2026 NAFTZ Board of Directors Election
Official information regarding the recommended slate, voting eligibility, process and key dates.
Voting Opens September 1.
This election is the first conducted under NAFTZ’s revised nominations and elections framework. Following completion of the candidate qualification and review process, the Nominating Committee recommended a slate of officer and director nominees to the NAFTZ Board of Directors. The Board subsequently approved the slate for submission to the voting membership.
This page serves as the official source of information regarding the 2026 election, including the recommended slate, nominee profiles, voting eligibility, election procedures and key dates.
Successful nominees will assume office during the 2026 NAFTZ Annual Conference. Officers serve one-year terms; Directors serve two-year terms.
Slate Announced:
August 27th, 2026
VOTING OPENS
September 1, 2026
Voting Closes
September 10, 2026 @ 11:59pm EDT
Voting Eligibility and Ballot Access
The election announcement and nominee information are being provided to the full NAFTZ membership. Voting rights, however, are limited to members holding one of the following designated voting membership types: Grantee Designated, Operator/User Designated, Service Provider Designated, 3FP (Third-Party Fulfilment Provider) Designated, or Inactive/Startup Designated.
Each eligible designated member represents the vote associated with their organization’s membership.
Eligible voters will receive an email from "OpaVote Voting Link" <noreply@opavote.com> when voting opens in the early morning hours of September 1, 2026. The subject line will be “NAFTZ 2026 Board of Directors Election.” This email is the only path to casting a ballot and will contain a Vote button linked to a unique, secure ballot associated with the recipient’s email address. Because each voting link is individualized, the email and voting link should not be forwarded or shared.
Members who are unsure whether they are their organization’s designated voting member, or who are uncertain of their membership type, may contact info@naftz.org for confirmation. Eligible designated voters who do not receive the OpaVote email should first check their spam or junk folder and then contact NAFTZ for assistance.
How the Election Works
The membership will vote electronically on the full Board-approved slate in a single up-or-down vote. The current election framework does not provide for floor nominations.
For the 2026 election, participation by at least 10% of eligible voting members is required to establish quorum. The slate is elected upon receiving a majority of the votes cast.
If quorum is not achieved, the Board will determine appropriate next steps consistent with the NAFTZ Bylaws.
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The NAFTZ Board of Directors consists of 4 officers, 11 directors and the Immediate Past Chair.
Successful nominees will assume office during the 2026 Annual Conference.
About the Nominating Process
Applicants who satisfied the established baseline eligibility advanced to the Stage 2 application process. The Nominating Committee reviewed 17 Stage 2 candidates.
The new process rubric provided a consistent framework for evaluating experience and perspective, judgment and strategic thinking, advocacy and representation, leadership and succession value, geographic and sector balance, and overall candidate assessment. Scores informed the Committee’s discussions but did not determine the slate.
Each candidate was discussed individually and considered in the context of the Board as a whole. In addition to the rubric, the Committee considered the full qualifications established under the nominations framework, membership constituency, geographic representation, Board experience and continuity, leadership and succession, employer support, industry/sector perspective, and overall needs of NAFTZ.
Following its deliberations, the Nominating Committee unanimously recommended the slate presented below among participating members. The NAFTZ Board subsequently approved the recommended slate.
2026 Nominating Committee: James Grogan, Chair; Chris Smith; Shana Head; Tanna Zingula; Matt Williams; Denise Yanez; and Jennifer VanGundy
2026-2027 SLATE OF DIRECTORS AND OFFICERS
To provide members with a consistent basis for reviewing the nominees, NAFTZ prepared the following profiles from information submitted by each candidate during the Stage 2 application process. All profiles use a common format and approximate length and are intended as concise summaries rather than individual campaign statements. Professional credentials appearing with nominee names include Accredited Zone Specialist (AZS), Certified Zone Specialist (CZS) and Licensed Customs Broker (LCB).
Patricia A. “Patty” Cannon, AZS, CZS
Leigh Ryan, AZS, CZS
Nominee for Vice Chair
Senior Vice President, World Trade Center Savannah
Grantee | Savannah, Georgia
Leigh Ryan serves as Senior Vice President of World Trade Center Savannah, where she manages a team supporting companies’ international business objectives and works with a regional Board of Directors on organizational strategy. She helped develop the original application for FTZ No. 104 in 2012 and has since overseen its marketing, management and growth from a small number of operators to more than 30 across its Southeast Georgia service area. Leigh has been active in NAFTZ since 2012 as a speaker, moderator, mentor, committee participant and Grantee Committee leader. She has also served on the NAFTZ Board and Executive Committee, including officer service. Leigh views volunteer leadership as an opportunity to give back to the professional community that has supported her own development and emphasizes advocacy, education and consideration of the needs of all sectors and regions of the FTZ community.
