Held each summer, the WITA/WITF Annual Dinner is WITA’s signature event. The Dinner attracts hundreds of top decision makers, policy shapers, and trade experts from D.C. and around the world. It’s no wonder it’s come to be known as ‘Trade Prom’!

This event is considered “widely attended” under both House & Senate Gift Rules.

To learn more about past honorees at the WITA/WITF Annual Dinner, please click here. 

Event Details:

Registration & Cocktails 5:30 – 7:00 PM

Dinner & Awards 7:00 – 9:00 PM

Post Dinner Reception 9:00 – 11:00 PM

For more information on past honorees or sponsorships, please click here. 

Questions? Contact WITA at (202) 312-1600 or events@wita.org

WITA has a two-day cancellation policy for this event.

2025 Sponsors:

The post 2025 WITA/WITF Annual Dinner appeared first on WITA.

In Person Sessions and Luncheon to be held in the Pavilion Room at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC | 1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW, Washington, DC

Schedule and Ticket Information

Monday, February 10, 2025

Via Zoom: 1:00 PM – 5:00 PM US/Eastern Time

Tuesday, February 11, 2025

In Person and Via Zoom: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM US/Eastern Time

In Person & Via Zoom: Luncheon Remarks 12:15 PM – 1:00 PM US/Eastern Time

 Ticket Prices

Early Bird Pricing!

WITA has a 48-hour cancellation policy. Any cancellations made within 48 hours of this event will be charged to cover costs.

Program Agenda and Speakers

To Be Announced…

Sponsorship Opportunities

Benefactor – $25,000

Executive – $10,000

Patron – $5,000

All sponsors receive tickets to the Conference, savings on WITA/WITF Annual Dinner, and more!

Sponsorship Information Here

The post 2025 Washington International Trade Conference appeared first on WITA.

The WITA Academy Pathways to Opportunity program consists of a series of career pathways sessions hosted by trade professionals from the Washington D.C. policy community. The curriculum, divided between the public and private sector, highlights different roles and career paths that are available in Washington D.C. and around the world.

Students will gain insight from trade professionals, pose questions to policymakers, and learn about exciting career opportunities in international affairs, political science, business, and trade. Students come away with an understanding of the trade policy-making community, the role of its key players, and the opportunities for internships and careers available to them.

This one hour online event is free and open to ALL students from the University of Kansas. Hosted with the Center for East Asian Studies (CEAS), Department of Political Science, the Law School and Business School to learn about careers in international affairs, business, and trade.

Registration is free for students and faculty – must use university email to register.

In Partnership with

Featured Speakers:

CJ Mahoney, Corporate Vice President and Deputy General Counsel, Cloud + AICorporate, Microsoft

Further Speakers to be Announced...

The mission of the WITA Academy is to make trade education and career opportunities in international trade accessible to communities in the United States and around the world, and to make the trade community itself more diverse, equitable and inclusive.

The WITA Academy works with trade leaders in businesses, law, academia, NGOs, embassies and the U.S. Government to help stakeholders, students, and others to better understand and navigate the U.S. and global trade policy apparatus.

Thank you to our WITA Academy Sponsors

Law Partner Sponsor

The post WITA Academy: Pathways to Opportunity – Careers in Trade, Technology and the Digital Economy appeared first on WITA.

Program Agenda and Speakers

8:30 AM: Doors open for networking coffee

9:00 AM: Event start time

9:05 AM: Armchair Discussion

Ambassador Susan C. Schwab, Strategic Advisor, Mayer Brown; former United States Trade Representative

Ambassador Jovita Neliupšienė, Delegation of the European Union to the United States; former Vice Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Lithuania

9:35 AM: Panel on US-EU Trade & Investment

Marco Margheri, Head of US Relations, Eni; Chairman, Eni New Energies US Inc.

