SECTOR LOWER MISSISSIPPI RIVER COMMAND STAFF

Sector Commander

Captain Kristi L. Bernstein

Prior to her arrival in Memphis, Captain Bernstein served as Deputy Commander for U.S. Coast Guard Sector Los Angeles Long Beach from May 2020 to May 2023. From the command offices on Terminal Island in San Pedro, the Sector coordinated operations in an area of responsibility stretching more than 350 miles along the California coast, from north of Morro Bay and south to San Clemente, out to 200 miles offshore, and included the nation’s largest port complex. She oversaw eight patrol boats, three multi-mission small boat stations, a marine safety detachment, a vessel traffic system and an aids-to-navigation team.

Captain Bernstein is a Response Operations specialist and Cutterman with a focus on Search and Rescue, Law Enforcement, Ports, Waterways, and Coastal Security, and Marine and Environmental Response Operations and has over 25 years of experience.

With six years at sea, Captain Bernstein has sailed the North Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and Florida Straits conducting maritime law enforcement, search and rescue, and ports, waterways, and coastal security missions in the wake of the 9/11 attacks. She served onboard a Medium Endurance Cutter, VIGOROUS and served as both the Executive Officer of CGC KEY LARGO and Commanding Officer of CGC FARALLON, two 110-foot Patrol Boats.

Captain Bernstein’s career has also encompassed diverse staff tours. She served as a Command Duty Officer in the District Seven Command Center in Miami, Florida, Deputy Commandant for Operations’ staff at Coast Guard Headquarters, Chief of Enforcement at Sector Corpus Christi, Texas and Chief of Response Operations at Sector Delaware Bay.

A native of Miami, Florida, Captain Bernstein graduated from the U.S. Coast Guard Academy with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marine and Environmental Science in 1998. She is also a graduate of the University of Maryland and holds Master of Science degrees in Environmental Management, Atmospheric and Oceanic Science, Cyber Security Policy, and a Master of Business Administration.

 Deputy Sector Commander

Commander Amanda M. Styles

Commander Amanda M. Styles assumed her current position as Deputy Sector Commander of Sector Lower Mississippi River in June 2024 and provides daily oversight for Coast Guard operations in six states and over 2,200 miles of inland waterways including the Lower Mississippi, Arkansas, Ouachita and Red Rivers and their tributaries. As Deputy Sector Commander she leads 200 Active Duty, Reserve, and civilian personnel and over 248 CG Auxiliary members at the Sector office, six river buoy tenders, a Marine Safety Unit, a detached duty marine safety office and one Aids to Navigation Team. She serves as the Alternate Captain of the Port, Federal Maritime Security Coordinator, Federal On-Scene Coordinator, and Acting Officer in Charge of Marine Inspection. Major missions for the Sector include commercial vessel inspections, pollution response, waterways management, aids to navigation, maritime security, law enforcement, and search and rescue coordination. 

Prior to her arrival in Memphis, Commander Styles was the Prevention Capabilities Division Chief at the Office of Shore Forces (CG-741) in Washington, D.C. where she was responsible for aligning the modernization of Prevention program’s strategic diction, resourcing priorities, and identifying and filling capability gaps across Prevention Shore Force enterprise. Previous assignments include Investigations Division Chief at Sector Southeastern New England, Marine Investigator and Facility/Container Supervisor in Los Angeles-Long Beach, and a Marine Inspector and Search and Rescue Command Duty Officer in Boston, Massachusetts. Commander Styles’ career also included an assignment as a Central Assignment Coordinator at the Personnel Service Center (PSC) Enlisted Personnel Management (EPM) Division.

Commander Styles volunteered as a White House Social Aide and her military awards include two Coast Guard Meritorious Service Medal, three Coast Guard Commendation Medals, two Coast Guard Achievement Medals, and Commandant’s Letter of Commendation and holds her Society for Human Resource Management Certified Professional license (SHMR-CP).

Commander Styles was raised in Columbus, Ohio and graduated from Denison University, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and History. She earned her Master in Public Administration and followed it on with a Master Certificate in Human Resources from Villanova University. She is married to Doug Kershner of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and has a son named George.

Command Senior Enlisted Leader

Senior Chief Machinery Technician

Jameson Hannaman

Master Chief Jameson Hannaman assumed the duties of Command Master Chief of Sector Lower Mississippi River on June 4th, 2021 where he serves as the Command Senior Enlisted Leader with a primary responsibility to advise the Sector Commander on issues and initiatives pertaining to all Coast Guard members and their families throughout the Sector. Most recently, Master Chief Hannaman served as an instructor at the Coast Guard Chief Petty Officer Academy.

Originally from Adelanto, CA, Master Chief Hannaman enlisted in November 1997, and served aboard the Coast Guard Cutter MUNRO (Alameda, CA) for two years before attending Machinery Technician “A” school in Yorktown, VA. Other assignments include: Station New Orleans, LA, MSST Los Angeles/Long Beach, CA, Coast Guard Cutter Maria Bray (Jacksonville, FL), Marine Safety Unit Port Arthur, TX.

Master Chief Hannaman is a proud graduate of the Coast Guard Chief Petty Officers Academy Class 203 and the Coast Guard Senior Enlisted Leadership Course, Class 74. He is currently working towards his degree in Organizational Management through the United States Navy Community College. (USNCC)

Master Chief Hannaman’s personal awards include: two Coast Guard Commendation Medals with Operational “O” device, one Army Commendation Medal, two Coast Guard Achievement Medals with “O” device, and one Commandants Letter of Commendation with “O” device.

He is married to the former Monica Mejia of Bell Gardens, CA since 2004.