Robert Balli
Nominee for Treasurer
Manager, Customs Duty Savings Optimization, Phillips 66
User/Operator | Houston, Texas
Robert Balli brings extensive hands-on experience in FTZ compliance, customs optimization and petroleum refining operations. At Phillips 66, he leads work involving multiple refinery FTZ programs, regulatory compliance, production notifications and activation initiatives, inventory control requirements, risk assessment and duty-savings strategies. His role requires translating complex trade requirements and policy developments into practical, defensible business decisions while coordinating across operational, financial, legal and regulatory stakeholders. Robert currently serves on the NAFTZ Board and Executive Committee and has been actively involved in the association’s advocacy and educational efforts, particularly on issues affecting the petroleum and energy sectors. He also emphasizes mentoring and development of trade professionals and sharing practical experience across the FTZ community. Robert would continue bringing an operator perspective, collaborative decision-making and a focus on strong advocacy, member engagement and long-term FTZ program effectiveness.
Miguel A. Zamora II
Nominee for Secretary
Executive Vice President, Louisville Riverport Authority; Administrator, FTZ No. 29
Grantee | Louisville, Kentucky
Miguel Zamora brings more than 30 years of experience spanning international trade, supply chain, logistics, warehousing, manufacturing support, business development and economic development. As Executive Vice President of the Louisville Riverport Authority and Administrator of FTZ No. 29, he oversees an FTZ program with statewide reach, serving numerous operators while working with the FTZ Board, CBP and regional economic-development partners. His earlier private-sector experience included FTZ-enabled distribution, assembly and cross-border manufacturing operations. Miguel has served on the NAFTZ Board and has contributed to strategic planning, advocacy, governance and organizational transitions. His volunteer service also includes the Membership Committee, Mentorship Program, Advocacy Strategy Team, FTZ Fundamentals and speaking and moderating at NAFTZ events. He views Board service as governance and stewardship and emphasizes sound judgment, broad member representation, leadership development and maintaining NAFTZ’s collaborative, member-driven culture.
Dallas Hobgood
Nominee for Director
Senior Director - Global Customs, Trade, & FTZ Ops, Kontoor Brands Inc.
User/Operator | Greensboro, North Carolina
Dallas Hobgood has more than a decade of direct FTZ experience and currently oversees five U.S. Foreign-Trade Zones as part of his global customs and trade responsibilities at Kontoor Brands. His career has included managing FTZ programs for BMW Manufacturing and Wolverine Worldwide, addressing complex compliance challenges and building trade-compliance organizations designed around strong controls and professional development. His current responsibilities also encompass bonded operations in Europe and Mexico, giving him an international perspective on how U.S. FTZs fit within broader global trade strategies. Dallas has been involved with NAFTZ since 2015 and has served in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Working Group, led the Distribution Working Group, participated in advocacy activities and the Nominating Committee, and served as a mentor. He is particularly focused on developing future trade professionals, strengthening compliance excellence and ensuring that operational realities inform NAFTZ policy and advocacy.
Sarah Messeih, AZS, CZS, LCB
Nominee for Director
FTZ Advisory Professional, KPMG LLP
Service Provider | San Diego, California
Sarah Messeih has built her career helping companies evaluate, implement, enhance and administer FTZ programs across a broad range of industries. Her background began with FTZ inventory-control and recordkeeping system implementations and has expanded into strategic, regulatory and operational advisory work with companies throughout the country. Sarah earned her AZS designation in 2018 and CZS in 2023 and has been an active NAFTZ volunteer, speaker and moderator. She currently serves on the NAFTZ Board and is immediate past chair of the Accreditation Committee, where she has helped advance regional Fundamentals programming and work surrounding NAFTZ’s professional credentials. Her volunteer experience also includes the Automation and Program Committees and work supporting development of the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) FTZ participant profile. Sarah brings a collaborative service-provider perspective and a strong interest in advocacy, professional development and ensuring that operator and user perspectives are incorporated into NAFTZ’s work.
