Vetting and Clearance, BP Shipping

Risk management for major oil and gas company.  Responsible for ensuring safe transportation of petroleum products and chemicals by 3 party shipping companies through a detailed risk review.  

NATIONAL TRANSPORTATION SAFETY BOARD  Washington, DC                    JAN 2013 – OCT 2015

Senior Executive Director, Office of Marine Safety

Led the NTSB office of marine safety at the only independent federal agency in the US that conducts major marine casualty investigations. Conducted outreach and advocacy efforts promoting safety recommendations with industry and regulatory leaders and briefed members of Congress on issues impacting the maritime industry. Served as a member of the executive committee of the NTSB.

Select Accomplishments:

• Motivated and invigorated a team of tenured investigators to produce innovative safety products that are well recognized and utilized to enhance maritime safety worldwide.
• Improved efficiency in production of marine accident reports through streamlined processes and increased accountability overall investigative timeline was reduced by 6 months in the first year of the new process.
• Led the development of a standardized method for investigating safety culture of an organization involved in an accident. Process is incorporated in training programs at the NTSB academy for all modes of transportation.
• Designed and created ‘Safer Seas’, an annual publication of NTSB marine accident reports designed to provide safety professionals and operational personnel a quick reference guide to lessons learned from accidents.

Royal Caribbean cruises Ltd.  Miami, FL / Weybridge, UK                                           2000 – 2013

Associate Vice President, Marine Operations (2011 – 2013)

Served as member of the RCL Cruises Ltd. Board of Directors. Led the UK Marine Operations department including the daily operational and financial management of fleet budgets exceeding $53 million. Responsible for ensuring that a worldwide fleet of 13 ships operated in compliance with all company policies and regulatory requirements. Managed succession planning, technical purchasing, training, evaluation, and development for key marine operations personnel shipboard and shoreside. Directly supervised vessel captains.

Director Maritime Safety and Compliance (2005-2011)

Responsible for safety and regulatory compliance for fleet of 38 ships of within five different company brands. Served as the company expert in safety related legal cases and as industry representative to the International Maritime Organization (a division of the United Nations).

Safety Assurance Manager (2003-2005)

Led safety audits, inspections and investigations for fleet of passenger ships. Developed audit tools to enhance oversight and improve monitoring. Responsible for regulatory compliance through development of policies and procedures to enhance safety.  Developed and managed shipboard emergency response plans.  

Select Accomplishments:

• Led the successful startup of new RCL Cruises Ltd marine operations management office in the UK. Headed an onshore team managing shipboard operations, dry docks, regulatory compliance, and technical purchasing.
• Led the shoreside Executive Situation Management Team, responsible for corporate response protocols and response coordination to all types of critical shipboard and shoreside emergency situations.
• Managed several major vessel dry docking projects, ensuring efficient and safe project completion for lengthy cosmetic refurbishments and critical marine technical items such as propeller replacement and stabilizer repairs.
• Developed the strategy for safety procedures for the largest passenger ships in the world. Responsible for evaluation and decision making regarding bridge and engine control systems and critical life safety systems. 
• Developed and implemented safety audit and oversight tools and standardized safety procedures to address and improve navigation, fire safety, workplace safety, and shipyard fire safety.
• Enhanced and re-engineered an industry-leading navigation safety program, creating a Bridge Operations Quality Assurance (BOQA) monitoring system modeled after an airline industry program.
• Served as the lead auditor for ISM, ISO 9001 and 14001 audits. Established and led a shore based navigation working group focused on continuous improvement. 
• Designed and implemented an online incident reporting system used shipboard and shoreside to report near misses, accidents, compliance (audits etc.), corrective actions and suggestions for improvement.   

navigation and safety officer sailing experience                                         1998 – 2003

• Served as navigation and safety officer onboard various types of vessels including passenger vessels, supertankers, naval reserve vessel, mobile offshore drilling units and seismic survey vessels.
• Progressed deck officer license from 3rd Mate to Master 1600 GT and Chief Mate Unlimited.

• Director at National Transportation Safety Board
  Jan 2013 - Oct 2015
• Associate Vice President at Royal Caribbean Cruise Line
  Jan 2000 - Jan 2013
• Chief Mate, Safety Officer at Multiiple
  May 1998 - Apr 2003
• Vetting & Clearance at BP
  Oct 2015

• MBA
  Business at Nova Southeastern University
• BS
  Marine Transportation at Texas A&M University

• USCG License Master 1600T, Chief Mate Unlimited May 1998

• LinkedIn Profile