Capt. Gajanan B. Karanjikar is a distinguished maritime professional, author, and thought leader with more than thirty-five years of global seafaring and managerial experience. A Master Mariner by profession, he has commanded Very Large Crude Carriers and ocean-going bulk carriers worldwide and later served as Marine, Technical, and Commercial Manager for a fleet of 18 vessels based out of Singapore. His professional background spans ship operations, marine surveys, port and terminal management, and international maritime consultancy.

Currently, Capt. Karanjikar serves as President of the All India Maritime Pilots’ Association (AIMPA), leading national reforms in pilotage safety, ladder compliance, and human-factor awareness. Under his leadership, AIMPA has been recognized by the Directorate General of Shipping, India, and international pilotage bodies for its contributions to safe navigation and modern pilot-transfer standards. He is also a Certified Marine Surveyor, Flag Inspector, and Accident Investigator for Panama-flag vessels, as well as a Senior Consultant with FMC International LLC (USA), supporting P&I, H&M, and admiralty cases across U.S. ports, including the Mississippi River.

Capt. Karanjikar has been widely recognized for his contributions to maritime policy, earning the Maritime ICON of India 2024 award from Marex Media for his work in Blue Economy development and pilotage reform. His leadership has also been recognized by the Company of Master Mariners of India (CMMI), which conferred on him the honorary Fellowship (FCMMI) for his lifelong service to navigation and safety.

An accomplished author and academic voice, Capt. Karanjikar is the creator of Blue Bharat – India’s Voyage to a Resilient Ocean Economy, published by Twagaa International Pvt. Ltd. The book—spanning a decade of original research and over a hundred essays—presents a strategic blueprint for India’s ocean governance, sustainable maritime trade, and coastal resilience, aligning with national initiatives such as Sagar Se Samruddhi and the UN SDG-14 agenda. His essays and columns regularly appear in leading maritime publications, including Maritime Reporter and Engineering News, Sailor Today, Sagar Sandesh, and Marex Bulletin, where he writes on maritime safety, logistics, decarbonization, and human- factor leadership.

A frequent keynote speaker at global forums—such as the Global Maritime India Summit 2023 (Government of India), MIT-ADT University’s National Conference on Innovative Global Technology Trends, and the Port of the Future Conference 2026 in Houston—Capt. Karanjikar is also a Global Sustainability Ambassador, G20 consultant to the Indian Ministry of Environment, and a nominee for the IMO Global Ambassador Program. He holds advanced certifications in Business Sustainability Management from the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Ocean Governance with a focus on Marine Spatial Planning and international law under UNCLOS.

Capt. Karanjikar’s distinguished career exemplifies leadership, scholarship, and innovation in maritime governance—bridging the worlds of seamanship, law, and policy. His continued engagement with U.S. and international maritime institutions stands to benefit the global effort toward safer, greener, and more equitable oceans.

Kevin J. Traver is an accomplished executive in the transportation and telecommunications sectors, currently serving as Head of Ports, Private Networks at Boldyn Networks. In this role, he leads the development and deployment of advanced private network solutions for port and maritime operations, helping modernize critical infrastructure with secure, high-performance connectivity.

Before joining Boldyn, Kevin held senior leadership roles at the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) and the American Trucking Associations, where he drove commercial strategy, stakeholder engagement, and industry partnerships across the logistics ecosystem.

A proud veteran, Kevin served in the United States Marine Corps, bringing discipline, leadership, and mission-driven focus to every role throughout his civilian career. He is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and is widely recognized for his expertise in logistics, digital infrastructure, and public-private collaboration.

CAPT John Stauffer is the Associate Vice Chancellor for San Jacinto College Maritime Campus where he oversaw both the credit and noncredit maritime programs. John’s responsibilities included educational leadership and administrative management of all training and educational programs at the maritime campus.

Prior to joining San Jacinto College John served as the President at Maritime Institute where he was the day-to-day leader of one of the largest maritime training companies in the United States. John’s responsibilities include educational leadership and administrative management of over 100 U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Navy and GWO approved courses in Norfolk, San Diego, Alameda, Honolulu, and Guam.

John served for 22 years as an Army Warrant Officer concluding his career as the Chief of the Maritime Operations Branch in Virginia where he provided operational guidance for the training of Army maritime professionals. During John’s 22 years of honorable service he deployed three times to the Middle East in support of Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation Iraqi Freedom earning numerous awards and recognition to include the Bronze Star.

John Stauffer earned his undergraduate degree in Business Administration from Saint Leo University and his MBA from Liberty University. John is from Pittsburgh, PA and has been happily married to his high school sweetheart Melissa for 29 years. John and Melissa have two adult daughters Alli and Ashley Stauffer. John enjoys running, golfing, traveling and serving his community.

Soma Maroju is Head of Data Services at BMT Americas, leading the development of digital and data-driven solutions across the marine and offshore sectors. He began his career as a marine engineer on ocean-going vessels before pursuing advanced studies in the United States. At BMT, he created BMT Deep, a cloud-based data ecosystem that transforms complex measured and modeled data into actionable insights. Soma has architected several enterprise data solutions, guided digital product strategies, and has extensive experience in asset monitoring and hydrodynamic assessment of offshore structures.

