Meet the AAPA Board of Directors

A. PAUL ANDERSON, Port Tampa Bay

Paul Anderson is a Former Federal Maritime Commissioner and joined Port Tampa Bay as Chief Executive Officer in December 2012 after holding a series of high-profile leadership positions in the public and private sectors. Prior to joining Port Tampa Bay, Mr. Anderson was the Chief Executive Officer at the Jacksonville Port Authority. 

Nominated to the Federal Maritime Commission by President George W. Bush in 2003, and unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate in 2004, Anderson served a five-year term ending in 2008. In addition, the president designated Anderson as the Commission’s Chairman and re-nominated him for a second five-year term. A highlight of Anderson’s service included his appointment to the Committee on Marine Transportation, a cabinet-level strategy group responsible for the nation’s seaports and reporting directly to the president.

Anderson spent 10 years with JM Family Enterprises; a diversified automobile business headquartered in Deerfield Beach, Florida, and was previously a senior director of Seabulk Marine, Inc., an international marine transportation company in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. He has also served as an advisor on intermodal issues to former Florida governors Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist. 

Anderson currently serves as chair of the American Association of Port Authorities. Additionally, he currently serves as Chairman of the Coalition for America's Gateways and Trade Corridors (CAGTC). He recently completed a second term as the Chairman of the Florida Ports Council, having been reelected by his fellow Florida port directors and as well as previously serving as chair of the Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development Council (FSTED). Anderson also serves on the board of directors for the Florida Chamber of Commerce; Associated Industries of Florida; Moffitt Cancer Center Foundation; Leukemia Lymphoma Society; The Florida Aquarium; Visit Tampa Bay; Tampa Bay EDC; and the Hillsborough Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO). He has also held numerous community leadership positions including Chair, Board of Trustees, Broward (FL) Community College; Chair, Broward Alliance; Chair, Broward Health Foundation; Board of Directors of The Orange Bowl Committee; Board of Advisors of the South Florida PGA; and the National Executive Committee of the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship.

Anderson recently served as co-chair of the Jack H. Lucas Commissioning Committee. The Jack H. Lucas Commissioning Committee, Navy League of Tampa and U.S. Department of the Navy worked to host the historic commissioning of the USS Jack H. Lucas (DDG 125) Arleigh Burke-Class Warship. Ship commissioning is the act or ceremony of placing a ship into active Navy service. The commissioning ceremony is one of the most significant milestones in the life of a U.S. Navy ship. The committee raised money to support the ship and her crew, after the ship was officially commissioned into service.  

Anderson has lived in Florida for over 35 years and relocated with his family to Tampa, except during the period of his public service in Washington, D.C.  Anderson is a 1982 graduate of the University of Florida and completed the Senior Managers in Government program at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government.

CHETT CHIASSON, Greater Lafourche Port Commission

Chett Chiasson is the Executive Director of the Greater Lafourche Port Commission (GLPC), which runs Port Fourchon and the South Lafourche Leonard Miller, Jr. Airport.

Chett’s experience at the Port Commission over the past 17 years includes the marketing and leasing of port and airport properties as well as grant writing, management, and disaster recovery. His battle-tested leadership saw Port Fourchon through the aftermath of a direct hit from 2021’s Hurricane Ida, highlighting the port’s resilience and strength by opening for business within nine days of landfall.

Since being named director in January 2010, Chett has played a leadership role in working to protect Port Fourchon and Louisiana’s surrounding coast from devastating land loss while also stressing the importance of the energy industry for our local, state, and national economies and U.S. energy security. As chair of the Gulf Caucus, U.S. Delegation Legislative Policy Council member, and board member for the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA), he advocates for ports and port-forward policy on a national level. Chett has also had several opportunities to testify to the U.S. Congress regarding the economic importance of Port Fourchon and the energy industry and how industry and the environment can and do work together. He continues to champion that message, most recently with his 2021 appointments to the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management’s Gulf of Mexico Offshore Wind Task Force and the Louisiana Climate Initiatives Task Force Transportation Committee.

On the state level, Chett serves on the boards of the Louisiana Coastal Protection and Restoration Financing Corporation and the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Coastal Protection, Restoration, and Conservation. Chett is also Chairman of the Louisiana CPRA Board’s Finance Working Group.

He is Chairman of the LA 1 Coalition Board of Directors, Vice President of the Executive Board of Restore or Retreat, First Vice President of the Gulf Ports Association, a Fourchon Oilman’s Association board member, and a member of the SLEC Emerging Energy Task Force. Also, Chett is a past chairman of the Lafourche Chamber of Commerce and past president of the Ports Association of Louisiana (PAL), the South Central Industrial Association (SCIA), and the Bayou Industrial Group (BIG).

