My name is Lila, I’m 27 years old and I’m from a small town in the middle of Maine. I get asked all the time how I ended up making a career of being on the water and I can honestly say, I’ve never given a straight answer. I did not grow up near the coast or even near water. In fact, I grew up about two hours from the coast of Maine. What I can tell you is that I went to community college when I was 21 and I majored in Fire Science Technology. I was an intern in a fire station for two years where I physically lived inside a fire station and responded to all 911 calls like a career firefighter; I also obtained my EMT license. I figured out while pursuing my associates degree that maybe it was not for me.

I then turned to public safety in general and, for whatever reason, found ships and boats absolutely fascinating. I took a tour at Maine Maritime Academy and applied. I was at a crossroads as to what to do with my life. Once I was accepted, it was a dive in head-first type of deal. I either was going to like it or absolutely hate it. After my first year I was a cadet aboard the F/V Brittany in Alaska where I learned pretty quick that I get sea sick, but at that point there was no turning back. I loved every minute of the scenery, the physical labor, and the job itself. I knew in that moment it was just the beginning.

Now I am a 2019 Maine Maritime Academy graduate in the Vessel Operations and Technology program. I am also a brand new training mate/Tankerman/Third Mate for Crowley Maritime Corporation and my fleet falls under Crowley Fuels Western Alaska. I am the only female officer and only female Tankerman in my fleet. When I first accepted my job with Crowley, I was every bit excited and nervous all at the same time. In the summer of 2017, I had been a deck cadet for Trident Seafoods on a salmon tender, so I knew that Western Alaska was something else. It’s beautiful, extreme and exciting all wrapped into one!

At this time I’m sailing on the Tug Sea Prince and we tow our barge, DBL 289 to deliver aviation fuels, heating fuel, gasoline, diesel, propane and lubricants to all parts of Western Alaska. It’s a very unique experience lightering to the smaller boats in our fleet so they can feed the small remote villages in Alaska. In August, I had the opportunity to sail to an island called Shemya, which is the second-to-last island on the Aleutian Chain. You go so far west that you cross the International Dateline. There, we delivered 4 million gallons of JP8 to an air force base and it was an amazing experience!

I think that any woman in the industry who is nervous to take a new leap and go outside of their comfort zone should always take a chance at what they believe in, because you never know how much good can come out of it! I hope my story has shown anyone who reads it that’s it’s okay to be a nervous new Mate, and we are all in this together. Thank you for listening to my story!