Team

An industry-known leader, Gene Seroka brings more than 28 years of experience in shipping, global logistics and executive management to the Port of Los Angeles. As executive director of the busiest container port in North America, he is responsible for managing more than a $1 billion budget, leading a team of more than 900 employees, advancing major capital projects, growing cargo volumes, and promoting innovative, sustainable practices that improve Southern California’s economy and quality of life. His duties involve interacting with a wide range of stakeholders, including Port customers worldwide, supply chain partners, labor, community members, and elected and appointed officials at all levels. He is a member of the U.S. Department of Commerce Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness, U.S. Department of Transportation Bureau of Transportation Port Performance Freight Statistics Working Group, U.S. Maritime Administration Marine Transportation System National Advisory Committee, and Federal Maritime Commission Supply Chain Innovation Team. He is an alumnus of the University of New Orleans, where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing and a Master’s Degree in Business Administration.

Marla Bleavins is Deputy Executive Director and Chief Financial Officer for the Port of Los Angeles, the number one container port in the nation and — with its AA and Aa2 bond rating — the highest-rated U.S. seaport operating without tax support.  

Appointed in January 2015, she manages the Port’s financial affairs and oversees the Accounting, Contracts and Purchasing, Financial Management, Debt and Treasury, Risk Management, Internal Management Audit, and Human Resources divisions.

Bleavins brings to the post an outstanding, results-oriented public finance track record with extensive knowledge of the City of Los Angeles and its financial structures.

Prior to her appointment to the Port, Bleavins most recently served as Assistant General Manager for Finance and Administration at the City of Los Angeles Department of Convention and Tourism Development. Prior to that, she served as Project Manager and Debt and Treasury Manager at Los Angeles World Airports.

She began her career at the City of Los Angeles as a Budget Analyst and then as a Finance Specialist in the Office of the City Administrative Officer. During her tenure with the City, Bleavins managed close to $6 billion in bond financings that funded capital projects at Los Angeles International Airport and throughout the City.

Bleavins holds a bachelor of arts in public policy and political science from Stanford University. She earned her master’s degree in business administration from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Carol Wang serves as a Financial Manager in the Debt & Treasury Management Division at the Port of Los Angeles. Carol assists with managing the Port’s long term bond portfolio and short-term liquidity facilities.  Among her responsibilities, Carol creates, maintains and updates the Port’s 12-month rolling cash forecast; calculates the Port's weighted average cost of capital, and prepares financials in compliance with continuing disclosure requirements.  As new money is needed or refunding opportunities arise, Carol contributes by assisting in the drafting, circulating, revising and submitting of the Official Statement as well as rating agency and investor presentations.

Carol joined the Port of Los Angeles in 2006 as a Financial Analyst working in Financial Planning and Analysis Division where she was responsible for developing financial models for rate of return analysis and lease negotiations as well as customer compensation analysis.  She joined Debt & Treasury Division in 2019 and was promoted to Financial Manager in 2022. Immediately prior to the Port of Los Angeles, Carol was Assistant Vice President at Union Bank of California, responsible for financial forecasting and planning and developing pricing strategies for corporate banking and commercial lending.

Carol earned a Master of Business Administration degree with focus in finance from the University of Southern California.

Phillip Sanfield is the director of media relations for the Port of Los Angeles. He serves as the media spokesperson for the Port and is responsible for media inquiries. Sanfield establishes and maintains relationships with local, national and international media, and strives for accuracy in resulting media coverage and Port messaging. Among other duties, he coordinates press conferences, media tours, interviews, editorial submissions, photography and video shoots.

Prior to his appointment at the Port in 2009, Sanfield had a journalism career spanning more than two decades in Southern California. From 2006 through his departure in 2009,  he was the editor of The Daily Breeze, an award-winning newspaper  covering more than 15 communities in the South Bay and Harbor Area of Southern California. From 1991 to 1998, Sanfield was the managing editor of The News-Pilot, a daily newspaper in San Pedro focusing on the Harbor Area and Port issues. He also spent two years in the Coachella Valley as a reporter.

A Chicago native, Sanfield earned a journalism degree from the University of Illinois. He received a master’s degree in public affairs reporting from Sangamon State University in Springfield, Ill. During his master’s program, he served as a reporter for the Chicago Sun-Times in the newspaper’s Springfield bureau covering state government and legislative affairs.

Sanfield resides in Torrance with his wife Judy and their three children.