COMMANDER WARREN WRIGHT, USCG (Ret.) | Associate, Booz Allen Hamilton

Warren is a native of Bronx, NY. He is a 2002 graduate of the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, with a Bachelor of Science Degree in  Logistics & Intermodal Transportation. While at the Academy, he served as Class President and lettered in Football, Basketball and Lacrosse.

Accepting a Coast Guard Commission at graduation, Warren’s first assignment was to commission the Maritime Safety & Security Team 91103 in Long Beach, CA where he conducted Port Security missions, in advance of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Warren was selected for Naval Flight Training and transferred to NAS Pensacola in 2004.

GARY HERRERA | President, International Longshore & Warehouse Union, Local 13

Gary Herrera is currently serving as President of the International Longshore and Warehouse Union, Local 13. He has previously served Local 13 for three years as Vice- President, as a member of the Executive Board and on the Coast Negotiating Committee, and Coast Legislative Committee. Gary has been on the waterfront since 1998 and became a registered member of the ILWU in 2004.

Prior to his full-time employment on the docks, Gary owned a successful sporting goods business in his hometown of San Pedro where he also was the Athletic Director at four local Boys and Girls Clubs. His entrepreneurial pursuits began after rewarding careers in both the public and private sectors alike.

At every step of his career, Gary has made advancing the interests of workers a core value.

KIM ESTES | Maritime Consultant, Collier, Walsh, Nakazawa, LLC

Kim Estes is a graduate of the Cal State University, California Maritime Academy. Upon graduation from the Academy, he served as an Officer in the US Merchant Marines on vessels of sizes ranging from 35,000 Dead Weight Tons to 265,000 Dead Weight Tons. He has served in various  capacities in the US Merchant Marines, ranging from the classification of Wiper (engine room utility person) to the classification of Chief Engineer.  He has been responsible for Machinery Spaces and Engineering Operations on vessels at sea and in shipyards. He has served as the company  representative in shipyards and at various repair facilities both in the United States and in countries around the world. He has also served as a Lieutenant in the US Navy Reserve.

Kim has been successful in managing corporate departments responsible for environment, health, safety and security (EH&SS) and Sustainable Development and Crisis Management. He has presented and lectured on Leadership & Corporate Culture models. Kim has worked on the SEA EMPRESS, COSCO BUSAN, COSTA CONCORDIA and the recent Huntington Beach oil spill.

TANYA ACKER – Attorney, Author, Podcast Host

TANYA M. ACKER is a co-host of Tribunal Justice on Amazon Freevee as well as host of The Tanya Acker Show podcast. She is also the author of Make Your Case – Finding Your Win in Civil Court (Diversion Books 2020).

Tanya is an experienced civil litigator who has represented a wide array of clients, from major automobile manufacturers in high stakes product liability litigation to media companies in hotly contested trade secret disputes.

In addition to serving as a Trustee of the Pacific Battleship Center, which operates the Battleship USS IOWA Museum, Tanya maintains an active involvement in various other philanthropic, civic and business organizations. A volunteer with Love Takes Root, she has traveled to Haiti to work in a clinic and orphanage founded by that organization. She is a member of the Beverly Hills West (CA) chapter of The Links, Incorporated and additionally serves on the boards of Public Counsel; the Western Justice Center; the Boy Scouts of America; and PacWest Bancorp. She is also a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy.