Port Leaders Take Center Stage at AAPA's Annual Convention—Starting in just over 1 week

[By AAPA]

Join 92 PORTS already registered to attend.

Annual Convention & Expo

September 28-30, 2026

New Orleans Marriott 555 Canal Street New Orleans, LA, 70130-2349

This year’s AAPA Annual Convention & Expo brings together nearly 70 port leaders from across the hemisphere to share what they’re seeing, what they’re solving, and where the industry is headed next. From infrastructure, workforce, technology, and sustainability to policy, economic development, cruise, and community engagement, these are the people leading ports through some of the most consequential challenges and opportunities facing the maritime industry today.

Their perspective is what makes this program different. Attendees won’t just hear about the issues shaping ports, they’ll hear directly from the executives, operators, engineers, government affairs professionals, communicators, and other port leaders who are navigating them every day.

Port Leaders are Center Stage

Committee: The Port Communicators: In Conversation
Penny Vavura, Director, External Affairs, Port of Albany

Committee: Navigating What's Next for Ports
Lee Beckmann, General Manager, Governmental and Community Affairs, Georgia Ports Authority
Gail McSpadden Greenman, Federal Affairs Manager, Port of Portland
Adrian Granda, Government Relations Director, Port of Long Beach
Cam Rahmn-Spencer, Director of Government Relations, Port Houston

Committee: Law Review Committee Meet N' Greet
Patrick Jordan, General Counsel, Port of Albany

Committee: Finance & Administration Committee Meet N' Greet
Robert McDonald, CFO, Port of Harlingen

Committee: Making Every Acre Count in Port Land Use
Joe Cappel, VP, Business Development, Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority
Patrick Jordan, General Counsel, Port of Albany
Robert McDonald, CFO, Port of Harlingen
Jorge Hernández, Director, Business Development Division, Port Everglades

Main Stage: Commissioner’s Symposium
Aimee Heim, Director, Government & Civic Relations, Port of San Diego
Lloyd "Ronnie" Newsom, Port Commissioner & Chairman, Plaquemines Port Terminal & Harbor District

Committee: Environmentally Sustainable Cruising with Shore Power and More
Cindy Burman, Director, Cruise Marketing & Business Services, Maryland Port Administration

Committee: Engineering the Next Generation of Ports
Tyler Comeaux, PE, PPM, Director of Operations, Port of Caddo-Bossier
Thais Howard, PE, Sr. Director of Engineering, The Northwest Seaport Alliance/Port of Tacoma
Kris Koski, PE, Director of Planning and Engineering, Port of Grays Harbor

Committee: Tech, Policy, and Data: Tackling Today’s Port IT Issues
John Crochet, Director of Information Technology, Greater Lafourche Port Commission

Committee: Economic Development Committee Meet N' Greet
Joe Cappel, VP, Business Development, Toledo-Lucas County Port Authority

Monday Jump Start Keynote 1: Anchoring the Nuclear Renaissance: How SMRs and FNPPs Will Energize U.S. Ports and Beyond
Dr. Noel Hacegaba, CEO, Port of Long Beach
Jeff Pollack, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, Port of Corpus Christi

Unlocking the potential of Section 203

At AAPA, join Tim Vail's presentation to hear what's driving today's successful Section 203 studies and connect with HDR's experts to discuss how we can help your port manage the process, reduce risk and advance your next navigation project.

Keynote Panel: Navigating the Future: How Louisiana’s Waterways, Infrastructure, and Economic Engine Drive Global Trade
Julia Fisher Cormier, Executive Director, Port of South Louisiana & Chair, Louisiana Ports & Waterways Investment Commission

Opportunity Zone Success: Lessons for Maritime Prosperity Zones
Jill Brownfield, CFO, Port of Anacortes

Restoring America's Maritime Workforce: A Case Study from the Port of Tacoma
Alisa Praskovich, Chief Strategy Officer, Port of Tacoma

Ports Under Pressure: Strategy and Capital Decisions in an Uncertain World
Kevin Beardsley, Chief Executive Officer, Duluth Seaway Port Authority
Kristin Decas, Chief Executive Officer, Port of Hueneme

The Impact of Starlink on Ports
John Crochet, Director of IT, Greater Lafourche Port Commission

The Road to Geospatial Enlightenment: Deploying Enterprise GIS + GIS-based Asset Management at Scale
Jeff Pollack, Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer, Port of Corpus Christi
Leslie Ruta, Director of Planning, Port of Corpus Christi
Jesse Robinson, Director of Asset Management, Port of Corpus Christi

