Lee Peterson, whose career at the Port of Long Beach spans more than 10 years, became a media relations specialist for the port in 2007 after working as a reporter and editor for multiple local newspapers. Now, as media relations manager for the port, Peterson is tasked with communicating the complex operations behind one of nation’s busiest ports to the public. He leads the communications division to create online content, news releases, fact sheets, newsletters and more. The job comes with the challenge of knowing the best outlets, including publications and social media platforms, to leverage in order to keep residents updated on port operations and traffic changes. Peterson credits his team for responding to requests for information and anticipating what locals would want to know about the port. “The people in the harbor department are not only a pleasure to work with in terms of their helpfulness, but they are really super smart and very capable of what they are doing,” Peterson said. In all the years he has worked for the port, Peterson remembers the rare moments where he was able to board visiting vessels as some of his standout memories. “It is really quite remarkable to be able to get onto one of these container ships and get a sense of how the crew works and where they live, and kind of imagine how it is like for them to work on the ship as it crosses the ocean,” he said. “It is really quite amazing.”