Laura DiBella

Laura DiBella
Official portrait, 2025
Chair of the Federal Maritime Commission
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 28, 2026
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byLouis E. Sola
Commissioner of the Federal Maritime Commission
Incumbent
Assumed office
January 6, 2026
PresidentDonald Trump
Preceded byLouis E. Sola
Personal details
PartyRepublican
Education

Laura DiBella is an American governmental affairs advisor and civil servant who has served as the Chair of the Federal Maritime Commission since 2026. She was previously the President of Business Development at FloridaCommerce and the Secretary of Commerce of Florida as President of Enterprise Florida.

Early life and education

She earned a BS in business development from the University of Florida.

Career

She has served as the executive director of the Nassau County Economic Development Board, as the Port Director of the Port of Fernandina, and as the executive director of the Florida Harbor Pilots Association.

She became Florida's first female Secretary of Commerce as president of Enterprise Florida, and also worked as President of Business Development at FloridaCommerce and as a consultant.

Federal Maritime Commission

President Donald Trump nominated DiBella to become a Commissioner of the Federal Maritime Commission on September 3, 2025. She was sworn in on January 6, 2026.

Trump then made her Chair of the Commission on January 28, 2026. Her choice left some shippers concerned due to her close alliance to Trump.

References

  1. 1 2 "Chairman Laura DiBella". Federal Maritime Commission. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  2. 1 2 "DiBella sworn in as Federal Maritime Commissioner". WorkBoat. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  3. ↑ "Laura DiBella sworn in as Federal Maritime Commissioner". Chamber of Shipping. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  4. ↑ "Laura DiBella sworn in as U.S. federal maritime commissioner". Seatrade Cruise News. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  5. ↑ "Laura DiBella designated as new Chairman of the FMC". Safety For Sea. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  6. ↑ "Trump picks new leader for maritime regulator". Wall Street Journal. Retrieved March 21, 2026.
  7. ↑ "Shippers and forwarders concerned at Trump's new FMC appointee". The Loadstar. Retrieved March 21, 2026.