Governmental Affairs & Regulatory Compliance : With over 15 years working legislative, policy and regulatory issues in the halls of Congress, the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Coast Guard Headquarters, J. Whitehead & Associates is uniquely positioned to assist shipping companies, admiralty law firms, ports and others resolve regulatory compliance issues and improve their relations with Homeland Security agencies. J. Whitehead & Associates works with its clients to properly frame theirconcerns, formulate courses of action and advocate solutions to the right people at the right time.

Strategic Communications for Corporations and their Boards of Directors : A company involved in a major marine casualty or pollution incident must immediately manage its relations with those locally affected as well as with its own shareholders. This requires experience and tact. Admiral Whitehead managed all aspects of the Coast Guard’s congressional and public affairs during Hurricanes KATRINA and RITA in 2005and executed the Coast Guard’s highly successful national media and crisis communications plans. He served as the Coast Guard’s national spokesperson with the Secretary of Homeland Security and other Cabinet members in nationally televised news conferences. JWA can help your firm when it matters most.

Support to Admiralty law firms and P&I Clubs : After a marine casualty, admiralty law firms and P&I Clubs often require support in the form of advice and expert witness testimony. Having been a Captain of the Port and managed the 8th Coast Guard District with 11 of the largest 14 ports in America, Admiral Whitehead is intimately familiar with U.S. Coast Guard and international requirements for entry to U.S. ports, discharge procedures and the federal oil pollution and casualty investigation process. JWA can provide advice and expert witness testimony for shipping companies, their Boards of Directors and P&I clubs.

Homeland Security and Emergency Management : Present at the creation of the Homeland Security Department, Admiral Whitehead personally led the federal maritime homeland security response following 9/11 on the inland waterways, ports of the Gulf of Mexico and on the Gulf oil and gas fields. An expert practitioner of the Incident Command System, he also directed federal emergency response efforts for Hurricanes IKE and GUSTAV and the 2008 Midwest flooding. Earlier in his career, he directed the federal response in the largest oil spill in Boston’s history and served as key marine safety advisor to the Federal On-scene Coordinator in the immediate aftermath of the Exxon Valdez oil spill. With this wealth of experience, he is uniquely qualified to assist companies in their emergency management efforts and managing their relations with the government following a maritime incident.