Amy Bailey serves as a program manager at the Safe States Alliance and is located in Austin, TX. Prior to joining Safe States in 2021, Amy served as the branch manager for the Texas Department of State Health Services Office of Injury Prevention. She has more than 14 years of experience in fatality reviews, coalition building and injury and violence prevention at the local and state level. Amy received her bachelor of science degree from the University of Texas in Austin and her master of public health degree from UT Health Science Center in Houston. When not at work, Amy enjoys spending time with her husband and two kids and cheering on the University of Texas Longhorns. Amy manages projects that build capacity for injury and violence prevention programs across the country. Current projects include supporting state-specific gender-based violence prevention efforts, advancing the National Violent Death Reporting System (NVDRS), and improving surveillance for non-fatal boating injuries. She provides staff support to the Partner Sexual Violence Special Interest Group. safestates.org

Scott Berry is the vice president of engineering standards at the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA), where he leads the development and oversight of certification programs, technical standards, and compliance initiatives for the recreational marine industry. Since joining NMMA in 2018, he has played a key role in advancing domestic and international standards, supporting manufacturers, and promoting boating safety. Berry brings nearly two decades of experience across engineering, quality, and supply chain management within the marine sector. He is actively involved in industry leadership, serving on the American Boat & Yacht Council (ABYC) Technical Board, participating in multiple ISO working groups, and contributing to the International Marine Certification Institute (IMCI). nmma.org

Hayle Boyle, PT, DPT, MHA, is an injury prevention coordinator at NYU Langone Hospital—Suffolk, where she leads community-based initiatives to reduce injuries and improve public health outcomes. With over eight years of clinical experience as a physical therapist, she applies evidence-based strategies to advance injury prevention across diverse populations. Hayle leads a grant-funded recreational boating safety initiative in collaboration with Safe States, focused on reducing boating-related injuries and fatalities through education, data-driven strategies, and community outreach. She also serves as the trauma survivors network coordinator and is an active member of the Trauma Center Association of America (TCAA) Injury Prevention Committee. Outside of work, she enjoys running, spending time with her family and golden retriever, and boating on the Great South Bay. safestates.org

Ethan Brininger is a Senior Product Owner at the Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC PAC), where he leads the effort to build modern, intuitive tools for the fleet and other federal agencies. He is currently directing the complete modernization and re-build of the BARD system, shaping its strategic vision by transforming user feedback into a powerful and user-friendly platform. When he isn’t at the office, you’ll find him enjoying the great outdoors, fishing and hunting in the Pennsylvania wilderness. niwcpacific.navy.mil

#IBWSS26 Emcee Stacey Brown is the Boating Division Director and Boating Law Administrator for the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources, where she has served for 17 years. She leads statewide boating safety initiatives, oversees waterways management and boat registration and titling, and represents Virginia at regional and national levels. With more than 25 years in the natural resources field, Stacey has previously worked with Virginia Save Our Streams, the department of environmental quality, and the department of health. She holds degrees from the University of Virginia and Virginia Commonwealth University and is a graduate of CMI, VEI, NASBLA Leadership Academy, DWR’s Leadership Development Program, and the WSFR Project Leaders Course. She is a certified boating safety instructor, a level 2 kayaking instructor, and one of the earliest professionals to earn the Certified Recreational Boating Professional (CRBP) credential. dwr.virginia.gov

Leveraging over 40 years of successes transforming operations, Steven is an innovative sales and marketing senior executive within boating safety and consumer electronics industries, pioneering niche offerings and fostering a culture of calculated risk-taking for exponential growth. A seasoned west coast boating professional with over 40 years of experience and emphasis on boating safety, Steven is the vice president of sales and marketing, organizing and actively leading boating safety day events in collaboration with the King Harbor Foundation and providing hands-on training for boaters on the use of visual distress signals. Steven produced the only live fire training program on the west coast, conducted with an active duty U.S. Coast Guard Instructor. siriussignal.com

Clay Crabtree is the interim vice president of public policy and government relations for the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA). He leads the NMMA’s state and federal government relations teams and co-leads the public policy and regulatory affairs team. He coordinates advocacy on issues central to the recreational marine industry including access, infrastructure, boating safety, innovation, international trade and tariffs, tax, and environmental protection. With nearly 15 years of policymaking experience across congress, federal agencies, and industry, he works closely with the industry to maintain a forward-looking advocacy strategy, ensuring consistency between federal, state, and global policies. He represents NMMA in Washington, D.C., California, and internationally on trade and environmental policy. nmma.org

