CLIA Leadership

Kelly Craighead

President & CEO

Kelly Craighead is President and CEO of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), representing an expansive community of the world's most prestigious ocean, river, and specialty cruise lines; a highly trained and certified travel agent community; and a widespread network of stakeholders, including ports & destinations, ship development, suppliers, and business services.

As President and CEO, Kelly is responsible for leading the organization’s work as the leading authority and voice of the industry across the association’s five operating regions, including North America, Europe, Australasia, Brazil, the United Kingdom and Ireland. An important part of her leadership is directing the development and execution of the organization’s advocacy strategy and initiatives, which are designed to support the broad international business coalition that comprises the global cruise industry.

Under her leadership, CLIA and its members are paving the way in responsible tourism practices, significantly increasing the industry’s collective investment in research, development, and education, as well as executing advocacy and promotional efforts that add and create value for the cruise community and its partners.

Additionally, she serves as Vice Chairman and Executive Director of the Cruise Industry Charitable Foundation (CICF), a non-profit 501(c)(3) public charity founded in 1998 that serves to improve the quality of life in communities served by the cruise industry. CICF focuses its efforts in four key areas that include civic and community development, educational assistance and training programs, public health programs, and environmental preservation initiatives.

Kelly joined CLIA in January 2019, bringing with her over 20 years of executive leadership experience from both the public and private sectors, including most recently as the first-ever Deputy Assistant Secretary for Travel and Tourism at the United States Department of Commerce.

During her time with the U.S. Department of Commerce, Kelly acted as the senior government representative for travel and tourism matters on behalf of the United States. In addition to coordinating federal government tourism policies and programs, Kelly led initiatives that generated more than $250 billion USD annually from international visitors to the United States. She also represented the United States as the key point of contact for foreign tourism ministers regarding critical travel and tourism policy matters.

Earlier in her career, Kelly held leadership positions in the White House and traveled extensively within the United States and abroad supporting official government business and developing a wide network of international partners in government, media and business. Prior to her appointment as President and CEO of CLIA, Kelly founded Vertimas Consulting, where she supported a variety of private sector clients, including the World Travel and Tourism Council, with counsel and executive leadership support, including strategic planning and business development. A passionate and active member of the travel and tourism community, Kelly has been a member of Visit Florida’s board of directors since July 1, 2020, and in 2017 was named “Outstanding Woman in Travel and Tourism Leadership” by Women in Travel and Tourism Industries (WITTI).

Josh Good

Chief Financial Officer

In his role as senior vice president, global finance and operations, Josh Good is responsible for all financial planning, strategy, reporting and daily operations for CLIA and manages the organization's finance team across North America, Europe, Brazil and Australasia. Prior to joining CLIA, Josh was with Marriott International where he provided financial expertise and insight for the organization's sales, marketing, brand management, innovation, human resources, and global operations teams. Josh started his career in public accounting, and over the course of his career has supported various clients in a range of sectors, including government, for profit and non-profit.

Andy Harmer

Managing Director, United Kingdom & Ireland

As Managing Director for the United Kingdom and Ireland, Andy Harmer is responsible for the promotion and development of the cruise industry in the region through advocacy and trade relations. Additionally, Andy leads CLIA’s membership initiatives in the region on behalf of travel trade professionals and river cruise marketing affiliates, as well as the CLIA Executive Partner program, whose members range from ports and destinations to ship builders, to developers and leading maritime organizations that provide critical business services and products to the cruise industry. During his more than 10 years with CLIA, Andy has been responsible for the creation and implementation of CLIA’s travel agent program in the United Kingdom & Ireland, which offers an array of professional development opportunities, online and offline resources and material, training seminars and conferences for travel agents and agencies that support the cruise industry. In 2016, his role was expanded to include the introduction of the program across Europe. In 2020, he began additional oversight for the River Cruise Marketing Affiliate Program.

Lawrence Kaye

General Counsel

Lawrence “Larry” Kaye serves as general counsel for CLIA and is the Senior Partner of Kaye, Rose & Partners, LLP, the firm he co-founded in 1992. An international and domestic maritime specialist, Larry has four decades of wide-ranging litigation, legislative, regulatory and transactional expertise. He interacts with general counsels and other senior management of major shipping lines and related companies, routinely providing advice on complex statutory and regulatory regimes. These have included federal and state laws governing security, safety, the environment, public health, commercial practices, liability, civil rights and discrimination, employment, gambling, licensing, and international conventions on all aspects of maritime commerce.

Larry has handled or supervised legal matters throughout the United States and is responsible for more than two dozen precedent-setting published court decisions. He was a delegate to the International Maritime Organization and drafted key provisions of the Athens Convention on the Carriage of Passengers and Their Luggage by Sea. He also authored the International Cruise Passenger Bill of Rights adopted by every CLIA ocean-going Cruise Line Member worldwide, has drafted industry legislation passed by the U.S. Congress and California Legislature, and frequently testifies as a maritime legal expert before legislative bodies.