Daniel Mullaney, Non-Resident Senior Fellow, Atlantic Council; former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Europe and the Middle East

Jonathan Samford, Incoming President & CEO, Global Business Alliance

Lisa Schroeter, Global Director of Trade & Investment Policy, Dow

Moderator: Penny Naas, Lead, GMF Allied Competitiveness, German Marshall Fund

10:30 AM: Event conclusion

The post The Future of U.S.-EU Trade and Investment appeared first on WITA.

Featured Speakers:  

Kathleen Claussen, Professor of Law, Georgetown University Law Center

Timothy Meyer, Richard Allen/Cravath Distinguished Professor in International Business Law, Duke University School of Law

Moderator: Michael J. Smart, Managing Director, Rock Creek Global Advisors

Speaker Biographies

Professor Kathleen Claussen is a Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center and has served as arbitrator, counsel, expert, public servant, and teacher. Her expertise covers several topics of international law, especially trade, investment, international business and labor; dispute settlement and international dispute bodies; national security and cybersecurity law; and administrative law issues surrounding U.S. foreign relations and transnational agreements.

Her work has appeared in the Yale Law Journal, the Stanford Law Review, the Columbia Law Review, the University of Chicago Law Review, and the Virginia Law Review, among others, as well as in leading international law journals. One of her articles on international investment disputes, The International Claims Trade, was awarded the Smit-Lowenfeld Prize in International Arbitration. Professor Claussen is also the co-founder of SAILS: the Consortium for the Study and Analysis of International Law Scholarship. She is the editor (with Geraldo Vidigal) of The Sustainability Revolution in Trade Agreements, forthcoming with Oxford University Press. She also co-edits an open-access textbook on international trade law together with Julian Arato, Joseph Weiler, and Sungjoon Cho. Professor Claussen has also blogged at Lawfare, Just Security, the International Economic Law & Policy Blog, and Opinio Juris, and is regularly featured on or consulted as an expert for various media outlets such as the Wall Street Journal, Marketplace, Bloomberg, and the Financial Times.

Professor Claussen has served as an arbitrator, as counsel, or as counsel to the tribunal in more than a dozen international trade and investment cases. She has been named to three arbitration rosters to serve as panel chair or panel member in state-to-state disputes. She is also regularly called upon to testify as an expert before legislative and independent review boards. In 2021-2022, she co-authored a study commissioned by the Administrative Conference of the United States on alternative dispute resolution in federal agency programs.

Professor Claussen has served as a visiting faculty member or invited researcher at numerous institutions around the world, including Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law, the University of Cambridge Lauterpacht Centre for International Law where she was a Brandon Fellow, the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, the iCourts Center of Excellence at the University of Copenhagen, the George C. Marshall Center for Security Studies, the University of Zurich and Collegium Helveticum, and the World Trade Institute. Prior to joining the Georgetown faculty in 2023, she was a member of the faculty at the University of Miami School of Law for five years.

Professor Claussen holds several leadership positions within international law and arbitration professional associations. In 2021, she was appointed co-Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of International Economic Law. Her other recent governance appointments include the American Society of International Law (ASIL) International Economic Law Interest Group, the ASIL Executive Council & Executive Committee, and the Junior International Law Scholars Association. She is also a member of the Academic Council of the Institute for Transnational Arbitration and the Academic Forum on Investor-State Dispute settlement.

Before joining the academy, Professor Claussen was Associate General Counsel at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in the Executive Office of the President. There, she represented the United States in trade dispute proceedings and served as a legal advisor for the United States in international trade negotiations. She also worked on economic security issues on behalf of USTR at the National Cyber Investigative Joint Task Force. In 2020-2021, she was an invited member of the Biden-Harris Transition Team, covering trade, commerce, and development agencies.

