Lindblad appoints Natalya Leahy as CEO; Rick Goldberg as CFO
Lindblad Expeditions Holdings, Inc. has announced two key executive appointments: Natalya Leahy will join as Chief Executive Officer (CEO), effective Jan. 1, 2025, and Rick Goldberg has been appointed Chief Financial Officer (CFO), effective Dec. 31, 2024.
“As Lindblad Expeditions moves into its 46th year, I am delighted and confident that the leadership of Natalya Leahy as CEO and Rick Goldberg as CFO will 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,” said Sven-Olof Lindblad, founder and current CEO of Lindblad Expeditions and a member of the Board. “I look very much forward to, along with my fellow Board members, supporting Natalya and Rick to maintain and strengthen our position as the leaders in this rapidly growing sector of the travel industry and creating meaningful value for all of our stakeholders.”
About Leahy
Leahy most recently served as president of Seabourn, where she was responsible for all aspects of the luxury cruise line’s business and operations, leading a global team of more than 4,000 shoreside and seagoing employees.
Prior to taking on the role of president, Leahy spent several years serving in various leadership positions at Holland America Group, including chief operations officer (COO) and CFO, respectively. Throughout her career, Leahy served in various leadership roles for global organizations, such as The Procter & Gamble Company, United Nations, and The Coca-Cola Company.
About Goldberg
Goldberg currently serves as CFO of Founders Table Restaurant Group, where he has led all aspects of the high-growth, fast-casual restaurant company’s finance, real estate and development, franchising, and customer insights, since 2021. Previously, Goldberg also held various leadership positions, including CFO, at Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc., one of the largest providers of assisted tax preparation services in the United States.
“We are excited to welcome two exceptional leaders whose experience, drive, skill sets, and values perfectly align with our vision and mission,” said Mark D. Ein, current Chairman of the Board. “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. Their proven success and dedication to excellence will be instrumental in driving operational and financial performance, achieving our ambitious growth objectives, and delivering lasting value to our stakeholders.”
Leahy succeeds Lindblad Expeditions’ Founder, Mr. Lindblad, who will become founder and co-chair of the Board. Ein will become Board co-chair as well as lead independent director. Rick Goldberg succeeds L. Dyson Dryden, who has served as interim CFO since June 2024, and continues his long-standing position as a Board director.