Jim Emmons serves as executive director of the Water Sports Foundation (WSF), the nonprofit educational division of the Water Sports Industry Association, where he has led one of the recreational boating industry’s most sustained and measurable safety outreach efforts. Since 2011, Emmons has overseen the execution of 65 U.S. Coast Guard–administered consumer education campaigns, collectively delivering nearly two billion highly targeted boating and paddling safety media impressions and generating millions of video views across digital platforms. Before joining the WSF, Emmons spent 21 years with the Bonnier Corporation as publisher of two prominent marine magazines, operating at the forefront of marine media and marketing. His leadership in the industry also includes four terms as president of the Water Sports Industry Association from 1998 to 2010, where he helped shape the direction of towed water sports and boating advocacy nationwide. At the WSF, Emmons has driven an expansive, multi-channel outreach strategy that spans all categories of recreational boating and paddling. Today, the Foundation’s campaigns are amplified through partnerships with more than 30 niche media outlets and a wide network of social media influencers, ensuring that safety messaging reaches boaters where they consume content. watersportsfoundation.com

Kevin Ferrie is a retired U.S. Coast Guard Commander with nearly 20 years of experience in the marine safety field. During his active-duty career, he served as a vessel inspector, ensuring compliance of domestic and international vessels with federal and international safety standards. In his final assignment, he served as a senior leader at the U.S. Coast Guard Marine Safety Center, where he oversaw innovative ship design projects and developed expertise in regulatory equivalencies—helping advance new maritime technologies within existing regulatory frameworks. He currently serves in the U.S. Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety as a product assurance engineer, supporting manufacturers in meeting federal safety regulations for recreational vessels. Mr. Ferrie holds a Bachelor of Science in Marine Environmental Science from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy and a Master of Science in Marine Engineering from the University of Michigan. A lifelong boater, he also brings extensive practical experience as an offshore sailor. He spent two years cruising with his wife and four children, logging more than 10,000 offshore miles aboard their 44-foot sailboat. uscgboating.org

Coming soon. uscgboating.org

As the director of standards and compliance at the American Boat and Yacht Council, Brian is responsible for managing the day to day operations of the department and the review and publication of over 80 standards. He also ensures the execution of numerous grants awarded to the standards and compliance department. Additionally, he addresses standards and compliance questions related to standards in the hull, machinery, and product interface divisions. Brian is also an active liaison with other industry groups including NMMA, NASBLA, SAMS®, NAMS, NFPA, and SAE. Prior to assuming role as the director of standards and compliance, he was the technical standards manager at ABYC. In addition to having a dual degree in biology and marine environmental science, Brian has a broad range of marine industry experience including roles as a captain, dockmaster and navigation officer on a hydrographic survey vessel. abycinc.org

National Association of State Boating Law Administrators (NASBLA) Chief Executive Officer, Tom Guess, is an experienced executive with 39 years of boating safety experience. Tom previously worked with the U.S. Coast Guard Office of Boating Safety, where he served as the regulatory development manager and oversaw the National Boating Safety Advisory Committee (NBSAC). He served as the boating law administrator for Virginia for 13 of his 15-plus year career with the Virginia Department of Wildlife Resources (VDWR), where he held multiple leadership positions and directed the agency’s legislative efforts in collaboration with the Virginia General Assembly for many years. Tom retired from active duty with the U.S. Coast Guard in 2008, after a distinguished 21-year career. His final assignment was as the officer in charge of U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) Station Milford Haven, Hudgins, VA. He holds BS and MS degrees from Southwestern College, Winfield KS, and a MA from Liberty University and is a graduate of various USCG Command and Leadership Schools, the Virginia Executive Institute, the NASBLA Leadership Academy, VDWR’s Leadership Development Program, and the National Conservation Leadership Institute Fellows Program. He is a Certified Recreational Boating Professional (CRBP). nasbla.org

Will Hillyer joined the U.S. Coast Guard in January of 1995. During 23 years of active duty, he served as a Boatswain’s Mate in various positions in both law enforcement and aids to navigation and was stationed in New Jersey, Maryland, Louisiana, Florida and Alaska. He spent 10 years in South Florida conducting counter-drug and alien migrant interdiction operations in the Florida Straits, Bahamas, and off the coasts of Cuba and Central America. His last tour landed him at the U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters in the office of auxiliary and boating safety. During this time, he served as the primary point of contact for MIC requests, HIN fraud investigations, and boating accident investigations resulting from recreational vessel defects. Will retired from active duty in February of 2018 and stayed on with the office of auxiliary and boating safety in a civilian position doing much of the same work he did on active duty. uscgboating.org

Jonathan Hsieh is a senior data and research analyst for the National Recreational Boating Safety Program. In this role, he manages the Boating Accident Report Database, the National Recreational Boating Safety Survey, and a research portfolio focused on advancing recreational boating safety. Jonathan has served in data-focused roles with the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, the Maritime Administration, and the U.S. Coast Guard’s Aids to Navigation Program. Across these positions, he has supported decision-making in national level programs. In addition to his civilian role, Jonathan serves as a Commander in the United States Coast Guard Reserve, where he is an emergency management officer. Jonathan holds a Master of Science in Government Analytics from The Johns Hopkins University and a Master of Public Administration from Virginia Tech. He is also a graduate of the California Maritime Academy and holds U.S. Coast Guard mariner credentials as a Master of vessels less than 1,600 gross tons and as a Second Mate, Unlimited. uscgboating.org

