MITAGS Alum, Captain Kate McCue continues to make big waves, pun intended, in the maritime and cruise industries! Captain McCue is the first American female captain of a mega cruise ship, making history in 2015 when she became captain of the Celebrity Edge at the age of 37 years old. She is also the first commanding officer to sail from a U.S. port following the COVID-19 pandemic shutdown. And, today, she remains the only American female captain of any mega cruise ship!
MITAGS had the privilege of being a part of Captain McCue’s journey to the helm when she completed our Chief Mate to Master Program in 2009.
What’s next for McCue? She will become the commanding officer for Celebrity Beyond, Celebrity Cruises’ newest luxury cruise ship that is launching this spring.
To read more about Captain McCue and her accomplishments so far, click here.
Bravo Zulu Captain McCue!
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Effective January 1, 2021, Capt. Jonathan (Jon) Kjaerulff has assumed the duties of Director of Business Development at MITAGS. Jon succeeds Capt. Bob Becker, who is retiring this year, but will maintain his association with MITAGS as a consultant. With this new promotion, and as a member of the senior management team at MITAGS, Jon’s mission is to identify customer needs and craft solutions in all the areas where MITAGS operates – not just training, but in customized simulation, research and apprenticeship programs. Jon is also helping MITAGS implement new and exciting training and assessment methodologies, such as Digital Learning, Virtual and Augmented Reality.
“This is a very exciting and challenging time to be in the training business,” says Jon. “So many basic concepts about how, where and to whom we provide instruction and assessment have changed in the last few months. Our customers demand quality programs that can be delivered more effectively and efficiently, which respect their employees’ time but also enhance their knowledge and safety skills. As the world changes around us, I look forward to helping MITAGS navigate these new, uncharted waters while maintaining our position as the Leader in Maritime Training and Simulation.”