Prior to co-founding Kaye, Rose & Partners, Larry was a partner and the Maritime Department Chair at Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman (1990-1992) and a partner and associate with Lillick & McHose (1981-1990). He graduated from the University of San Diego School of Law, cum laude, and was admitted to the California Bar in 1979. Among his many honors, he holds the highest peer review rating of “preeminent” for professional excellence and ethical standards issued by Martindale-Hubbell, the leading publication of lawyer ratings in the United States and Canada. He was also voted among the Top Lawyers in California.

Bo Larsen

Senior Advisor

As Senior Advisor to CLIA, Bo helps identify and evaluate new enterprise strategies designed to maximize the collective impact of the cruise community on the industry’s license to operate responsibly. Prior to being named a senior advisor in October 2020, Bo led CLIA’s Executive Partner program whose members range from ports and destinations to ship builders, developers and leading maritime organizations that provide critical business services and products to the cruise industry. Bo joined CLIA in 2014 as Director of Port Engagement and Business Development. Prior to joining CLIA, he held a variety of leadership positions in travel marketing and promotion, including Director of Cruise Copenhagen Network, a destination network promoting the concept of cruising from Copenhagen and to other ports in Denmark; Director of Cruise Baltic, a network of the major cruise destinations in the Baltic Sea Region; and Director of Copenhagen/Øresund, a joint tourism project initiated by all the major stakeholders within tourism in the Øresund region. Bo began his career in travel and tourism with Scandinavian Airlines.

Mike McGarry

Senior Vice President of Global Government Affairs and Secretariat for North America

Mike McGarry oversees government relations and serves as the Secretariat for North America. In addition, he is the Executive Director of the CLIA Political Action Committee (PAC).

Prior to joining CLIA, Mike served as a government relations and public affairs leader for industry- leading brands, including Royal Dutch Shell plc, Visa Inc., Harrah’s Entertainment, MasterCard Incorporated, KPMG, and Marsh &McLennan.; At Royal Dutch Shell, Mike led Group external affairs in the U.S. and was later based in London where he was head of Global External Affairs for Shell Chemicals Companies. Earlier in his career, Mike was Deputy Staff Director and Parliamentarian for the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee during consideration of historic legislation and investigative hearings that received international media attention.

Anne Madison

Senior Vice President, Marketing & Strategic Communications

Anne Madison oversees global marketing and strategic communications, including digital marketing, branding, crisis communications, research and analytics for CLIA and also supports strategy and business planning. Over the course of her career, Anne has led a number of areas, including strategic planning, business development, B2B and B2C marketing, research, media relations, public affairs, issues management, crisis communications, investor relations, human resources, information technology, and events. Prior to her work with CLIA, Anne was chief strategy and communications officer for Brand USA, the nation’s destination marketing organization for the United States where she established the strategic foundation on which Brand USA continues to successfully pursue its mission. She also developed award-winning communications strategies to build strong and positive engagement with internal and external stakeholders worldwide. Earlier in her career, she held similar roles with Choice Hotels, Enterprise Community Investment, and The Ryland Group (now Lennar Homes).

Donald Brown

Senior Vice President, Maritime Policy

Donald Brown develops, presents, negotiates, and implements global industry positions on legislative, regulatory, and policy matters involving security, environmental stewardship and health. In addition, he leads delegations to the International Maritime Organization where he represents the global cruise industry during international treaty negotiations and other matters. He is also the designated Secretary to the CLIA Global Committees on Maritime Security Matters and Marine Environment Protection Matters.

Prior to joining CLIA, he served in the U.S. Coast Guard at the rank of Commander. His most recent assignment was to the Office of Maritime International Law where he provided agency-wide legal counsel to senior officials and federal interagency leaders on transnational maritime threats, with specific expertise in facilitating others to reach agency, national, and international consensus on policy matters. Previous duty assignments include U.S. Northern Command and NORAD, speechwriter and special assistant to the Coast Guard Commandant, Special Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Southern District of Florida, Rescue Coordination Center Miami and four years of at-sea experience aboard Coast Guard Cutters ESCANABA (1st Lieutenant) and VASHON (Executive Officer). Donald is a 1993 graduate of the United States Coast Guard Academy where he earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Government. In 2003 he graduated Cum Laude from the University of Miami School of Law where he served as Editor-in-Chief of the Inter-American Law Review. He has also served as a Visiting Professor of Law at the U.S. Naval Academy for Piracy, Maritime Threats, and the Law of the Sea.

Peter Plourd

Vice President, Global Information Technology

Peter Plourd is responsible for CLIA’s worldwide technology infrastructure. He coordinates CLIA’s technology requirements across North America, Europe, Brazil and Australasia.

Prior to joining CLIA, Peter was the Senior Director of Information Technology at AcademyHealth in DC. AcademyHealth focuses on producing evidence to facilitate better decision making in healthcare. He has been working in the non-profit sector for almost 20 years and prior to that he worked at a biotechnology firm in Baltimore and was with NASA for almost 10 years.

Christian Savelli

Vice President, Global Research and Business Analytics

Christian Savelli leads CLIA’s internal research department and oversees business analytics. He facilitates annual research planning and prioritization process, manages the CLIA Research Committee, advises stakeholders on research thinking and priorities and assists the association with business modeling, as well as developing business intelligence reporting across all aspects of the business. Prior to joining CLIA, Christian was with Meeting Professionals International (MPI), where he conducted analysis and research on demographics and products to enhance the value provided to MPI members. Prior to joining MPI, Christian was Director of Business Intelligence for Maxvantage and Maritz Travel. For more than 12 years, he provided business intelligence support across strategic meetings management accounts and was closely involved with designing cross account benchmarking analysis, aggregate reporting, market trend analysis, and predictive modeling. Christian also spent ten years in the hotel industry where he developed an expertise in yield management.

Carrie Watson

Vice President, Global Human Resources

Carrie has over 20 years of experience in consulting, talent management, and leadership development experience engineering strategic roadmaps to ignite transformative change and boost business performance. Since joining CLIA, Carrie has been working to align organizational design and workforce planning to advance initiatives and foster cohesive, productive environments-as she works alongside internal stakeholders to establish human capital analytical platforms that serve as instruments of growth.

Jennifer Williams

Vice President, Maritime Policy

Jennifer Williams develops, presents, negotiates, and implements global industry positions on legislative, regulatory, and policy matters involving ship design, operation and engineering. She leads delegations to the International Maritime Organization where she represents the global cruise industry during international treaty negotiations and other matters. In addition, she is the designated Secretary of the CLIA Global Committee on Maritime Safety Matters as well as the Cruise Ship Safety Forum and its Steering Committee. Jennifer has diverse expertise in maritime safety, security and marine environmental protection. She retired from the U.S. Coast Guard following nearly 30 years of service, having held a variety of operational and staff positions which included Sector Commander Los Angeles/Long Beach and Captain of the Port and Director of Inspections and Compliance in Washington DC, where she oversaw, developed and maintained regulatory policy, standards, and program alignment for all prevention activities associated with the safe operation of vessels and facilities. She managed policy development for the United States Coast Guard Auxiliary, recreational boating safety, foreign and domestic commercial vessel compliance inspections, ports and facilities safety and security, vessel documentation, and marine casualty investigation.

Joel Katz

Managing Director, Australasia

Joel Katz has 25 years of international experience in the cruise and hotel industries. In his role as Managing Director of CLIA Australasia, Joel heads the Sydney-based team responsible for the promotion and development of the cruise industry in the region through trade relations, industry training, and advocacy activities on behalf of the cruise line members.

Prior to joining CLIA in January 2016, Joel was executive vice president of Grand Circle Cruise Line in the United Kingdom from 2014 to 2016. Prior to his leadership role with Grand Circle, he spent 10 years with Orion Expeditions (acquired by Lindblad Expeditions in 2013) where he was chief operating officer. Joel earned his Bachelor’s of Business Science from the University of Cape Town and his post graduate diploma in Hotel & Catering Management from The Manchester Metropolitan University.

LinJiali Wong

Regional Manager, Asia

Jiali Wong is responsible for representing CLIA in Asia with a focus on increasing industry engagement and membership in the region and supporting the continued growth of cruise. This includes responsibilities for event development and growing CLIA’s Executive Partner program in the region, as well as furthering the association’s efforts in the areas of advocacy, education and promotion on behalf of the cruise industry.

Jiali has over 10 years of cross-functional experiences in project management, strategy and business development in the tourism sector. Prior to joining CLIA in Asia, she headed the cruise business development team at the Singapore Tourism Board where she forged strong interest and networks in the cruise industry. In her previous roles, she has handled business development and events management in sectors such as business travel, meetings, incentives, conferences, exhibitions and tourism development.

Marco Ferraz

Executive President

Marco Ferraz serves as Executive President of CLIA Abremar Brasil. Marco started working with tourism in the 1980s, at Monark Tourism. Before assuming the presidency of CLIA Abremar Brasil, he acted as president of Braztoa (Brazilian Association of Tour Operators) for four years. Under his leadership, Braztoa began a partnership with World Travel Market Latin America, Abav Expo, and started a close relationship with UNWTO (United Nations World Tourism Organization) and WTTC (World Travel and Tourism Council) to include Brazil as a priority destination as well as a source for international travelers.

Marie-Caroline Laurent

Director General, Europe

Marie-Caroline is a transport policy expert who has worked in leadership roles at the International Air Transport Association (IATA) for nearly a decade, including serving as Assistant Director for EU Affairs. Previously she worked in policy development for the Association of European Airlines and has also served as a parliamentary adviser at the European Parliament and as senior policy officer at the American Chamber of Commerce to the EU.

Julie Green

Deputy Director General, Europe

As Deputy Director General in Europe, Julie Green represents the cruise industry in Europe as a vital and responsible part of the travel and tourism sector. With a focus on active public engagement with key stakeholders, her responsibilities encompass government affairs, public affairs, and public relations in the execution of CLIA’s work program and priorities in the region on behalf of CLIA’s members.