Amazing Women in the Port Industry
Beth Ann Branch, President & CEO, Port of New Orleans, CEO, New Orleans Public Belt, & Board Member, AAPA Board of Directors
Josefina Khalidy, Principal, Maritime Business Retention, Port of San Diego
Julia Fisher Cormier, Executive Director, Chair, Louisiana Ports & Waterways Investment Commission, Port of South Louisiana

Risk and Reward: Structuring Public-Private Partnerships to Encourage Private Investment
Aimee Heim, Director, Government & Civic Relations, Port of San Diego

Funding and Expediting Port Infrastructure Projects through Policy and Legal Crosscurrents
Ruben Doran, General Counsel, Oxnard Harbor District (Port of Hueneme)
Kristin Decas, Chief Executive Officer & Port Director, Port of Hueneme
Cam Rahmn-Spencer, Director of Government Relations, Port Houston

Powering Port Growth: Building the Partnerships Needed for Infrastructure, Energy, and Resilience
Nicola Graham, Environmental Project Manager, Northwest Seaport Alliance

Investing in Communities: Workplace Development and Empowering Innovation
Artie Mandel, Director of Government Affairs, Port of Los Angeles
Loren Marino, Chief of Staff & External Affairs, Port of New Orleans

The Next-Generation Gulf Gateway: Inside the Louisiana International Terminal Partnership
Morten Jensen, COO, Port of New Orleans

Winning Authorization Under Section 203: How Ports Are Leading Successful Navigation Projects
Clayton Henderson, Director, Cedar Point Navigation District

Keynote Address: Reclaiming Maritime Dominance: Funding, Fees, and the New Frontier of U.S. Shipbuilding
The Hon. Paul Anderson, President & CEO, Port Tampa Bay

Breakfast Session: Coffee with the Port: An Oakland Maritime & Engineering Conversation
Jason Garben, Acting Maritime Director, Port of Oakland
Emilia Sanchez, Director of Engineering, Port of Oakland

Main Stage: Day 2 Welcome
Rich Hendrick, President & CEO, Port of Albany
Jospeh Morris, CEO & Port Director, Port Everglades

Keynote Panel: Dredging at the Speed of Commerce: Federal Alignment and Port Infrastructure Delivery
Jon Nass, Executive Director & CEO, Port of Gulfport

Keynote: Balancing Velocity and Vigilance: Modernizing Maritime Trade and Port Security with CBP
Lisa Lefeber, CEO, Port of Everett & Board Member, AAPA

From Freight to Futures: How Inland Ports Can Drive Community Transformation
Garry Clark, Jr., Executive Director, Omaha Inland Port Authority

Connecting Teams, Improving Visibility & Modernizing Port Operations through Digital Transformation
Yudi Takizawa, Commercial & Business Development Executive, Port of Corpus Christi

Port Modernization through the Lens of Electrification and Energy Resiliency
Helga Sommer, Assistant Director, Capital Development, PortMiami
Dina Aryan-Zahlan, Deputy Executive Director of Development, Port of Los Angeles

Seaports, Social Media & AI: Balancing Innovation, Visibility, and Compliance
Nimrod Simeon, Manager, Government Affairs & International Relations, PortMiami
Penny Vavura, Director, External Affairs, Port of Albany
Jayson Hron, Director of Communication and Marketing, Duluth Seaway Port Authority
Jennifer Baez, Supervisor, Social Media, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

Stronger Together: Regional Cruise Port Associations in Action
Alexandra Pierce, Visitor Industry Director, City and Borough of Juneau, Alaska
Jonathan Daniels, Director and Chief Executive Officer, PortMiami

Resiliency Preparedness: Are You Ready?
Brian Miller, Deputy Executive Director, Maryland Port Administration

Building Goodwill Through Community Sponsorships
Maria Pangelinan, Manager of Administration and Special Projects, Port of Long Beach
Kate Kuykendall, Assistant Director of Communications and Community Relations, Port of Long Beach
Steven Neal, President, Board of Harbor Commissioners, Port of Long Beach

When Passengers Become a Ballot Question: Lessons from Cruise Communities Under Pressure
Alexandra Pierce, Visitor Industry Director, City and Borough of Juneau, Alaska
Marie-Andrée Blanchet, Director, Cruise and international development, Québec Port Authority

Operational Resilience Through Accountability: Green Marine as a Strategic Compass for America.