Revitalizing the U.S. Maritime Industry

Carleen Lynde Walker: Is the Co-Founder and CEO of NAMEPA (North American Marine Environment Protection Association) leveraging off her experience as a marketing and communications professional in the commercial maritime industry with over 40 years of experience.



She specializes in identifying, developing and implementing strategic marketing and communications programs that increase the visibility and effectiveness of NAMEPA as well as the development of educational resources promoting marine environment protection. She works to develop strategic alliances between industry, regulators, conservation groups and educators to “Save Our Seas”. In 2015, Ms. Lyden Walker was appointed an Ambassador by the International Maritime Organization (IMO). She is a member of WISTA (Women’s International Shipping and Trading Association), the Connecticut Maritime Association, the Marine Society of the City of New York, The National Press Club, WIMAC (Women in Maritime Association, Caribbean) and is a Past-President of the Propeller Club Chapter of the Port of NY/NJ. She was also elected to the Board of Trustees of the Coast Guard Foundation, the Tall Ships America Foundation, New York Harbor Foundation and the New Era Academy Transportation Technologies Program in Baltimore. She was recently named one of the top 100 women in shipping globally.

Ms. Lyden Walker is also Chief Executive Officer of Morgan Marketing & Communications, is Chief Evolution Officer of SHIPPINGInsight, Founder of CARIBMEPA and the Co-Founder/Executive Director of the Consortium for International Maritime Heritage. In 2010, she was awarded the Certificate of Merit by the United States Coast Guard and in 2014 a Public Service Commendation for her work on World Maritime Day and AMVER, respectively. Ms. Lyden Walker graduated from Wellesley College with a BA in Political Science and History (minor in Economics), studied Accounting at Cornell School of Business Administration and is a trained facilitator and media trainer. She held a USCG Captain’s license.

RADM Jim Watson: James Watson is currently an independent consultant providing business development services to maritime clients. He held the position of Senior VP of the American Bureau of Shipping Global Government Services, where he was responsible for the ABS’s government market sector. Prior to this, Watson was President and COO for the ABS’ Americas Division where he was responsible for all operations of the ABS in the Western Hemisphere. Before ABS, Watson served as Director of the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement at the US Department of Interior. In this role he provided regulatory oversight for energy exploration and production on the US Outer Continental Shelf.

Watson also served as the US Coast Guard’s Director of Prevention Policy for Marine Safety, Security and Stewardship, where his responsibilities included commercial vessel safety and security, ports and cargo safety and security and maritime investigations. He was designated as the Federal On-Scene Coordinator for the government-wide response to the Macondo incident in the Gulf of Mexico. Watson earned a Bachelor’s of Science in Marine Engineering from USCGA in 1978. He received his Master of Science in Naval Architecture and his Master of Science in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Michigan in 1985. Watson earned an additional Master of Science in Strategic Studies at the National Defense University in 2001. 

Brent Sadler: Brent joined Heritage Foundation after a 26 year Navy career with numerous operational tours on nuclear powered submarines in the Pacific, personal staffs of senior Defense Department leaders, and as a military diplomat in Asia. As a senior research fellow, his focus is on maritime security and the technologies shaping our future maritime forces, especially the Navy. In 2023, he authored a book detailing a new naval statecraft in U.S. Naval Power in the 21st Century.

A native of Springfield, Virginia, he graduated with honors from the United States Naval Academy in 1994 with a degree in Systems Engineering (robotics) and a minor in Japanese. As an Olmsted Scholar in Tokyo, Japan from 2004 to 2007, he studied at Keio University, Jochi University and the United Nations University. He has a M.A. from Jochi University and M.S. from National War College where he graduated with distinction in 2011 receiving several writing and research awards.

In 2011, he helped establish the Navy Asia Pacific Advisory Group (NAPAG), providing regionally informed comprehensive advice directly to Chief of Naval Operations’ (CNO). He again served on the CNO’s personal staff in 2015-2016, advising on the Asia-Pacific and as the CNO’s representative to the Deputy Secretary of Defense in developing the Defense Department’s Third Offset. At Pacific Command from 2012-2015, he held numerous key positions. As lead for Maritime Strategy and Policy, he incorporated all 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) into the first regional maritime domain awareness forum; and, was instrumental in developing the $500 million dollar Maritime Security Initiative. As Special Advisor on Japan, and a Council of Foreign Relations International Affairs Fellow in Tokyo, he played a key role in revising the U.S. and Japan Defense Guidelines. As Deputy Director Strategic Synchronization Group, he oversaw a think-tank like body of over 30 advisors and analysts. Lastly, he was the Commander’s representative to the Deputy Secretary of Defense responsible for developing and coordinating execution of the President’s Defense Strategic Guidance—Rebalance to the Asia-Pacific resulting in over $12 billion USD of additional monies budgeted in fiscal years 2013 through 2015 during a time of fiscal austerity.