Earlier in her career, Professor Claussen was Legal Counsel at the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague where she advised on disputes between countries, and on investment and commercial arbitrations involving countries and international organizations. She also clerked for the Honorable David F. Hamilton of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. At Yale, Professor Claussen served on the board of the Yale Law Journal and was Editor-in-Chief of the Yale Journal of International Law. She was awarded the Jerome Sayles Hess Fund Prize for excellence in international law and the Howard M. Holtzmann Fellowship in international dispute resolution.

Timothy Meyer is Richard Allen/Cravath Distinguished Professor in International Business Law at Duke University School of Law and is an expert in international law—with specialties in international trade, investment and environmental law—and U.S. foreign relations law. He is co-director of Duke Law’s Center for International and Comparative Law. Meyer also serves on the Board of Editors of the American Journal of International Law and is an elected member of the American Law Institute.

Meyer’s research examines the factors that influence the design, implementation, and evolution of international legal institutions, as well as the role of the constitutional separation of powers in U.S. foreign policymaking. Specific topics include the implementation of public policy exceptions in international trade agreements, the interaction of international and local rules on energy subsidies, the role of local governments in free trade agreements, and the creation of non-binding “soft law” obligations. Professor Meyer’s work has appeared in the Columbia Law Review, the University of Pennsylvania Law Review, the California Law Review, the Journal of Legal Analysis and the American and European Journals of International Law, among others. He is also the author (with Andrew T. Guzman) of GOLDILOCKS GLOBALISM, forthcoming from Oxford University Press, and the editor (with Harlan Grant Cohen) of INTERNATIONAL LAW AS BEHAVIOR, from Cambridge University Press.

Meyer is the author (with Todd N. Tucker) of The Green Steel Deal, a proposal for an international arrangement on decarbonizing the steel sector through a mix of domestic and international trade measures. He has testified before the U.S. Senate Committees on Foreign Relations and the Judiciary and has served both as counsel and as an expert in international arbitrations and in cases raising international and foreign relations law issues in U.S. courts. The European Union has also named Meyer to its list of possible chairpersons for arbitrations and trade and sustainable development disputes arising under its trade agreements.

Prior to joining the Duke Law faculty in 2022, Meyer was a professor of law and director of the International Legal Studies Program at Vanderbilt University Law School. He has also taught at the University of Georgia School of Law. Before entering the academy, he served as an attorney-adviser in the U.S. State Department’s Office of the Legal Adviser and clerked for the Honorable Neil M. Gorsuch when Justice Gorsuch served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit. Meyer earned his B.A. and M.A. (History) from Stanford University and his J.D. and Ph.D. (Jurisprudence and Social Policy) from the University of California, Berkeley.

Michael J. Smart is a Managing Director at Rock Creek Global Advisors, where he focuses on international trade and investment policy, including market access and regulatory matters. He also advises multinational companies on sanctions, supply chain policy, and trade-related climate measures.

Mr. Smart previously served as Trade Counsel on the Democratic staff of the US Senate Committee on Finance. In that role, he advised Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and members of the committee on various trade matters, including World Trade Organization negotiations and dispute settlement, free trade agreements, agricultural trade, and the trade aspects of legislation to address climate change.

Before joining the Finance Committee, Mr. Smart was Director for International Trade and Investment on the staff of the National Security Council at the White House. Mr. Smart focused on the Doha Development Agenda, trade in financial services, free trade agreements, and bilateral investment treaties. He also served as the lead White House staff for cabinet-level dialogues with Brazil and India.

Mr. Smart was previously an associate at the law firm of Sidley Austin LLP, where his practice focused on international trade and investment policy and dispute resolution. He represented companies and governments in WTO, investment treaty, and NAFTA disputes. Earlier in his career, Mr. Smart was Legislative Director for former Congressman Earl Pomeroy (D-ND).

Mr. Smart has appeared on CNN International, BBC News, Bloomberg News, and Channel News Asia and has been quoted in publications such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Politico, and Financial Times.

