closely with OEM partners on the deployment and market education for the electrification of ports with Taylor Machine Works and with Daimler for the Thomas Built school buses.
Jeffrey Oskamp
Coastal Engineer, Moffatt & Nichol
Jeff Oskamp is a Coastal Engineer with Moffatt & Nichol, specializing in port engineering and coastal flood risk analysis. Mr. Oskamp approaches sea level change from a pragmatic decision-making perspective, paired with a rigorous understanding of the latest sea level change science. He is a member of the ASCE COPRI Sea-Level Change Task Committee.
Stephen Peranich
Principal, Blank Rome Government Relations
Stephen C. Peranich is a seasoned government affairs strategist and thought leader with more than 25 years of experience in advocacy, lobbying, policy development, and communications. His expertise has consistently produced positive results for his clients in the defense, maritime, transportation, and healthcare sectors. Renowned for his ability to forge strong alliances and advance advocacy agendas at both federal and state levels, Stephen has a notable history of cultivating high-performing teams. His strengths lie in consensus building, conveying the business impact of public policies, and engaging effectively with senior executives, members of Congress and their staff, Executive branch officials, and industry professionals. Stephen's dynamic approach and proven track record make him a valuable asset in any strategic endeavor.
Previously, Stephen served as chief of staff and primary advisor to the Office of Congressman Gene Taylor (D-MS) and as the legislative director for Congressman Taylor. He has more than 20 years of experience working in the House of Representatives, including assisting Congressman Taylor in his capacity as a member of the House Committee on Armed Services and Merchant Marine and Fisheries, the Coast Guard Caucus, the National Guard and Reserve Components Caucus, and the Shipbuilding Caucus.
Stephen received his master’s degree in national security and strategic studies at the Naval War College in Rhode Island.
Spencer Pope
Product Manager, Manager of Grant Applications, Taylor Machine Works, Inc.
Spencer Pope serves as Product Manager, and Manager of Grant Acquisitions, for Taylor Machine Works, Inc., headquartered in Louisville, Mississippi. The Taylor portfolio features over 150 heavy industrial material handling equipment models, including Forklifts, Container Handlers, Reach Stackers, and many other heavy industrial machines. His tenure as Product Manager has spanned the development of many new products, including ZERO emissions battery electric Container Handlers, battery electric heavy Forklifts, and negative-lift Reach Stackers purpose-built to serve inland waterway barge applications.
Working to educate Taylor’s industrial customer base on new material handling technologies and air quality advancements is a responsibility that Spencer is passionate about. He works at the State and Federal levels to drive policy and encourage alternate sources of funding for these new technologies.
Spencer also serves as Co-Chairman of the National Association of Waterfront Employers' "Environment, Energy, and Equipment (E3C) Committee". In that role, he serves as voice of the American Manufacturers who play key roles in supporting our nation's ports, waterways, and surrounding communities. Taylor Machine Works was instrumental in the development of dedicated container handling equipment almost 50 years ago and continues to innovate and meet the Port Industries' material handling challenges today.
Tom Saunders
Head of Government Affairs, Ports America
Chairman, NAWE Board of Directors
Tom Saunders is the Head of Government Affairs for Ports America, one of the largest marine terminal operators and stevedores in the U.S., with operations in 70 locations and every major port in the country. Ports America handles all types of cargo, including container, bulk, breakbulk, auto/RoRo, military, and cruise. The company has been operating for over 100 years and hires more than 12,000 union workers annually to operate its ports. In his role as Head of Government Affairs, Mr. Saunders oversees all aspects of the company’s government relations program, including strategic business/commercial development initiatives.
Mr. Saunders previously served as a policy advisor to the late Congressman Donald Payne, Sr. (NJ-10) and Congressman Donald Payne, Jr, a senior member of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee and House Homeland Security Committee. In his various roles on Capitol Hill, Mr. Saunders achieved favorable bipartisan policy outcomes through strategic partnerships, relationship building, and stakeholder outreach. His diverse experiences have resulted in an intimate understanding of the federal legislative and regulatory processes and deep industry knowledge.
Mr. Saunders is a graduate of the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and a New Jersey native.
Rick Siebenaler
CEO & Executive Director, Maritime Cybersecurity Institute
Rick Siebenaler is CEO of the Maritime Cybersecurity Institute, a non-profit 501(C)(3) organization dedicated to addressing the urgent need for robust cybersecurity measures in the commercial maritime sector.
Mr. Siebenaler’s cybersecurity career includes time at the National Security Agency, CyberGuard Corporation, Ernst & Young, and Deloitte. With these employers, Mr. Siebenaler has held the title of Chief Scientist, Chief Technology Officer, and Global Chief Information Security Officer, among many others. Mr. Siebenaler is now bringing this wealth of experience to the maritime industry, seeking to elevate and mature the industry’s cybersecurity posture in a holistic and strategic manner.