In 2017, Arnie Tyler founded MerLion Advisory Group as a security consulting company with expertise in Maritime Domain Awareness and Response. This expertise is rooted in decades of U.S. Navy and energy industry “command and control” and patrol boat operations covering the sea-land “seam” of operations such as found in ports, waterways, and coastal / near shore pipeline construction projects. This complex environment is where risk is multi-dimensional and real solutions are comprehensive. As a result, MerLion continues to adapt with solutions that fuse human capabilities with developing autonomous technologies.

Arnie’s operational experience began as a nuclear engineer and Surface Warfare Officer onboard the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN-68) ad culminated in five Commanding Office tours in coastal security operations in port of the United States, Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Success in world-wide maritime and shore-based anti-terrorism and force protection operations led to selection as a classified programs Facility Security Officer and Vice President, Security and Defense Programs in the vessel recycling industry. These roles, combined with regional security responsibilities in the energy industry, have al fed into his current vision for MerLion, which is to be a leader in human-technology applications to ensure maritime safety, security, and environmental sustainability for his clients.

Tyler’s education includes a Master’s degree in Security Management for Executives, “Navy equivalent” advanced training in Nuclear Engineering, and under-graduate degrees in Physics and Mathematics. He is a Texas licensed “Qualified Security Manager.” And operates a Texas “Security Training School,” primarily supporting critical infrastructure objectives. He holds numerous U.S. Navy Commanding Officer and Security certifications while receiving related awards from the U.S. Navy, U.S. Army, and U.S. Coast Guard, alongside personal and unit commendations from the U.S. Embassy and both British and Australian military leaders.

​ Izzy Khawaja is a technology and program leadership professional with more than 10 years of experience guiding public- and private-sector organizations through large-scale modernization, digital transformation, and operational efficiency initiatives. With a background spanning analytics, program management, and emerging technologies, Izzy specializes in turning complex challenges across legacy environments into clear, actionable strategies that deliver measurable business value.

​ Izzy has led cross-functional teams across healthcare, transportation, government, logistics, and enterprise technology programs, helping organizations adopt modern platforms, automate workflows, and strengthen data-driven decision-making. At A&I Strategic Solutions, Izzy oversees strategic programs, partner engagements, and modernization efforts that help customers transition from legacy systems to connected, AI-enabled operational ecosystems.

​ Kelly Skiba is a Regional Sales Manager – Electrification at U.S. Energy®, helping fleets, ports, and municipalities deploy practical charging solutions for heavy-duty vehicles. Specializing in Volt Vault™ EV charging, Kelly works with organizations to bridge infrastructure gaps and keep operations moving. With over 7 years in industrial and manufacturing sales, Kelly now serves the Upper Midwest and Northeast U.S., guiding customers through electrification strategies that balance reliability and flexibility. An active member of Wisconsin Clean Cities and RENEW Wisconsin, Kelly brings a collaborative approach to advancing sustainable transportation for fleets of all sizes.

Mr. C.N. "Nick" Parham currently serves as the Chief, Office of Maritime Cybersecurity Policy (CG-MCP), where he oversees efforts for overarching policy and guidance that support the implementation of the MTSA cybersecurity regulations and CG-5P’s cybersecurity missions for Coast Guard field activities. These efforts are critical to the facilitation of commerce in the maritime industry.

​Previously, he was a Marine Transportation System (MTS) Cybersecurity Coordinator for the Coast Guard's Atlantic Area Command (LANT Area) where he had served since January of 2021. The area of responsibility for LANT Area encompasses all inland and coastal maritime operations east of the Rocky Mountains including Puerto Rico with oversight of Marine Transportation System Specialist-Cybersecurity (MTSS-C) personnel stationed at five District offices and their thirty-one subordinate units. In this position, Nick was responsible for development and execution of Coast Guard cybersecurity regulations and policies impacting maritime transportation system stakeholders. He was also responsible for the strategic coordination of missions conducted by thirty-nine MTSS-Cs assigned within LANT Area. As the MTS Cybersecurity Coordinator, Mr. Parham operationalized the Coast Guard’s Cyber Strategic Outlook by building relationships between Coast Guard units, especially between Coast Guard Cyber Command and the local field units, to deliver much needed resources to national MTS critical infrastructure. This was delivered through Cyber Protection Team (CPT) assessment and response missions as well as enhancing cyber resiliency through shoreside and vessel security

Mark Lester is the Information Security General Manager at the South Carolina Ports Authority, where he leads efforts to enhance cybersecurity resilience across one of the nation’s most critical maritime infrastructures. A graduate of The Citadel and former U.S. Air Force Officer, he brings over 20 years of Department of Defense contracting experience supporting national security missions.​

​In addition to his leadership role at the Port, Mr. Lester serves as an Adjunct Professor in The Citadel’s Department of Cyber and Computer Sciences, bridging academic excellence with real-world cybersecurity challenges. He is an active member of numerous advisory and working groups, including The Citadel Cybersecurity Advisory Board, the FBI Critical Infrastructure Working Group, the U.S. Coast Guard’s Area Maritime Security Committee Cyber Subcommittee, and the South Carolina Council on Competitiveness’ CyberSecureSC initiative.

​Mr. Lester has participated in high-profile cybersecurity exercises such as the U.S. Army Cyber Institute’s Jack Voltaic 2.5 and 3.0 and holds advanced certifications including CISSP, DHS Cyberterrorism Defender, and DHS Cyberterrorism First Responder. Beyond his professional commitments, he plays bagpipes, is an avid reader, periodic chess player, and a licensed Amateur Extra Class ham radio operator.