He is a graduate of both Leadership Lafourche (2008) and Leadership Louisiana (2009), was named one of the Best of Lafourche’s Forty under Forty (2014), and was honored as the LSU Public Administration Institute’s 2015 Distinguished MPA Alumnus.

Chett holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science and a Master of Public Administration degree, both from LSU. Geaux Tigers.

GRIFF LYNCH, Georgia Ports Authority

Griff Lynch is the Executive Director of the Georgia Ports Authority (GPA), a 1,400-person strong gateway for American commerce.

As Executive Director, Griff oversees the nation’s third-busiest container port and second-busiest auto port complex in Savannah and Brunswick, respectively. In addition, Griff oversees GPA’s two inland terminal operations in South and Northwest Georgia. Together, these facilities comprise one of the largest economic engines in the U.S. Southeast.

As a proven leader in the maritime industry, Griff brings more than 30 years of operational and commercial experience to his role. He currently resides with his family in Savannah, Georgia.

DEB DELUCA, Duluth Seaway Port Authority

Deb DeLuca is the executive director of the Duluth Seaway Port Authority, and proudly embraces its mission of bringing business to the port, economic development to the region, and advocating for maritime transportation, freight and industry. The Port Authority operates in the Port of Duluth-Superior, the largest port in the Great Lakes by tonnage, and amongst the top 20 in the nation. She is the first woman to lead the organization in its history.

DeLuca has been involved in maritime, freight, and Great Lakes policy initiatives at the local, state and federal level in various roles including president of the Minnesota Ports Association, treasurer of the American Great Lakes Ports Association, chair of the Minnesota Freight Advisory Committee, and executive committee member of APEX, a regional economic and business development organization. She serves on the boards of the Iron Mining Association of Minnesota, Green Marine and the Chamber of Marine Commerce and as an alternate Minnesota commissioner to the Great Lakes Commission. She also serves on the advisory committees for Minnesota Sea Grant, Wisconsin Sea Grant, and the University of Wisconsin-Superior Transportation, Logistics and Supply Chain Management Program.

Deb formerly served as Government and Environmental Affairs Director for the Port Authority and as a principal of DeLuca Strategies for 14 years prior to joining the Port Authority. A Wisconsin native, she holds B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University Wisconsin-Madison. She and her husband live, and raised their two children, in Duluth.

RICHARD J. HENDRICK, Albany Port District Commission

Rich Hendrick was selected by the Board of Commissioners to serve as the Chief Executive Officer of the Port of Albany-Rensselaer beginning in June 2008. During this time, the port has experienced historical increases in ships, tonnage and longshore labor hours worked at the port. Mr. Hendrick has also overseen the largest capital investment and infrastructure upgrades since the port was established in 1932, nearing $100 million.

Mr. Hendrick serves on the Board of Commissioners of Pilots of the State of New York and is on the AAPA Board of Directors, representing the U.S. North Atlantic Ports Region and serves as Secretary/Treasurer of the North Atlantic Ports Association. He is also on the Board of the Historic Cherry Hill in South Albany and serves on the Board of Directors of the W.F. Bruen Hose Company [Clinton Heights Fire Department] in East Greenbush, NY.

Prior to serving as GM, Mr. Hendrick was the Director of Security and Threat Assessment for the Port of Albany. He retired from City of Albany Police Department as a Detective after serving for 17 years.

HYDI WEBB, PortMiami

PortMiami is among the world’s leading hubs for global commerce and tourism. Its gateway location at the center of the Western Hemisphere makes the Port a significant conduit for international trade and commerce. On March 10th, 2022, Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava appointed Hydi Webb Director and CEO of PortMiami. Mrs. Webb oversees the growth and development of the world’s leading cruise port and one of America’s fastest-growing container ports. PortMiami is the U.S. container port closest to the Panama Canal, providing shippers fast access to Florida’s thriving consumer base and the entire U.S. market. It generates more than 334,500 jobs and has an economic impact of $43 billion.

Mrs. Webb is a maritime industry expert who started her career at PortMiami in 1992 and has gained experience in cruise and cargo business development, including negotiations of long-term agreements, strategic planning, client relations, marketing and communications, external affairs, and operations.

Throughout her 30-year career at PortMiami, Mrs. Webb has held several executive positions, including Manager of Advertising & Public Relations, Manager of Cruise Development, Manager of Business Development, Assistant Director of Business Development and Marketing, and Deputy Director.

Mrs. Webb also represents PortMiami on international and local economic development and business organizations, including the Cruise Line Industry Association, the World Travel and Tourism Council, the American Association of Port Authorities, the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Greater Miami and the Beaches Hotel Association, World Trade Center Miami, Beacon Council, Woman in International Trade, and various Chambers of Commerce among so others.