Following his final tour on CNO’s staff, Brent returned to Asia as Senior Defense Official, Defense and Naval Attaché in Malaysia. During his tenure he played a key role in coordinating responses to the USS McCain collision in August 2017, opened several politically sensitive ports and airfields to U.S. forces, oversaw unprecedented expansion of U.S. military relations, and steadied relations during the historic May 2018 national elections ushering in an opposition party for the first time since independence. He is married to the former Yulia Polyakova and has two daughters: Sophia and Vivienne. 

Jim Patti: Throughout his more than 50 years working for the maritime industry, C. James Patti has played an active leadership role in all major legislative efforts affecting the operation of U.S.-flag vessels in the foreign and domestic trades and the employment of American mariners.  On virtually every issue relating to the preservation of the Jones Act, the application and full enforcement of the nation’s U.S.-flag cargo preference shipping requirements,  the drafting, enactment, and full funding of the Maritime Security and Tanker Security Programs, and numerous other legislative proposals affecting the operation of United States-flag commercial vessels, he has worked tirelessly to maintain and increase jobs for American mariners, and to ensure that government officials never lose sight of the critically important role the U.S.-flag maritime industry and America’s merchant mariners play in strengthening the economic, military and homeland security of our country. 

Mr. Patti began working on behalf of the U.S.-flag maritime industry in Washington, DC, in 1970 at the DC-based Transportation Institute.  He joined the Maritime Institute for Research and Industrial Development (MIRAID) in 1980 and became President of MIRAID in 1985, a position he continues to hold.  MIRAID represents and lobbies on behalf of the U.S.-flag shipping companies having a collective bargaining relationship with the Masters, Mates & Pilots Union.   

Mr. Patti has been a Member of the Masters, Mates & Pilots Union since 1980.  He has served as Chairman of USA Maritime, a Coalition representing companies operating U.S.-flag vessels in America’s foreign trades, the maritime unions that crew these vessels, and their related maritime associations.   In addition, he served as the International President of the International Propeller Club of the United States from 2021- 2022 and has been honored with the International Propeller Club’s prestigious Maritime Person of the Year Award. In 2022, he received the Seafarers International House Outstanding Friend of Seafarers award and in March 2025 the Marine Society of New York honored him with their Lifetime Achievement Award. 

RADM Wayne Arguin: Rear Admiral Arguin serves as the Assistant Commandant for Prevention Policy, and is responsible for the development of national policy, standards, and programs promoting Marine Safety, Security and Environmental Stewardship. Three Directorates carry out the mission: Inspections and Compliance, Marine Transportation Systems, and Commercial Regulations and Standards. Programs include waterways management, navigation and boating safety, ports and facilities, merchant mariner credentialing, vessel documentation, marine casualty investigation, commercial vessel inspections, and port state control.

Rear Admiral Arguin is a 1992 graduate of the Coast Guard Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering and in 2001, he earned a Master of Science degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Prior to his current assignment, Rear Admiral Arguin served as the Director of Inspection and Compliance, also at Coast Guard Headquarters. His previous operational assignments include Sector Commander, Sector New Orleans. He also served as Executive Officer of Marine Safety Office Memphis, TN and Prevention Department Head at Sector Lower Mississippi River where he coordinated waterways management, vessel inspections, mariner licensing and marine casualty investigations on the Lower Mississippi River and its tributaries. In 1994, Captain Arguin earned his Marine Inspection qualifications at Marine Safety Office Hampton Roads and served as senior marine inspector performing commercial vessel and cruise ship inspections at Marine Safety Office Tampa, Florida. He was also assigned to USCGC HARRIET LANE (WMEC-903) as a student engineer and Damage Control Assistant (1992- 1994).

His staff assignments include Director of Emerging Policy and Executive Officer, Hull Division Chief and Salvage Engineering Response Team (SERT) Leader at the Coast Guard’s Marine Safety Center. He was responsible for the evaluation and approval of vessel structures, stability, fire protection systems and coordinated salvage engineering support to the Coast Guard Captains of the Port (COTP) and Federal On- Scene Coordinators (FOSC) in response to a variety of vessel casualties.

David Walker: Is a Vice President, Global Government Services at ABS. He is responsible for helping ABS fulfill its not-for-profit mission to serve the public interest as well as the needs of our members and clients by promoting the security of life and property, and preserving the natural environment.  

ABS Global Government Services focuses on the needs of government clients with military or other public fleets as well as research, development, and demonstration programs that ABS undertakes with government agencies on a wide range of maritime innovation topics, including clean energy in the maritime domain and decarbonization of maritime operations. Additionally, David is the ABS lead for the US Center for Maritime Innovation for the US Maritime Administration, which is a new national research center for a wide range of maritime research, development, and demonstration programs including energy transition and decarbonization