Courtney Stiers
Nominee for Director
Director, Kroll
Service Provider | Indianapolis, Indiana
Courtney Stiers brings unusually broad experience across the FTZ community, having worked as a grantee, FTZ administrator, warehouse manager, consultant and third-party logistics (3PL) advisor. In her current role as a Director with Kroll, she leads FTZ and trade-compliance engagements involving implementations, production authority, compliance reviews, inventory systems, operational improvement and strategic planning across numerous industries and geographic regions. Courtney has been deeply involved with NAFTZ for nearly a decade, serving on numerous committees and working groups, including leadership roles with the Membership Committee and Emerging Leaders in Trade Excellence (ELITE). She has also supported the Grantee, Operator/User, Advocacy and Program Committees, participated in development of the CZS curriculum, spoken and moderated at events, participated in Hill advocacy and mentored members. Courtney is particularly interested in strengthening NAFTZ advocacy while developing new volunteers and future leaders who can sustain the association and FTZ community over the long term.
David Sikkink, AZS, CZS
Nominee for Director
FTZ Administrator, Hawaii Foreign-Trade Zone No. 9
Grantee | Honolulu, Hawaii
David Sikkink brings more than 18 years of FTZ experience, including approximately 15 years administering Hawaii Foreign-Trade Zone No. 9. His responsibilities span regulatory compliance, economic development, trade policy, supply-chain security and operation of a general-purpose FTZ warehouse, giving him perspective as both a Grantee and Operator. David previously served on the NAFTZ Board and contributed to development of the association’s strategic direction, advocacy strategy and membership-engagement initiatives. His extensive volunteer service has included Chair of the Grantee Committee, participation in the Advocacy Working Group, numerous conference and webinar presentations, hosting NAFTZ Fundamentals in Hawaii and mentoring multiple cohorts of NAFTZ members. David maintains both the AZS and CZS credentials. He brings a strong focus on objective governance, advocacy, knowledge sharing and ensuring that members throughout the FTZ community have the information and resources needed to succeed.
Justin Ryan
Nominee for Director
Manager, Foreign-Trade Zone No. 64, JAXPORT
Grantee | Jacksonville, Florida
Justin Ryan manages U.S. Foreign-Trade Zone No. 64 at JAXPORT while also supporting federal and state infrastructure-grant initiatives related to trade, logistics and economic development. His FTZ experience includes responsibilities from both the Grantee and Operator perspectives and extensive interaction with businesses, public agencies, logistics providers, economic-development organizations and government stakeholders. Justin has become an active NAFTZ volunteer through advocacy, speaking and moderating, conference participation and committee service. His involvement has included the Advocacy Committee, Manufacturing and Distribution Working Groups, Mentorship and the Nominating Committee, and he currently chairs the Grantee Committee. Justin emphasizes stewardship, partnership and sharing knowledge across the FTZ community. He is particularly interested in helping NAFTZ strengthen the program’s relevance, operational integrity and policy position while supporting domestic investment, supply-chain resilience and the development of the next generation of FTZ leaders.
Board Composition
"Sitting" Directors currently in the middle of their 2-year term:
- Will Cawthern, Senior Indirect Tax, Global Trade, Ernst & Young
Service Provider, Baltimore, MD - Danielle Converse, Foreign Trade Zone Manager, Port of Corpus Christi
Grantee, Corpus Christi, TX - Shana Head, Senior Director, FTZ Product, Geodis USA
Service Provider, Nashville, TN - Sean Lydon, President, ISCM
Service Provider, Washington, DC - Jessica Miserendio, Import Manager, AFL Telecommunications
Operator/User, Duncan, SC - Kelly Steward, NA i-Trade Customs Compliance Sr. Manager, Procter & Gamble Mfg Co
Operator/User, Louisville, KY
Serving as Immediate Past Chair (1-year term):
- Katie Tangman, Director Global Customs & Trade, Columbia Sportswear
Operator/User, Portland, OR
IF THE SLATE IS APPROVED, THE BOARD WILL INCLUDE:
6 Grantees 5 User/Operators 5 Service Providers
Election FAQs
Governance Resources
Members who would like additional information regarding the Association’s governance, election requirements, and background information on the new nominations and elections framework approved and implemented earlier this year may reference the following documents:
- Member Guide to the 2026 NAFTZ Nomination and Election Framework
(Overview of the proposed process and how the framework works as a whole)
The following documents provide additional detail on the full nominations and elections framework approved by the Board:
Thank you for your interest in the 2026 NAFTZ Nominating and Elections Process. Questions regarding the election, voting eligibility or membership status may be directed to info@naftz.org.