Mr. Smart is a member of the Executive Circle of the Institute of International Economic Affairs at The George Washington University and a member of the Board of Directors of the Washington International Trade Association. Mr. Smart received his BA in International Affairs from The George Washington University (Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude) and his JD from Georgetown University Law Center (cum laude).

The post Trade and the Administrative State appeared first on WITA.

Program Agenda

12:00 PM Registration Opens – Lunch Provided

12:30 PM Official Program Start Time

12:30 – 12:35 PM Welcome and Introduction

Diego Añez, Executive Director, WITA Academy; Managing Director, Washington International Trade Association (University of Georgia)

Kenneth I Levinson, Chief Executive Officer, Washington International Trade Association (WITA) (M.A. New York University, B.A. University of Massachusetts)

12:35 – 1:10 PM Career Pathways Conversation

Fred Humphries, Corporate Vice President, U.S. Government Affairs, Microsoft (Morehouse College & Temple University – James E. Beasley School of Law)

Jamila Thompson, Chief of Staff, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (Goucher College & SOAS University of London)

Moderator: Kenneth I. Levinson, Chief Executive Officer, Washington International Trade Association (WITA) (M.A. New York University, B.A. University of Massachusetts)

1:10 – 1:25 PM Student Q&A with Fred and Jamila (Moderated by Kenneth Levinson) 

1:30 PM Event Close

LOCATION

Frederick Douglass Hall Room 221

2419 6th St NW, Washington, DC 20059

Featured Speakers:

Fred Humphries, Corporate Vice President, U.S. Government Affairs, Microsoft

Fred Humphries is Corporate Vice President of U.S Government Affairs for Microsoft. Under his leadership, U.S. Government Affairs provides expertise in policy, outreach, political engagement, and government affairs that helps advance the company’s advocacy goals.

Humphries is Microsoft’s chief public policy advocate internally and externally on all aspects of federal, state and civic affairs. He sets the company’s strategy and government affairs outreach on the most pressing policy issues facing the technology industry including cloud computing, taxes, privacy, trade, cyber security, education, immigration, and emerging technologies. He also communicates with policymakers on Microsoft’s leadership role in fostering economic and job opportunities in the U.S.

In 2000, Humphries joined Microsoft as Director of State Governmental Affairs, building a team responsible for outreach to our nation’s governors, mayors and local elected officials in every state capital. In that position, Humphries integrated on-the-ground state advocacy work into Microsoft’s overall corporate strategy, in coordination with the public sector, policy and lobbying teams. He was promoted to Microsoft’s Managing Director of U.S. Government Affairs in 2009 and Corporate Vice President in 2015.

Humphries received a J.D. from Temple University School of Law and a B.A. in Political Science from Morehouse College.

He proudly serves on the boards of numerous non-profit and public service organizations including Morehouse College, Temple University Beasley School of Law, Information Technology Industry Council, The Information Technology Industry Foundation, Internet Association, National Association of Manufacturers, Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, Martha’s Table Leadership Council, Software.org, Ford’s Theatre Board of Governors and the USTR Trade Advisory Committee on Africa.

Jamila Thompson, Chief of Staff, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

Jamila Thompson is the Senior Advisor and acting Chief of Staff to the U.S. Trade Representative Katherine Tai, who is the chief negotiator, spokesperson, and advisor to the President on U.S. trade and investment policy, a member of the Cabinet, and leader of the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, an agency within the Executive Office of the President.

Ms. Thompson previously spent nearly two decades working on Capitol Hill, most recently as chief of staff to Georgia’s Fifth Congressional District and as deputy chief of staff for U.S. Representative John Lewis (D-GA). She previously worked as a legislative assistant for Rep. Barbara Lee (D-CA) and as a volunteer coordinator and translator for various non-profit organizations. Ms. Thompson also served on the Mayor’s Advisory Commission on Caribbean Community Affairs in Washington, D.C. and is a senior fellow and mentor with Stennis Center for Public Service Leadership.

