WISTA USA names new president

Boriana Farrar, Vice President and Chief Legal Officer of Patriot Contract Services LLC,

The Board of WISTA USA, the Women’s International Shipping & Trading Association, appointed Boriana Farrar, vice president and chief legal officer of Patriot Contract Services LLC, as president at its 2021 Annual General Meeting held virtually earlier this month.

Farrar takes over the presidency from Parker Harrison, senior vice president and General Counsel, Crowley Maritime Corporation. Marlene Boyer of Chembulk Tankers and Jeanne Grasso of Blank Rome were reelected to the board, while the membership elected two new members to the board: Jillian Tobias, president, LogOn Media Strategies and Christina Liviakis Gianopulos, director of business development, American Ship Repair (ASR).

The 2021- 2022 WISTA USA Board also includes Caitlin Hardy, chief of staff, Polyverse Corporation; Kate Belmont, assitant general counsel, American Bureau of Shipping; and Laura Sherman, director of marketing, International Registries Inc.

Stepping off the board this year were Kathy Haines and Frances Keeler, both of whom have served the organization in various leadership roles for more than a decade.

Farrar has been a member of WISTA USA since 2007, and previously served on the WISTA USA Board for five years. She served as President of NY/NJ Chapter for five years prior to joining the Board. She is also a Chair of International Standard and Conventions (IOSC) Committee of the Maritime Law Association of United States (MLA) and Chair of the Development Committee of Seamen Church Institute.

WISTA is an international networking organization for women in management roles in the maritime industry and related trades. WISTA has more than 3,800 members in 54 countries. WISTA USA, founded in 1997, is among the largest National WISTA Associations (NWAs) worldwide, with more than 700 members and eleven regional chapters/ WISTA USA members represent all facets of the maritime industry, including shipowners, charterers, operators, brokers, bankers, insurance professionals, attorneys, analysts, and government officials.