Port of Oakland Board appoints first female Executive Director

The Oakland Board of Port Commissioners has appointed Kristi McKenney as the new executive director of the Port, following the announcement of Danny Wan’s retirement on 28 February.

“I’m grateful and excited for this opportunity to lead during such a transformative time in Port history. I look forward to implementing the Port’s 5-year Strategic Plan that will help grow local employment and contracting opportunities and strengthen our economic base,” stated McKenney.

McKenney’s appointment was unanimously approved during the Board’s 13 February meeting, with a three-year contract. She began her career at the Californian port as an environmental planner and has held various roles, including Assistant Aviation Director, Interim Executive Director, and most recently, Chief Operating Officer (COO) since February 2020. Notably, McKenney is the first woman to serve as executive director in the Port of Oakland’s 98-year history.

As COO, McKenney played a key role in maintaining Port of Oakland operations during the early stages of the Covid-19 pandemic. She also secured hundreds of millions of dollars in state and federal grants to support the Port’s sustainability initiatives.

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