Amanda Deen

I attribute my success to grit, persistence, and the fact that I never let anyone else define my limits. I’ve worked my way up from the ground floor in multiple industries, often being told I wasn’t good enough, that my goals weren’t realistic, or that I couldn’t accomplish something; sometimes just because I was female. Every time I heard that, my response was simple: “Okay, watch me.” I’ve had to fight to earn every position I’ve held, and I’ve built my career on resilience, discipline, and proving people wrong. My success comes from pushing forward when others would have stopped, holding myself accountable, and refusing to compromise my standards. It’s not luck, and it’s not privilege; it’s years of grinding, learning, adapting, and showing up no matter how many obstacles were in the way.

The best career advice I’ve ever received was that doubt is just a challenge in disguise. When people say you can’t do something, you have two choices: believe them, or prove them wrong. I chose the second. That mindset has carried me from the ground up through multiple industries, turning every “no” into a reason to push harder and every obstacle into proof that nothing is out of reach.

To young women stepping into this industry: know your worth, trust your voice, and refuse to accept limitations placed on you by others. Every barrier you face is an opportunity to break new ground, and every doubt cast your way is a chance to show just how capable you are. You are not here to fit in quietly. You are here to lead, to push boundaries, and to redefine what success looks like.

Right now, the biggest challenges in cruise longshore are balancing limited resources with increasing regulatory demands, addressing a culture that still too often prioritizes speed over safety, and preparing workers for new technologies that are reshaping the industry. Congestion, labor shortages, human error, and cybersecurity risks add even more complexity to daily operations. But within those challenges are huge opportunities. The push toward greener operations and smarter systems can drive safer, more sustainable ports, and it opens the door for a new generation of leaders to redefine how this industry operates. For women especially, this is the time to step up. Every barrier we break now creates more space for the next generation to thrive in a field that was never originally designed with us in mind.

The values that matter most to me are integrity, resilience, and accountability. In my work, integrity means doing the right thing even when it is not easy or popular, especially in environments where cutting corners can cost lives. Resilience is what has carried me through setbacks, doubt, and every time I was told I could not achieve something. Accountability matters both ways because I hold myself to high standards and I expect the same from the people around me. In my personal life, I value authenticity and empathy. I believe in showing up as who I truly am, not who people expect me to be, and I care deeply about supporting the people in my life while also demanding mutual respect. Those values of integrity, resilience, accountability, authenticity, and empathy are the foundation for everything I do.