- Port Tampa Bay President & CEO Paul Anderson announced today the hiring of Ryan Fierst as the port’s new Vice President of Legal Affairs. Fierst has more than 20 years of experience in law, public policy, and government. She worked on Capitol Hill as a Counsel for the US House Judiciary Committee and served as a Legislative Director for two Congressmen representing the Central Florida region. Fierst also served as the Public Policy Director and Legislative Counsel for the Virginia Chamber of Commerce. She began her career working as a Staff Attorney for the Florida House of Representatives for Speaker Tom Feeney in Tallahassee, FL.

As Vice President of Legal Affairs, Fierst works under the direction of the Principal Counsel and carries out complex legal assignments in support of Port Tampa Bay administration and operations. The Vice President of Legal Affairs represents the legal interests of Port Tampa Bay in all aspects, including contractual, policy-making and enforcement, litigation, regulatory compliance, employment and labor law, public procurement, environmental, security, general insurance matters, grants, and public entity governance. Fierst will provide judgement in the performance of duties and major policy matters and provide oversight on the laws concerning governmental entities in the State of Florida.

"Port Tampa Bay will greatly benefit from the addition of Ryan Fierst who is a talented and well-respected legal professional. Fierst’s legal experience in several aspects of Florida politics and government makes her the perfect candidate to help our port through a tremendous period of growth. We are fortunate to welcome her to our team," said Paul Anderson, Port Tampa Bay President, and CEO.

Fierst most recently worked as an economic development consultant and grant writer for several statewide Florida non-profits and the Florida House of Representatives. Prior to that, Ryan worked as a Senior Management Analyst for the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity where she oversaw project, contract, and grant management for many of the state’s economic development agencies, including EFI, Space Florida, and VISIT FLORIDA. Fierst holds a Bachelor of Science from Liberty University and a law degree from Regents University School of Law. She is a native of Tampa and is a licensed attorney in the state of Florida.