Julie joined CLIA in January 2020 as Vice President of Strategic Communications in Europe. She is an expert communicator with a strong background and combined experience in corporate public relations and public policy. Prior to joining CLIA, Julie headed up global communications for the infrastructure business at the engineering firm Bechtel, where she helped to transform the company’s approach to reputation management. During her time at Bechtel, she introduced and ran strategic communications and thought leadership programs across multiple markets, including central and eastern Europe, and the Middle East.

Helge Grammerstorf

National Director, Germany

Helge Grammerstorf serves as National Director, Germany, providing support to CLIA through his role as Managing Director of SeaConsult HAM GmbH, a consulting and research firm specializing in international cruise business he founded in 1997 in Hamburg. Helge has spent his entire career in the maritime sector, starting his career as an ordinary seaman and assistant officer after completing his studies. He received his final degree as Captain and Certified Commercial Engineer and sailed onboard several cargo and passenger vessels in international services. In addition, prior to founding SeaConsult, Helge was a Managing Director of various German shipping and travel companies.

Maria Deligianni

Regional Director, Eastern Mediterranean

Maria Deligianni is Regional Director, Eastern Mediterranean based in Athens, Greece. She joined CLIA in March 2018 and is responsible for government and public affairs issues in the region. Maria has been involved in the shipping industry since 2011. Before joining CLIA, she worked for the European Community Shipowners’ Associations (ECSA) in Brussels as a Senior Advocacy and Policy Advisor on maritime safety, environmental and offshore shipping issues. Previously she spent time at the European Commission’s Director General Mobility and Transport Directorate in Brussels as well as SQE Marine Group and PriceWaterhouseCoopers (PwC Greece) in Piraeus and Athens. She holds an executive Master in Maritime Science (MSc) degree from the University of Ghent in Belgium as well as an MSc degree in International and European Studies from the University of Piraeus and a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Public Administration from the University of Athens.

Francesco Galietti

National Director, Italy

Francesco Galietti is National Director, Italy. Francesco is a policy expert, an author and a commentator in both the international print and broadcast media. His professional track record before joining CLIA includes three years as “Consigliere” at the Italian Ministry of Finance and advisory assignments with other Italian public institutions (Cassa Depositi e Prestiti, Government task force on sovereign wealth funds).

Tor Christian Sletner

National Director, Scandinavia

Tor Christian Sletner is National Director, Scandinavia. Tor Christian Sletner has his primary education from the Royal Norwegian Navy; at the Coastal Artillery School of Appeal, the Naval Academy's Operative Line and the Navy's Staff School. In addition, he holds a degree in Economics from the University of Oslo and an MBA in Strategic Management from the Norwegian School of Economics. Following 15 years of service in the Navy, he began his civil career at Vestfold University College, and later he became Deputy Director of the Norwegian Coastal Administration. Before joining CLIA he worked at the Norwegian Shipowners' Association since 2010. Christian has been a board member in the Norwegian NOx fund, permanent representative of the Norwegian delegation to IMO and over the years has joined and worked on committees in both the International Chamber of Shipping and the European Community Shipowners' Associations.

Alfredo Serrano

National Director, Spain

Alfredo Serrano is National Director, Spain. Alfredo Serrano leads public affairs and strategic engagement with ministries, regional and local administrations and national stakeholders, as well as the direct relationship with the CLIA partners and members in Spain. Alfredo held the position of Managing Director at the Spanish cruise line Iberojet Cruceros, a division of the Iberostar Group. In 2007 Carnival Corporation & PLC acquired Iberojet and rebranded it to Iberocruceros, where Alfredo remained as the Managing Director. He was responsible for launching the company as a key player in the Spanish travel market by diversifying its customer base and establishing a presence in South America. Alfredo obtained the degree of Industrial Engineering from the Polytechnic University of Madrid and holds an MBA from INSEAD (Fontainebleau, France).

Caroline Johnson

Senior Vice President, Travel Trade Membership

Caroline Johnson is the Senior Vice President, North America Travel Trade Membership. She oversees the Membership, Professional Development, Marketing, Events and Sales teams. Caroline is responsible for the membership value proposition and its successful delivery directed towards CLIA's Travel Agency and Agent Members. Her extensive experience in association and corporate leadership roles has helped her drive significant growth and value in the travel trade program. Prior to joining CLIA, Caroline was Senior Director, Marketing and Communications, at Meeting Professionals International, where she managed a department of 14 staff and built a unified brand by integrating consistent messages across all platforms, including a re-imagined member magazine and a robust social media strategy.

Brian Beall

Vice President, Government Affairs

Brian Beall is Vice President of Government Affairs at CLIA. In this role, Beall creates and leads strategic programs to achieve positive public policy outcomes at the state and federal levels in order to support CLIA cruise line members’ ability to grow their businesses and operate responsibly and sustainably.

In addition to his focus on cruise industry strategies in North America, Beall also provides leadership support for CLIA’s global government affairs priorities by encouraging constructive dialogue between the industry and its regulators and keeping elected officials and other stakeholders apprised of the industry’s policy perspectives and responsible tourism practices.

Beall joined CLIA in January 2020, bringing with him many years of experience in travel, tourism, and public policy, including positions with the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission, and the U.S. Department of State. Beall also worked on Capitol Hill as a Legislative Fellow in the U.S. Senate focused specifically on travel and tourism policy issues.

Immediately prior to joining CLIA, he was the Deputy Director for Policy in the National Travel and Tourism Office, part of the International Trade Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce, where he led and represented U.S. travel and tourism policy with foreign governments, private sector stakeholders, and federal agency partners.

Beall earned his Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Truman State University and his Master of Tourism Administration with a concentration in tourism policy development from The George Washington University.

Charles Sylvia ECC

Vice President, Industry and Trade Relations

Charles Sylvia has 24 years’ experience in cruise marketing and sales, starting as a front- line agent at a brick-and-mortar travel agency near Cape Cod, Massachusetts. After a decade successfully selling group cruises on the leisure side of the business, Charles moved to the corporate side, producing meetings, incentives, conferences and events at sea for Access TCA, a Boston-based exhibit and corporate events agency. Charles built Access TCA’s “At Sea” division from the ground up. In addition to being a lifelong cruise enthusiast, Charles is also interested in start-ups, serving as an advisor to graduate students in Brown University’s Program in Innovation Management and Entrepreneurship (PRIME). In his role at CLIA, Charles champions the interests of CLIA’s North American trade membership, comprised of more than 32,700 travel agency owners and agents.

Renée Limoge Reeve

Vice President of Government & Community Relations, Alaska

Renée Limoge Reeve leads all government affairs and community relations efforts on behalf of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) in Alaska.

Before joining CLIA in June 2021, Limoge Reeve held positions of increasing responsibility that helped establish her as an important liaison between Federal, State, and Tribal governments, and, the people of Alaska, with whom she shares a passion for the state’s diverse cultures, endless wildlife, epic beauty, and expansive coastlines.

Limoge Reeve’s love of Alaska was forever set following her graduation from college when she moved to Juneau from Washington, D.C. and became House Majority Press Secretary and subsequently Chief of Staff to a member of the Alaska State Legislature.

Limoge Reeve also served as spokesperson against a statewide ballot initiative and as Press Secretary for former Alaska Lt. Governor Craig Campbell. Following her experience working in the Lt. Governor’s office, she worked for the Alaska Support Industry Alliance, being promoted to Deputy Director. From 2018 to June 2021, Limoge Reeve was State Director for U.S. Senator Dan Sullivan.

Limoge Reeve is a graduate of the University of Vermont, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in political science. She and her husband, Michael, live in Anchorage with their yellow Labrador, Fenway, and take advantage of every opportunity to explore Alaska’s great outdoors.

Donna Spalding

CLIA Senior Adviser, Canada

Donna Spalding leads the government affairs and community relations efforts on behalf of Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) members operating in Canada and the Pacific North West (Washington state, Alaska, and Hawaii).

Based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Spalding has been a consultant for CLIA since 1999. Spalding has more than 25 years’ experience in nonprofit management, marketing, and planning—with expertise across the resource, financial, regional government, and legal sectors.

In addition, she is one of very few civilians globally who has completed the cruise Safety, Environmental & Health Officer training course.

Prior to joining CLIA, Spalding was a manager with the Vancouver Construction Association and executive director of the Ceramic Tile Association of British Columbia.

Over the course of her career, Spalding has served on a variety of community, government and industry boards and committees. She is currently a member of the Chamber of Shipping of British Columbia, and treasurer of the board of directors of the International Sailors Society Canada. Prior appointments include trustee and secretary of the Vancouver Maritime Museum.

Spalding graduated from Cariboo University College with a degree in business.

Sally Andrews

Vice President, Strategic Communications & Public Affairs, North America

Sally Andrews is Vice President of Strategic Communications & Public Affairs at CLIA. In this role, she leads the development and implementation of strategies for internal and external stakeholder communications, industry engagement, media relations, issues and crisis management, channel optimization (owned and third-party), content and messaging development, executive communications, social media, public affairs, and reputation-related event strategies.

Andrews also serves as a liaison with influencer organizations and grassroots champions, collaborating with CLIA government affairs on their efforts with the Executive and Legislative branches. 

In addition, Andrews leads the strategic efforts of CLIA’s 501(c)(3), the Cruise Industry Charitable Foundation (CICF). 

Andrews’ primary focus is on North America, while also providing support for CLIA’s global efforts. 

Before joining CLIA in February 2023, Andrews spent more than 16 years in leadership positions at Holland America Line, with her last role as Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer. During her tenure, she oversaw public relations, global media relations, corporate and internal communications, community relations, social responsibility, reputation and crisis management, social media, partnerships, events, and marketing communications. 

Andrews has also held leadership positions in other industries including technology, financial services, telecommunications, insurance, and at agencies overseeing Fortune 500 accounts. She has led the development of many award-winning campaigns and high-profile initiatives for consumer and business audiences. 

Andrews holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Washington and will be based in Seattle, Washington.

Carla Guilbaud

Vice President, Membership Experience

Carla Guilbaud is Vice President, Membership Experience for Cruise Lines International. In this role, Guilbaud leads the Membership and Commercial elements that are so critical to support and provide value to our members and commercial partners around the globe.