Al Johnson of the Vermont State Police-Marine Division is entering his third year in the role of boating law administrator. His 20 years in Vermont state government include work in budget management, granting, contracting, procurement, and financial operations. Al’s time at the Vermont Department of Health also included the position of logistics chief for the statewide Covid-19 response. As a logical extension of his prior work experience, Al is the chair of the NASBLA Finance and Grants Committee. He was also a member of the NASBLA Leadership Academy class of 2025. With more than 15 years of work improving health outcomes, Al is especially interested in NASBLA’s “Public Health Approach” to recreational boating safety. Vermont was recently awarded its’ second round of funding from the Safe State’s Alliance, in partnership with NASBLA and the U.S. Coast Guard to reduce recreational boating injuries in Vermont. The goal of this project is to expand the base of recreational boating injury data to improve boating safety outcomes by identifying patterns of risky behavior and ultimately developing targeted interventions to reduce injuries and deaths on the water. Al is a lifelong boater and surfer who was raised on Cape Cod. These days, in his spare time, he enjoys surfing, snowboarding, and travel to the Canadian Maritimes. He’s an active member of his local boat club where he and his partner Janet explore beautiful waters of Lake Champlain. vsp.vermont.gov

Paul Kali is a senior product designer at Naval Information Warfare Center Pacific (NIWC PAC), where he leads UX for complex federal and Department of Defense systems. Prior to joining the BARD modernization effort, Paul designed intelligence platforms used across the joint services. His work focuses on translating complicated workflows and compliance requirements into experiences that actually make people’s jobs easier. Paul’s background spans e-commerce (Urban Outfitters, Wawa, and Abercrombie & Fitch) and media (Comcast), bringing the same design thinking that powers modern consumer apps to government systems that are long overdue for it. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife, Abby. niwcpacific.navy.mil

Pavlo Oborski is the grants management branch chief within the U.S. Coast Guard Office of Auxiliary and Boating Safety. He has 28 years of federal grant administration experience with over 16 years with the U.S. Coast Guard. His responsibilities include financial oversight of the state, nonprofit organization, and survey grant programs; ensuring the U.S. Coast Guard is compliant with Department of Homeland Security and Office of Management and Budget grant policies and regulations; and advising U.S. Coast Guard leadership on grant administration. Additional collateral duties include oversight of the recreational boating strategic plan, the divisional budget and outreach functions. Pavlo spent over two years as the grants officer for the Department of Labor Occupational Safety and Health Administration providing oversight to their state and nonprofit grant programs. He also spent nearly 10 years with the Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing Services working in several positions within the grants administration division, grant monitoring division, and the audit liaison division. Pavlo has a master’s degree from Southern CT State University in political science with a concentration in public administration. He also has two Bachelor of Arts Degrees from the University of CT in urban studies and a double major in political science and history. He also has one more bachelor’s degree in sociology and applied social relations from Eastern CT State University. uscgboating.org

The National Safe Boating Council’s Executive Director, Peg Phillips, is an experienced executive, boating instructor trainer, Certified Recreational Boating Professional, and U.S. Coast Guard licensed Captain. She is a certified American Canoe Association L2 Kayak Instructor and NSBC Powerboat Instructor Trainer. Phillips has received awards for her outstanding boating instruction including the American Canoe Association President’s Award and American Canoe Association State Director of the Year. With two decades of senior executive management experience, Phillips is accomplished in strategic planning, staff development, inspiring commitment, managing change, and building coalitions and partnerships. She has successfully provided guidance for over two dozen federally grant-funded programs since she joined the NSBC in 2018. Phillips served on the National Boating Safety Advisory Committee, and currently serves on the National Boating Standards Panel, and the Coast Guard Auxiliary Association Board of Directors. She is a persuasive and enthusiastic leader with a passion for challenging people to think and work creatively. safeboatingcouncil.org

Amy Schlotthauer, MPH is owner of AES Consulting Firm. She has a master’s degree in public health from the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University and a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from University of Wisconsin-Madison. Amy has over 20 years’ experience in project management, grant writing, program evaluation, qualitative and quantitative research methods and data analysis, group facilitation and consensus building, and using these skills to help clients work collaboratively to answer a pressing public health questions. Amy has worked with Safe States, NASBLA, and the U.S. Coast Guard on the boating injury surveillance projects since 2018 and is an avid boater with her family during summers in Wisconsin. aesconsultingfirm.com