Mrs. Webb holds a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of Florida.

JULIANNA MARLER, Port of Vancouver USA

Julianna Marler was appointed CEO of the Port of Vancouver USA in January 2017. She joined the port in 2008 and prior to her appointment, served as the port’s Chief Financial and Administrative Officer. Julianna is the first female CEO in the port’s 107-year history. Her diverse professional background includes both private and public sector experience in logistics, sales, manufacturing, and leadership in procurement, contracts, finance and administration.

Julianna initiated development of the port’s new Strategic Plan and has advanced key strategic initiatives including the port’s West Vancouver Freight Access Project, Terminal 1 Waterfront project, and the development of industrial properties including the port’s Centennial Industrial Park.

Julianna currently serves on the American Association of Port Authorities Board of Directors, Greater Vancouver Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors, Association of Washington Business Board of Directors, the Washington State University Vancouver Advisory Council and is a member of the International Women’s Forum and Vancouver Rotary Club. Recipient of a 2018 Iris Award – an award honoring women of achievement in Southwest Washington – Julianna engages in ongoing activities to encourage and support women in leadership positions.

A native of Vancouver, Julianna attended Clark College and received her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Washington State University Vancouver.

DANNY WAN, Port of Oakland

Danny W. Wan was named the Port of Oakland's Executive Director Nov. 14, 2019 by the Oakland Board of Port Commissioners, the Port's seven-member governing body.  His appointment represented a natural transition from the increasing advisory and executive management roles he played over the 13 years of service he has given to the Port. Mr. Wan first advised the Port in the 1990s as an external legal counsel to the Aviation Division. From 2005 to 2008, Mr. Wan was Deputy Port Attorney. In 2012, Mr. Wan became Port Attorney and advised the Port Board and staff on a broad range of issues in the conduct of the Port’s Maritime, Aviation, and Commercial Real Estate businesses. Prior to his formal appointment as Executive Director, he served as both acting and interim Executive Director. His comprehensive knowledge of the Port’s integrated operations coupled with his intimate familiarity with the regulatory, community and public policy contexts in which the Port operates has been crucial in providing strategy and support in resolving significant legal and operational challenges.

Mr. Wan has been a public servant, local community leader and policy maker. He started his career in the late 1980s as a public-school teacher in Oakland and San Francisco. In 1996, he was elected to the Board of Directors for the East Bay Municipal Utilities District. In 2000, he was appointed to the Oakland City Council to represent the Chinatown/Grand Lake district, becoming the first openly LGBT council member in Oakland, and was elected to the position by voters two years later. As a council member, he led a successful bond initiative to fund clean-up and capital improvements to Lake Merritt and the Oakland Estuary that has resulted in a revitalized and restored Lake Merritt. He authored and passed an ordinance on multi-lingual access to city services as well as domestic partners and Port living wage policies. From 2008 to 2012, Mr. Wan was the City Attorney and Risk Manager for the City of Morgan Hill. In 2017, California Gov. Jerry Brown appointed him to the Sierra Nevada Conservancy which promotes economic development and environmental stewardship of the Sierra Nevada region.

Mr. Wan believes in the principles of transparency, common sense and strong ethics, which he believes inspire trust and lead to good decisions and effective implementation of goals and objectives. He welcomes creativity and innovation to advance and solidify the future of the Port as a key local, regional and state economic engine and jobs base.  Mr. Wan is committed to operating a Port that facilitates efficient goods movement, provides a convenient and positive airport experience and promotes economic and community benefits for residents of Oakland and the region.

Mr. Wan received a Bachelor’s of Arts in Rhetoric and Masters in Education from the University of California, Berkeley, and a Juris Doctorate from the UCLA School of Law. He lives in Oakland with his partner, Oliver.

SEAN HANRAHAN, St. John's Port Authority

Sean was appointed as President & CEO of the St. John’s Port Authority (SJPA) in July 1998. The SJPA is one of 17 Canada Port Authorities constituted under the Canada Marine Act. The port of St. John’s is the primary container port in the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador and is also the main service center for Eastern Canada’s offshore oil industry, which produces 30% of Canadian domestic crude oil. Prior to becoming the SJPA’s President & CEO, Sean was a practicing lawyer in St. John’s, Newfoundland (1990-1998), as well as a St. John’s City Councillor (1993-2001). As a volunteer, he has served as a member of the Board of Regents of Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador (1990-1996) and as a member of the Board of Directors of the St. John’s Maple Leafs Hockey Club (1993-1999), which is the American Hockey League franchise of the National Hockey League’s Toronto Maple Leafs.

