Feb. 29-March 2 event in partnership with the U.S. Dept. of Transportation’s Maritime Administration
BUZZARDS BAY, MA, ISSUED FEBRUARY 13, 2024… Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA; www.maritime.edu), a top-ranked public university with undergraduate degree programs focusing on science, engineering, technology, math, and business that blend academics and experiential learning, is excited to announce that Rear Admiral Ann C. Phillips, Administrator of the U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD), and Deputy Administrator Tamekia Flack will speak during the 12th Women on the Water (WOW) Conference, this year hosted by the Academy in partnership with MARAD.
Each year, the Maritime Administration (MARAD) cohorts with one of the maritime academies to organize the Women on the Water Conference. The multi-day event will be held on the MMA campus from February 29-March 2, and showcases the remarkable achievements of women in the maritime industry and highlights their essential contributions to the nation’s maritime workforce. The conference features panel discussions, keynote speeches, mock interviews and networking events designed to prepare female cadets and maritime students for the ever-evolving maritime industry.
Flack, who was sworn in as Deputy Administrator of MARAD on July 3, 2023 after having served as MARAD’s Chief Counsel, will participate in a panel discussion on Allyship/Mentoring during an afternoon conference session on Thursday, February 29th.
Rear Admiral Phillips, US Navy (Ret.) will deliver the Keynote Address preceding dinner on the 29th.
As head of MARAD, Philips advises and assists the US Secretary of Transportation on commercial maritime matters. Phillips served nearly 31 years as a surface warfare officer. Her final tour of duty, as Commander, Expeditionary Strike Group TWO, included the direct oversight of 14 ships and 10 subordinate commands, which represented all the Amphibious Expeditionary Forces on the East Coast of the United States.
Women on the Water offers cadets an invaluable opportunity to learn from seasoned mariners, industry leaders and experts in maritime professional development. The conference’s primary goal is to foster camaraderie and facilitate networking among peers.
Registration remains open for those wishing to attend this inspiring conference. To register, please visit https://www.maritime.edu/wow.
“The entire Academy community looks forward to welcoming MARAD Administrator Rear Admiral Phillips and Deputy Administrator Flack at the upcoming WOW Conference,” said Rear Admiral Francis X. McDonald, USMS, president of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy, noting that Women on the Water highlights the vital role and contribution women play in the nation’s maritime workforce. “It is an honor to host this important conference in partnership with MARAD.”
About Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA): MMA is a fully accredited, co-educational, state university offering Bachelor and Master of Science degrees that are highly regarded in the worldwide maritime industry and beyond. For more than 100 years, MMA has prepared students for exciting and rewarding careers on land and sea. As the nation’s finest maritime university, MMA challenges students to succeed by balancing a unique regimented lifestyle with a typical four-year college environment. Follow MMA on FB: @massmaritime, @MassMaritime.Advancement; IG: @massmaritime, @mmacademyalumni; Twitter: @MMAadmissions, @MMAcademyAlumni; YouTube: Massachusetts Maritime Academy.
