Kelsey Ireland studied Marine Transportation at SUNY Maritime College. Upon graduating in January 2017, she sailed on Lindblad Expeditions' cruise ship, the National Geographic Quest. Later on, she joined the American Merchant Officers' Union and has since sailed as 3rd Mate in the Military Sealift Command Fleet. Coming from a long family line of mariners, Kelsey is the first woman in her family to work offshore and currently holds the family record for working on the largest vessel (949 ft / 69,3675 GT).