| 2026-2027 WISTA USA Board of Directors: (Left to Right: Sara Kuebel, Sarah Scherer, Christina Liviakis Gianopulos, Marlene Nicolaou-Boyer, Sarah Brennan, Meredith Kirby, Sarah Sangmeister, Jillian Tobias, Kassandra Savicki.) |
| PRESS RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE May 26, 2026 — Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association (WISTA) USA welcomed more than 200 maritime professionals from across the United States and the Caribbean to its Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Conference, held May 7-8, 2026, in New Orleans, Louisiana. The event kicked off with a Lunch and Learn hosted at the Port of New Orleans and sponsored by the American Club, where attendees gained valuable insights into Port NOLA’s operations while networking with fellow attendees over lunch. Following the Lunch and Learn, members participated in pre-conference professional development sessions. The program began with an inclusive leadership session led by Sarah Burroughs of Holland America Line and Kenia Carmona of Tropical Shipping. A second session on navigating compensation negotiations featured Sheila LaFleur of Trackline Search Partners and Anna Silva of Port Everglades Terminal LLC. Jillian Tobias of LogOn Media Strategies and Ellen Kennedy of Port Everglades then led a discussion on online presence and media training in an increasingly permanent digital landscape. The final session touched on leadership amid competing demands, presented by Christina Liviakis Gianopulos of American Ship Repair and Hanne Wulp of Communication Wise. The day concluded with a welcome reception and networking event aboard the steamboat Creole Queen. The WISTA USA AGM brought members together for updates from chapter leadership and committees, discussion of governance matters including bylaws and board elections, and opportunities for networking and professional development. Sara Kuebel, Partner at Jones Walker, and Sarah Scherer, Vice President of Business Development, Commercial, at Maritime Institute, were elected to the WISTA USA Board, while Sarah Brennan, Director of Cruise Business Development at Port Canaveral, was reelected to a second term. Together, they will serve with Marlene Nicolaou-Boyer, Stolt Tankers; Christina Liviakis Gianopulos, American Ship Repair; Meredith Kirby, IRI/Marshall Islands Registry; Sarah Sangmeister, Peacock Piper Tong + Voss LLP; Kassandra Savicki, Norton Rose Fulbright; and Jillian Tobias, LogOn Media Strategies on the 2026-2027 WISTA USA Board. Adding to the momentum, WISTA USA also announced that the 2027 WISTA USA AGM and Conference will take place in Norfolk, Virginia, April 13-15, 2027. The conference began with a welcome address from Tomeka Bryant, General Manager and Chief Strategy Officer for Port NOLA, presented by Phelps Dunbar LLP. The opening panel, “Dredging/Efficient Waterways” featured Parker Harrison, Port Houston; Colleen Brazil, Weeks Marine Inc.; Mary McCarthy, Moran Towing; Leia Wilson, Port Houston; and Belynda Kinman, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, who shared insights on dredging initiatives and improving waterway efficiency. The “U.S. Shipbuilding: Innovations and Investment” panel brought together Jill Willhoft, Liskow & Lewis; Heidi Landon-Greene, C-Job Houston, C-Job Naval Architects; Eileen Tausch, Fleetzero; and Brooke Shapiro, Liberty Maritime Corporation, to explore how the U.S. shipbuilding industry is evolving through technological advancement, capital investment, and strategic prioritization. The final panel, “Navigating the Digital Seas: Cybersecurity and AI in Maritime,” featured Abby Cassell, ABS Consulting; Caitlin Hardy, Ness Sea; Allison Skopec, Holland & Knight LLP; Felisa Sanchez, K&L Gates; and Laura Lewis, TowWorks, LLC. The panel examined how shipowners, operators, and stakeholders can leverage emerging technologies while protecting vessels, ports, and supply chains from increasingly sophisticated cyber threats. The conference concluded with a reception at the Audubon Aquarium, hosted by Jones Walker LLP, followed by an afterparty presented by Maritime Partners, LLC at the House of Blues. 2026 WISTA USA AGM sponsors included: the American Club; American Maritime Congress; American Roll-On Roll-Off Carrier; C-Job; Cozen O’Connor; Fairwater US; FMC International; Gallagher; Hancock Whitney; International Registries, Inc.; Jeffrey Fenneman Law PLLC; Jones Walker, LLP; K&L Gates; Law Offices of Michelle Otero Valdés; Liberty Maritime Corporation; Liskow; Lugenbuhl; Marine Engineers’ Beneficial Association, District No. 1-PCD; Maritime Partners, LLC; Moran Towing; Murphy, Rogers, Sloss, Gambel & Tompkins, APLC; Ness Sea; NorthStandard; Norton Rose Fulbright; OceanEx Global LLC; Phelps Dunbar LLP; Resolve Marine; Staines, Eppling & Kenney, LLC; Taylor Wellons Politz & Duhe, LLC; TradeWinds Towing LLC; and Weeks Marine, Inc. WISTA USA annual corporate sponsors include ABS, Blank Rome, Maersk Line, Limited, OSG, The Pasha Group, and Stolt-Nielsen. |
| About WISTA USA WISTA International is an international networking organization for women in management roles in the maritime industry and related trades. WISTA International comprises more than 6,000 members in 60 countries. WISTA USA, founded in 1997, is the largest National WISTA Association (NWA) worldwide, with more than 900 members spread across 12 regional chapters: Connecticut; Delaware River and Bay Area; Florida; Great Lakes/Midwest; Hampton Roads; New England; New Orleans; New York/New Jersey; the Pacific Northwest (Alaska, Washington, and Oregon); Texas; Washington, D.C. Metro; and West Coast (California and Hawaii). WISTA USA members represent all facets of the maritime industry, including shipowners, charterers, operators, brokers, bankers, insurance professionals, attorneys, analysts, and government officials. WISTA USA’s main goals are providing networking and educational opportunities for WISTA USA members. In pursuit of these objectives, our various regional chapters hold periodic meetings, seminars, and social gatherings throughout the year, occasionally in conjunction with larger marine industry events. In addition, the WISTA USA Annual General Meeting takes place each spring, and the WISTA International Conference, open to all WISTA members worldwide, takes place each fall. All of these events — whether local, regional, national, or international — provide tremendous networking and educational opportunities for our members and thereby enhance the benefits of membership in the organization. For more information on WISTA USA, please visit https://wistausa.com . Media Contact: Katherine Georginis, WISTA USA Press Officer 630-290-6243 kegeorg5@gmail.com |
