Capt. Kelly Gordon has made a name for herself with her open discussion of crew mental health, both what she has witnessed and her personal experiences. She has presented on the topic many times and recently spoke at the U.S. Embassy in London in February 2024.
Gordon was invited by Vikand’s CEO Peter Hult and The Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs of the Embassy of the United States of America Laurie Farris to represent the yachting industry at an executive round table discussion on seafarer sustainability, specifically about mental health.
Gordon joined Hult, Farris, and Aon CCO Chris Bhatt to discuss OneHealth, a program that combines the latest tech with the most current healthcare practices. It’s a new approach from Aon and Vikand to address the maritime health crisis and the roundtable aimed to facilitate an open dialogue about the challenges and solutions across the maritime industry.
“I spoke very frankly and honestly about the state of the mental health crisis,” Gordon said. “We have an issue with drug and alcohol abuse, bullying, harassment, and discrimination, which are direct causes of decline in the mental health of crewmembers.”
“I left the meeting knowing that Aon and Vikand will and are working relentlessly, along with myself, on making the industry a better place,” Gordon said. “I left knowing that we WILL see change.”
Gordon also spoke at the 2024 Palm Beach International Boat Show and discussed the current mental health climate in yachting, what improvements have been made, and what’s on the horizon. She also hosted a leadership seminar to discuss the need for better leadership.
Read the full story here: https://www.the-triton.com/2024/03/capt-kelly-gordon-discusses-mental-health/