A 1980 graduate of the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Mary Frances Culnane shipped out with Exxon Shipping Company for almost ten years becoming the first woman to sign articles as the Chief Engineer. Coming ashore in 1989, Ms. Culnane served as a Port Engineer on the USNS OBSERVATION ISLAND for the Military Sealift Command - Pacific. Ms. Culnane then became the Marine Lubes Technical Sales Engineer for Chevron International Oil Company covering the territory from Maine to Florida. By 1995 Ms. Culnane returned to San Francisco and joined Chevron's Technical Marketing Team, created to market refinery technology. A year later Ms. Culnane moved over to Chevron Shipping Company as Fuel, Lubes and Energy Conservation Manager and was promoted into the Marine Consulting Group as the tanker New Construction Manager. In 2001 Ms. Culnane joined the newly created San Francisco Bay Area Water Transit Authority as Manager, Marine Engineering.

Ms. Culnane was appointed by Department of Homeland Security Secretary Ridge to the National Maritime Security Advisory Committee, representing ferry owners and operators, was a member of the Merchant Marine Personnel Advisory Committee, served on the Executive Board of the San Francisco Marine Exchange, and volunteered on the Board of Advisors for the Tall Ship Semester for Girls.