In 2015, Goucher College named Ms. Thompson as one of the inaugural recipients of its Distinguished Alumnae and Alumni Award; she is also a graduate of the University of London’s School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS). Ms. Thompson is a member of The Federal City Alumnae Chapter of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated. An avid tennis player, she and her husband reside in Washington, D.C.

Hosted in Partnership with

The mission of the WITA Academy is to make trade education and career opportunities in international trade accessible to communities in the United States and around the world, and to make the trade community itself more diverse, equitable and inclusive.

The WITA Academy works with trade leaders in businesses, law, academia, NGOs, embassies and the U.S. Government to help stakeholders, students, and others to better understand and navigate the U.S. and global trade policy apparatus.

Thank you to our WITA Academy Sponsors

Law Partner Sponsor

The post WITA Academy: Pathways to Opportunity Leadership Lunch & Learn – Careers in International Affairs, Business and Trade appeared first on WITA.

The WITA Academy Pathways to Opportunity program consists of a series of career pathways sessions hosted by trade professionals from the Washington D.C. policy community. The curriculum, divided between the public and private sector, highlights different roles and career paths that are available in Washington D.C. and around the world.

Students will gain insight from trade professionals, pose questions to policymakers, and learn about exciting career opportunities in international affairs, political science, business, and trade. Students come away with an understanding of the trade policy-making community, the role of its key players, and the opportunities for internships and careers available to them.

This one hour online event is open to ALL students from the University of Denver and Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) Member Schools (undergraduates and graduate students), to learn about careers in international affairs, business, and trade.

Registration is free for students and faculty – must use university email to register.

Hosted by	In partnership with

FEATURED FACULTY

2:30 PM: Introduction and Welcome

Diego Añez, Executive Director, WITA Academy; Managing Director, Washington International Trade Association (WITA) (University of Georgia)

Kenneth I. Levinson, Chief Executive Officer, Washington International Trade Association (WITA) (University of Massachusetts in Amherst & New York University)

2:35 PM – 2:50 PM: Fireside One on One

Laura Lane, former Executive Vice President and Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer, UPS (Loyola University Chicago & Georgetown University)

Moderator: Kenneth I. Levinson, Chief Executive Officer, Washington International Trade Association (WITA) (University of Massachusetts in Amherst & New York University)

2:50 PM – 3:25 PM: Opportunities in the Public and Private Sectors

Zoe Sophos, Director for Industrial Trade Policy, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (Fudan University, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies & UC San Diego)

Gabriela Zelaya, Global Diversity Export Initiative Director, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce (University of Miami & University of California, Riverside)

Click here to read an article highlighting Gabriela’s career journey at the U.S. Commercial Service.

Debra Delay, Chief Operating Officer, Silverado Policy Accelerator (Tufts University, Smith College & Universidad de Córdoba)

Jennifer Meng, Director of Global Policy, Semiconductor Industry Association (Georgetown University & University of Toronto)

Moderator: Diego Añez, Executive Director, WITA Academy; Managing Director, Washington International Trade Association (WITA) (University of Georgia)

3:25 PM: Closing Remarks

Gergana Kostadinova Law, Assistant Director, Employer Relations, Office of Career and Professional Development, Josef Korbel School of International Studies, University of Denver

Diego Añez, Executive Director, WITA Academy; Managing Director, Washington International Trade Association (WITA) (University of Georgia)

For questions about the event, please contact the WITA Staff events@wita.org.

SPEAKER BIOGRAPHIES:

Laura Lane is formerly Executive Vice President (EVP) and Chief Corporate Affairs and Sustainability Officer. In this role she oversaw Public Policy and Government Affairs, Public Relations, Employee Communications, Sustainability and The UPS Foundation.  She was a member of UPS’s Executive Leadership Team reporting to CEO Carol B. Tomé.