Sean has served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Canadian Port Authorities (1999-2009 and 2013-2017) and was the Chairman in 2007-2008 and Secretary/Treasurer in 2015. He was a member of the Board of Directors of the American Association of American Port Authorities (1999-2002, 2010-2011, 2013-2014 and 2018-2020) and served as Chairman of the Canadian delegation in 2019-2020.

Sean holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland and Labrador (1986) and a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of New Brunswick (1989), during which time he was Associate Editor of the Law Journal. He was born, and resides, in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada and holds dual Canadian/Irish citizenship.

Lisa Lefeber, Port of Everett

Lisa Lefeber is the CEO/Executive Director of the Port of Everett in Washington state, a position she has held since August 2019.

Prior to her appointment to this role, Lisa served as the Port’s Deputy Executive Director, and stepped in as Acting CEO/Executive Director in 2018 when the Port’s former CEO was deployed to Afghanistan. Lisa’s years of service to the Port spans more than 17 years, including a previous 13 years as the Port’s Chief of Policy and Communications.

Lisa leads the organization’s three lines of business, including:

• the Port of Everett’s international seaport, representing the third largest container port in Washington state, and 5^th largest export customs district on the U.S. West Coast supporting $29B in trade
• the Port of Everett marina – the largest public marina on the West Coast with 2,300 recreational boating slips, surrounded by a regional hub of commercial and recreational boat services, and
• the Port’s commercial and industrial real estate, which includes a variety of heavy to light industrial job centers, and a new 65-acre mixed-use development know as Waterfront Place

Since 2016, Lisa has led the Port’s seaport modernization and expansion efforts, facilitating more than a $150 million in infrastructure investment to allow for larger ships, heavier cargos and increased rail volumes, which is critical to support the economic vitality of our region, move freight efficiently and support 40,000+ family-wage jobs. To date, these efforts have resulted in completion of the Port’s $57M South Terminal modernization, more than $8 million in on-dock rail upgrades, and the acquisition and development of the Port’s new $36M Norton Terminal now underway.

Lisa is a recent graduate of the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) Professional Port Management Program (2021) and has been selected to serve on the AAPA Board of Directors. She serves on other industry and community organization boards as well, including the Pacific Northwest Waterways Association, Economic Alliance Snohomish County and YMCA. She has a Master’s Degree in Public Administration from Seattle University and an undergraduate degree in Journalism from Western Washington University. Prior to joining the Port, Lisa worked as a news reporter.

Paul Matthews, Port of South Louisiana

Paul Matthews is the Chief Executive Officer of the Port of South Louisiana, America’s Leading Grain Exporter and one of the Largest Tonnage Ports in the Western Hemisphere. His tenure began in January 2022.  Matthews made history by becoming Louisiana’s first African-American port director. Prior to his time at the Port of South Louisiana, he served as Deputy Port Director at Plaquemines Port Harbor and Terminal District. He joined Plaquemines Port in 2017 after serving as the Community Affairs Manager at the Port of New Orleans.

As CEO, Matthews has been leading the Port of South Louisiana by maintaining many of the Port’s successes and growth. Under his direction, the Port of South Louisiana has focused on leading the way in the areas of agriculture, infrastructure and the energy transition. In his first year as CEO, the Port had its first net increase in tonnage in 7 years and the fiscal year ended with the Port’s highest revenue since its creation. His administration has secured millions in state and federal funds, renewed the long-term leases with multiple industry partners and has entered into an agreement that will foster the construction of Louisiana’s first grain terminal in 40 years, with capital investments of over $600 million and creating more than 200 permanent jobs.

During his career, Matthews helped negotiate multi-million-dollar terminal leases and facilitated the development of a private-public partnership to expand rail service while at the Plaquemines Port. He also assisted in securing millions of dollars of federal port security and dredging funds and was involved in attracting grants for critical port infrastructure projects. Matthews also promoted international engagement by establishing dialogue with the U.S. State Department, Department of Commerce, and United States trade representatives to expand port presence in developing countries in Southeast Asia, South America, West Africa, and India.

Matthews is the current Vice President of the Ports Association of Louisiana and a U.S. At-Large Director for the American Association of Port Authorities. He is a member of the Executive Board of Greater New Orleans, Inc. He is the immediate past Chairman of GNO Inc. NextGen Council. Louisiana’s Governor appointed Matthews to serve on the Governor’s Advisory Commission on Coastal Protection, Restoration & Conservation, Louisiana Board of International Commerce, as well as the Southern University Board of Supervisors. Matthews was awarded the 40 under 40 Award by Inland Marine Expo and was highlighted in Biz New Orleans Magazine’s New and Notables. He is a member of various maritime and civic organizations, the World Trade Center of New Orleans & Board of Directors of United Way Southeast Louisiana.

Matthews is a graduate of Ben Franklin High School in New Orleans, Tulane University, and received an MBA from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.