Born in Chicago, Illinois and raised in Jackson, Mississippi, Zeita Merchant studied at Tougaloo College, majoring in biology, pre-med. However, one of the challenges she faced was how to pay for medical school. Wanting a job doing something meaningful after college, she joined the Coast Guard recruitment on campus. In an interview with WaterWire, Merchant states, “... I learned about the Coast Guard. I realized how it was different from [other military] services. It had more of a national focus, a humanitarian service.” U.S. Coast Guard Captain Zeita Merchant is now Commander of Sector New York - the largest Coast Guard (CG) operational field command on the East Coast. Since May 2021, she has directed all Coast Guard missions in the Port of New York and New Jersey. In this role, Capt. Merchant wears several other hats: Captain of the Port (ensuring safety and security of the port zone); Search and Rescue Mission Coordinator; Federal On-Scene Coordinator (directing oil spill and hazmat response); Federal Maritime Security Coordinator, (overseeing the Area Maritime Security Committee and Plan); and Officer in Charge of Marine Inspections (responsible for all vessel and port facility inspections, investigations, licenses, and documentation). After more than 24 years of active-duty service, Capt. Merchant is a recognized authority on environmental matters, maritime safety and security, and emergency management, having served in a variety of assignments across the country. Immediately prior to joining Sector New York, she was a National Security Fellow at Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs.

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