She joined CLIA in November 2022 and has extensive experience in the industry, having spent her entire career working for one of the world’s largest cruise lines. As a result, she brings to CLIA insight and experience supporting a wide range of business structures in North America and globally.

Prior to joining CLIA, Guilbaud was with Royal Caribbean Group, most recently as Director, Supply Chain Management. In this position, she was responsible for marine and technical procurement related to new builds and special projects. Prior this position, Guilbaud held positions of increasing responsibility over her 23-year career with the company.

Guilbaud earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in international business from Florida International University—College of Business, and recently earned a Master of Science degree in Engineering and Industrial Management from Florida International University—College of Engineering & Computing.

Mike McGarry

Interim Managing Director, North America

Mike McGarry oversees CLIA’s government affairs activities in North America and is serving in an interim capacity as Managing Director for North America.

Prior to joining CLIA, Mike served as a government relations and public affairs leader for industry- leading brands, including Royal Dutch Shell plc, Visa Inc., Harrah’s Entertainment, MasterCard Incorporated, KPMG, and Marsh &McLennan.

At Royal Dutch Shell, Mike led Group external affairs in the U.S. and was later based in London where he was head of Global External Affairs for Shell Chemicals Companies. Earlier in his career, Mike was Deputy Staff Director and Parliamentarian for the U.S. House of Representatives Financial Services Committee during consideration of historic legislation and investigative hearings that received international media attention.

Jill Straniero

Senior Vice President, Digital Solutions & Managing Director of Global Technology

As Senior Vice President, Digital Solutions & Managing Director of Global Technology, Jill Straniero oversees and leads all digitally enabled business strategies and processes to achieve the organization’s business objectives, including protection from cybersecurity risks.

Prior to joining Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) in January 2024, Jill worked as a consultant for DelCor Technologies, where she served as a fractional or interim Chief Information Officer for five associations and conducted digital and technology ecosystem assessments for a range of association clients.

Her experience also includes serving as the director of digital experience at the National Apartment Association and the Director of Digital Product Management for the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association where she led the development of the organization’s digital product strategies.

A thought leader and change agent, Jill excels at delivering solutions thatsolve today's problems and flex for future ones.

A member of the American Society of Association Executives, Jill earned her Certified Association Executive (CAE) in 2013 and has served as a member of the ASAE Communications Section Council (2013 to 2018), which she chaired in 2016. Jill earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County.

Jethro Beck

Vice President, Maritime Policy

As Vice President, Maritime Policy, Jethro works on behalf of CLIA’s oceangoing cruise line members in the areas of security, environmental sustainability, medical and public health, and travel facilitation. He also plays a key role representing the industry at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), including engagement at meetings of the IMO Intersessional Working Group on GHG Reduction and the Marine Environment Protection Committee.

Jethro joined CLIA in 2024, bringing with him a wealth of experience, having served the industry in positions of increasing responsibility at sea and on shore, including shipyard management and command of large vessel fleets.

Born and raised in Scotland, Jethro began his maritime career at 16 years of age, joining an LNG tanker out of Brunei as an engineering apprentice.During the course of his career over the past two decades, he has held leadership roles at a variety of large and small cruise companies, including head of marine operations supporting the launch of the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection and as operations director with Holland America Line; vice president of marine operations for American Queen Voyages responsible for the nautical, technical, compliance, safety and security operations of the line’s river cruise fleet; and earlier roles with Seabourn and Princess Cruise Lines. Notably, he has captained vessels for Holland America Line, Shell Oil and Global Marine Systems.

Karyn Gruenberg

Senior Vice President, Membership and Managing Director of Enterprise Development

Karyn Gruenberg is Senior Vice President, Membership and Managing Director of Enterprise Development at Cruise Lines International Association, with responsibility for driving member-partner engagement through curated events and business partnerships, raising awareness and alignment on industry matters of shared interest. Prior to joining CLIA in 2023, Karyn served as senior vice president of partner marketing and strategic alliances at Brand USA, the public/private partnership created in 2009 to increase international visitation spend and market share in order to fuel the nation’s economy and enhance the image of the USA worldwide.

Rear Admiral Frederick J. Kenney
(U.S. Coast Guard, Ret.)

Special Envoy

Rear Admiral Kenney serves as Special Envoy for Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) on the Maritime Policy Team (MPT). In this role, he advises the CEO and the MPT on diplomatic and regulatory matters arising from CLIA’s interactions with the United Nations and other treaty and regulatory bodies, in particular the International Maritime Organization (IMO).

Prior to his work with CLIA, he was the Director of Legal and External Affairs at the IMO, London. During his tenure at the IMO, he was responsible for advising the Secretary-General on all legal issues associated with the functioning of the Organization, with special emphasis on matters of treaty law and the law of the sea; providing legal counsel to the Secretariat staff in their support of the IMO’s committees and subcommittees, as Secretary for the Organization’s Legal Committee, and overseeing the Organization’s role as depositary for the 53 multilateral conventions adopted under the aegis of the IMO. He also oversaw the operation of the IMO’s Public Information Service, its Maritime Knowledge Centre and External Relations Office.