LCDR Kristi Sloane
Cyber Team Lead, USCG Office of Port and Facility Compliance
Lieutenant Commander Kristi Sloane is the Cyber Team Lead at the United States Coast Guard Office of Port and Facility Compliance where she manages programs that advance cyber security of the Nation’s ports and facilities.
Lieutenant Commander Kristi Sloane is a marine safety professional with over 20 years of service, primarily focused on commercial vessel inspections, facility inspections, waterways management, and aids to navigation.
Jennifer States
Director of Ports, Momentum
Jennifer brings 25 years of port and maritime sustainability, renewable energy, and clean tech expertise in industry, non-profit, government and research environments. Her experience includes Momentum, Blue Sky Maritime Coalition, Washington Maritime Blue, DNV, Port of Port Angeles, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, juwi (wind developer) as well as serving as an elected City Councilor (Sequim, WA). Her greatest accomplishments include supporting launch and leadership for three port and maritime sustainability non-profits, leading numerous collaborative port and vessel innovation projects, and implementation of Federal renewable energy policy driving development of clean tech projects.
She is a sought-after public speaker and thought leader on emission reduction technologies for the port and maritime sector. In 2023, she led the development of the Roadmap to Net-Zero Emissions: North American Waterborne Transportation. Working across 110+ member organizations of the Blue Sky Maritime Coalition to understand what success in 2050 looks like for each stakeholder, the roadmap works backwards to identify the steps and pathways needed to bring that future to reality. In 2020, she testified in Congress on new structures to support cross-cutting energy and maritime commercialization activities, leading to the launch of the Department of Energy Foundation. She participated in UN Climate Conference (COP28) as an official Observer, including panel presentations for the U.S. Department of Transportation on Decarbonizing Maritime Ports and the COP side event on The vital role of shipping in reducing global GHG emissions and contributing to the circular economy. She also helped lead the UN Sustainable Ocean Business Action Platform sprints on Shipping Decarbonization and Harnessing Ocean Energy.
Dave Turner
Vice President of Safety, Security, and Environment, Yusen Terminals LLC
David is currently Vice President, Health, Safety, Security and Environmental for Yusen Terminals LLC.
Prior to joining Yusen Terminals, David was the Vice President, Safety, Security and Environmental for NYK Ports LLC. David also worked for APM Terminals Pacific Ltd for 15 years holding several positions of increasing responsibility, holding the position of West Coast Director of HSSE.
David is a seasoned professional with 27 years of experience in developing and executing strategic HSSE programs. A recognized expert and industry leader in maritime safety, currently serving as a board member on the National Association of Waterfront Employers (NAWE) as well as serving as a member of the National Maritime Safety Association (NMSA) Board of Directors. David also served as Vice Chairman for the Pacific Maritime Association Coast Safety Committee during the 2014 ILWU Contract Negotiations and Vice Chairman for the Technical Committee (NMSA) for 8 years. David is currently serving as Chairman on the Department of Labor, Maritime Advisory Committee on Occupational Safety and Health, (MACOSH). David is experienced in driving safety improvement in a challenging environment, while continuing to maintain positive labor relations.
David holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management from the University of Phoenix. David received the 2024 NMSA Innovations in Safety Award, 2018 Pacific Maritime Association Person of Year Award, for Exceptional Contributions to Marine Terminal Safety, as well as the 2002 Maersk Safety Professional of the year award.
Jeff Vogel
Shareholder, Cozen O'Connor
Jeff focuses his practice on strategic and operational matters affecting the United States maritime industry and on government contracts across all industries. In the maritime space, Jeff routinely represents ocean carriers and maritime stakeholders in regulatory and financial matters before the Maritime Administration (MARAD), Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), U.S. Coast Guard (USCG), U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), and U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM). He provides counsel on a wide range of federal maritime programs, including the Maritime Security Program (MSP), Cargo Preference, Title XI Federal Ship Financing Program, Capital Construction Fund (CCF), Construction Reserve Fund (CRF), and Deepwater Ports licensing. In his government contracts practice, Jeff represents clients in a range of industries, including aviation, defense, engineering, health care, information technology, maritime, security services, and translation services.
Prior to joining the firm, Jeff worked at MARAD as the acting assistant chief counsel for Maritime Programs and lead attorney for Maritime Support Programs, where he led a team of attorneys overseeing all legal aspects of MARAD’s national security and financial programs.
Jeff earned his undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland, College Park, and his law degree and Master of Arts in Marine Affairs and Policy from the University of Miami. He was also the first MARAD attorney ever selected to attend the United States Naval War College, where he earned a Master of Arts in National Security and Strategic Studies.