Natalya Leahy becomes Lindblad Expeditions CEONatalya Leahy becomes Lindblad Expeditions CEO

Former Seabourn President Natalya Leahy is taking over as CEO of Lindblad Expeditions Holdings from company founder Sven-Olof Lindblad, who continues as board co-chair with Mark Ein.

Also appointed is Rick Goldberg, from Founders Table Restaurant Group, as CFO, replacing interim CFO L. Dyson Dryden, who continues in his long-standing director role.

Energized and talented

Sven-Olof Lindblad expressed his confidence in the two newly appointed executives, who he said represent an 'energized, talented and experienced partnership, leading the company into our next phase of growth in the experiential travel space both at sea and on land.'

A Carnival Corp. & plc veteran, Leahy served in various positions before becoming Seabourn president. These included chief operations officer for the former Holland America Group and CFO of Holland America Line and Seabourn. Earlier roles were with Procter & Gamble, the United Nations and The Coca-Cola Co.

Newly appointed CFO Rick Goldberg PHOTO: LINDBLAD EXPEDITIONS

Rick Goldberg

As CFO of Founders Table Restaurant Group, Goldberg has led the high-growth, fast-casual restaurant company's finance, real estate and development, franchising, and customer insights, since 2021. Previous roles included CFO at Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc., one of the largest providers of assisted tax preparation services in the US.

Related:New presidents at Princess Cruises, Holland America, Seabourn

'We are excited to welcome two exceptional leaders whose experience, drive, skill sets and values perfectly align with our vision and mission,' Ein said. 'Natalya's extensive background in senior leadership across global travel and iconic brand-focused companies, combined with Rick's broad experience as a senior finance leader, will bring invaluable perspectives to our team.'

Creating life-changing experiences

For her part, Natalya noted that 'nearly 50 years ago, Lindblad Expeditions created the expedition travel category, serving as a beacon of authentic, immersive and responsible exploration,' adding she believes in the transformative power of travel and Lindblad's ability to create 'life-changing experiences for sophisticated travelers eager to explore the Earth's most extraordinary places in extreme comfort.'