In July 2022, Rear Admiral Kenney was seconded to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs where he served as the initial UN Coordinator for the Black Sea Grain Initiative. In this role, he was responsible for the development and implementation of policies and procedures to ensure the safe delivery of grain and other foodstuffs from Odessa-area Ukrainian ports.

Prior to joining the IMO, he served as Judge Advocate General and Chief Counsel of the United States Coast Guard (USCG), attaining the rank of Rear Admiral. He was commissioned by the USCG in 1981 after graduating from Officer Candidate School. During his 33-year career with the USCG, he spent nearly five years at sea, including serving on a polar icebreaker as a deck watch officer and conducting law enforcement and security operations.

His legal assignments over the span of 22 years included leadership, as Judge Advocate General, of nearly 300 attorneys and 100 legal support personnel, responsible for the delivery of all legal services to the USCG around the globe; executive assistant and Chief of the Coast Guard's Office of Legal Policy and Program Development; Staff Judge Advocate, First Coast Guard District, Boston, Mass.; Coast Guard Liaison Officer to the Office of Oceans Affairs, U.S. Department of State; Chief of the Marine Safety and Environmental Protection Law Branch and subsequently head of the Office of Maritime and International Law, Washington, DC, where he was the head of the United States’ delegation to the IMO’s Legal Committee. Notably, he was a Member of the U.S. delegation to 12 different IMO committees and subcommittees.

Rear Admiral Kenney has extensive experience as a prosecutor, defense counsel and appellate counsel in criminal cases. From 1999 to 2011, he served on several legal capacity-building missions in developing countries on behalf of the United States, and from 2009 to 2010, he served as an appellate judge on the Coast Guard Court of Criminal Appeals. He also served as lead agency counsel in cases before the United States Supreme Court, and in the litigation arising from the Macondo 252/Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

His operational assignments included service as Commanding Officer of Coast Guard Pacific Area Tactical Law Enforcement Team, San Diego, Calif.; Officer in Charge, Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment, Alameda, Calif.; and First Lieutenant and Operations Officer aboard Coast Guard Cutter Westwind, a polar icebreaker. Extended temporary operations assignments include duty as Senior Coast Guard Officer, Allied Forces Southern Europe, during the blockade of the Former Republic of Yugoslavia, and in the Office of Law Enforcement, Seventh Coast Guard District, Miami, Fla.

His military decorations include the Coast Guard Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit (three awards), the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, the Coast Guard Meritorious Service Medal with Operational Distinguishing Device (three awards), the Coast Guard Commendation Medal with Operational Distinguishing Device (two awards), the Coast Guard Achievement Medal and the NATO Medal. Non-military awards include the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Gold Medal, the Department of State Superior Honor Award, and the Department of Justice Certificate of Commendation.

Over the course of his career, he has published several law review articles, has lectured widely, an adjunct professor of maritime law at Georgetown University Law Center and the U.S. Defense Institute for International Legal Studies, as well as a visiting lecturer at the World Maritime University in Malmo Sweden and the International Maritime Law Institute in Malta. He is also a Visiting Fellow at the Swansea University Institute of International Maritime Law. Rear Admiral Kenney is a member of the bars of the State of California, the Court of Appeals for the Armed Forces, and the U.S. Supreme Court. He earned his juris doctor from the University of San Francisco School of Law and B.A. in Economics from Michigan State University.

Nikos Mertzanidis

Vice President, Ports & Destinations and Taxation

Nikos Mertzanidis is Vice President, Ports & Destinations and Taxation at Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) in Europe where he is responsible for developing, presenting, negotiating, and implementing industry positions on legislative, regulatory, and policy matters involving sustainability in ports & destinations and taxation issues. In addition, he supports the work of CLIA’s Port & Destination Advisory Committee,  Global Tax Committee and the Europe Taxation Working Group.

Nikos joined CLIA in 2016 as Manager, European Government Affairs. He was promoted to Director in 2020, and to his present position as Vice President in 2023. Prior to joining CLIA, Nikos was a political advisor, working on the Constitutional Affairs Committee of the European Parliament, and later joined Imperial Brands Ltd. as the chief lobbyist focused on EU legislation for FMCG, taxation, new generation products, and consumer affairs.

A seasoned government and public affairs professional, with expertise in EU policy making and European business regulation, Nikos is a long-standing member of the International Political Science Association and the Society of European Affairs Professionals.

Born and raised in Greece, he studied political science and international relations at the University of Macedonia in Greece, working in parallel for the UNESCO Chair for Intercultural Policy. He earned his Master’s degree in International Politics at the University of Aberystwyth in Wales in 2009 and, in 2022, his PhD with an emphasis on International Relations and Affairs from the University of Macedonia.

Jose Caldera

Vice President, Global Human Resources

Jose Caldera is the Vice President for Global Human Resources. In this pivotal role, Jose oversees CLIA’s human resources (HR) functions across multiple regions, including North America, the United Kingdom and Ireland, CLIA Europe, Brazil and Australasia. His leadership ensures that CLIA's HR strategies align with the organization's global objectives.

Jose’s responsibilities span a wide range of HR functions, including talent acquisition, employee onboarding, performance management, employee engagement and the cultivation of a positive organizational culture. He is also responsible for HR compliance and office operations.

With a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality Administration from Boston University, Jose brings a strong educational foundation to his role. He is also certified as a Senior Professional in Human Resources (SPHR) and holds the Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) designation from the Society for Human Resource Management. Jose’s career is marked by his dedication to creating dynamic and inclusive workplaces that foster employee growth and organizational success. His global perspective and strategic vision continue to drive CLIA’s HR efforts forward.

Jon Murrie

Communications Director, Australasia

Jon leads CLIA’s communications efforts across Australia and New Zealand, elevating the industry’s advocacy priorities through media and public relations, stakeholder engagement and trade initiatives. As a former journalist and editor with a background in daily newspapers and the travel trade press, he combines expert skills in media and communications with a close understanding of the cruise and travel sectors.

Prior to joining CLIA’s Sydney-based team in 2019, Jon had a long-standing role as a senior public relations consultant, serving a client-base in cruise, aviation, tourism, hospitality and business events.

DJ Edwards

Vice President of Global Information Technology

As Vice President of Global Information Technology, DJ leads CLIA's global strategy for IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, data protection, platform integration, cloud modernization, and end-user support. He plays a key role in transforming CLIA's technology systems to enhance efficiency, security, and scalability, supporting operations across nine global offices.

DJ joined CLIA in 2024 as an accomplished strategic engineer with extensive experience advising nonprofits and associations. Based in Washington, DC, he specializes in cloud modernization, project leadership, association technology, technology strategy, cybersecurity, and infrastructure management. Prior to CLIA, DJ served as a Senior Technical Project Consultant at DelCor Technology Solutions, where he led over 300 projects for more than 180 associations globally, providing strategic IT leadership and optimizing technology stacks to enhance productivity and security.

DJ is committed to innovation and team development and is passionate about leveraging his expertise to support CLIA’s mission and strategic goals, driving growth through innovative IT solutions.

Drew Davis

Chief of Staff

Drew currently serves as Chief of Staff at Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA), the world’s premier trade association for the cruise lines industry. He has extensive experience within the intelligence and national security arena, having seen 12 years of U.S. Government service and tours in The White House Situation Room supporting the President, Vice President, National Security Advisor, and several Cabinet-level officials, the National Counterterrorism Center supporting the Director, and several other key positions and Chief of Staff roles supporting Agency and Department leadership teams. He concluded his federal service as Deputy Director of an Enterprise Function.

Beyond his maritime industry work and public service, Drew and his wife own and operate Rise Equity Group, a real estate investment firm focused on multifamily properties, and Drew is the Founder and CEO of C-Suite Success, an affiliate marketing agency and management consultancy.

Drew previously managed a foreign affairs policy institute as Executive Director, a large waterpark/golf/convention center resort, and served as a police officer. He received his BA in politics and government, world religions, and national security studies from Ripon College, and his Master’s degree in international affairs, with concentrations in intelligence and national security law from Texas A&M. Drew is a proud graduate of the Chief of Staff Executive Education Program at Oxford University, has two kids, and enjoys skiing, golfing, martial arts, super yachts, and traveling with his family.

Samuel Maubanc

Director General, Europe

As director general for CLIA in Europe, Samuel Maubanc is responsible for driving advocacy efforts on behalf of CLIA-member cruise lines operating in Europe and championing policies that support the sector’s energy transition in pursuit of net-zero emissions by 2050, as well as the cruise industry’s engagement with ports and destinations that prioritize, support and promote responsible growth.

In addition to his prior experience leading an industry trade association, Maubanc has nearly two decades of experience in EU policy and public affairs, with a focus on decarbonization ambitions driven by increasing the availability of competitively priced sustainable fuels, and security of supply channels in the transportation sector. 

Prior to joining CLIA in November 2024, Maubanc was head of EU Affairs and general manager for Neste, a leading producer  of renewable fuels and circular  solutions. During his tenure with Neste, he was an influential voice in policy conversations regarding sustainable energy pathways and related issues. Notably, he was at the center of advocacy discussions for all relevant pieces of EU legislation and regulations, which included the revision of the EU Renewable Energy Directive and the newly created EU SAF mandate under ReFUEL EU Aviation. Prior to Neste, Maubanc was general manager for Liquid Gas Europe, a nonprofit association representing the liquid gas industry in Brussels. He holds an Executive master’s degree in management from the Brussels Solvay Business School, and a master’s degree in European Studies from the University of Aalborg, Denmark. 

Loan Nguyen

Global Controller

As the Global Controller at CLIA, Nguyen oversees the financial functions of CLIA across North America, Europe, Australasia and Brazil. In her role, she works to ensure the integrity and accuracy of all accounting operations and financial reporting, as well as compliance with applicable regulations and internal policies. Prior to joining CLIA, Nguyen held various positions providing expertise in risk assessment, financial analysis, systems implementation, and day-to-day accounting operations. With over 20 years of accounting experience, Nguyen has built her career in public accounting supporting non-profit and for-profit clients performing financial audits, outsourced accounting and tax preparation.