Laura began her UPS career as president, Global Public Affairs in 2011 and was responsible for worldwide government affairs activities for UPS in over 200 countries and territories. Prior to joining UPS, Laura served in both the public and private sectors. She was managing director and head of International Government Affairs at Citigroup and vice president for Global Public Policy with Time Warner.

In her government career, Laura served as a trade negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in the negotiation of China’s entry to the World Trade Organization (WTO), the WTO Financial Services Agreement, and the WTO Basic Telecommunications Agreement. She also served as a diplomat in the U.S. Foreign Service from 1990-1997, including serving as consular/economic officer in Bogota, Colombia, and then at the American Embassy in Kigali, Rwanda. In Rwanda, she led evacuation efforts during the outbreak of civil war and returned as political advisor to U.S. forces providing humanitarian relief in the post-conflict environment.

Laura is one of three U.S. government-appointed business representatives serving on the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Business Advisory Council (ABAC). She is chairman of the Board of the German-American Business Council and also serves as a member of the board of the Atlantic Council and The Atlanta Opera.

Laura earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and history from Loyola University. As a Truman Scholar, she graduated from Georgetown University with a Master of Science degree in foreign service in international economics and business diplomacy.

Zoe Sophos is director for Industrial Trade Policy at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), since joining USTR  in 2016, has represented the United States in bilateral and multilateral trade policy negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva, Switzerland and the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) in Paris, France. In 2023, she served as Acting Minister Counselor for Trade at U.S. Embassy Beijing. Zoe is currently based in Washington, DC as a Director for Industrial Trade Policy in USTR’s Office for Small Business, Market Access, and Industrial Competitiveness.

Prior to joining USTR, Zoe advised American corporations on the strategic implications of Chinese policy developments as a manager at the U.S.-China Business Council. She began her career as managing director of a publicly owned cross-border apparel startup based in San Diego, California, gaining first-hand experience in international trade. Zoe holds a dual bachelor’s degree in political science and Chinese studies from the University of California, San Diego. She is conversational in French, Mandarin, and Spanish and enjoys cooking, playing tennis, and running marathons in her spare time.

Gabriela Zelaya is the Community Engagement Director for the Global Diversity Export Initiative (GDEI) at the International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. She manages U.S. Commercial Service GDEI programs that assist exporters from diverse businesses including minority, women, LGBTQI+, veteran, and service-disabled veteran-owned businesses by leveraging the network of U.S. and overseas offices of the U.S. export assistance centers. Before her director role, Gabriela served as Global Education Team Leader at the International Trade Administration for nearly 10 years.

Gabriela was honored as Silicon Valley’s “40 under 40” recognizing her as an up-and-coming leader in Silicon Valley for her leadership, community work, and impact in her respective field. Gabriela received her bachelor’s degree in political science/law and society from the University of California, Riverside and master’s (honors) from the University of Miami.

Debra Delay is the Chief Operating Officer at the Silverado Policy Accelerator. Ms. Delay is an international business and trade expert with 25 years of professional experience spanning the private and public sectors. Immediately prior to joining Silverado, she served as Director of the Steel and Aluminum Section 232 exclusions program at the International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce. During her 17+ year federal government career at ITA, she also served as Director of Strategic Planning, Director of Customer Experience; and Senior Advisor to the Deputy Director General of the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service. Earlier in her career, Ms. Delay worked in the Boston, MA office of the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service, advising small and medium sized companies on exporting. She also worked in sales operations and marketing roles at several private sector firms prior to joining government service. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Spanish Literature from Smith College and holds a master’s degree in International Business and Trade from the Fletcher School of Tufts University.

Jennifer Meng is director of global policy at SIA, offering direct support for SIA’s international trade and global policy priorities, with a focus on China policy and WTO priorities. Jennifer joined SIA in 2018. Jennifer leads SIA in the World Semiconductor Council, a cooperative global body dedicated to promoting a free, open, and globally competitive trading environment for semiconductor products. Her work also entails promoting US semiconductor industry priorities in the WTO, including the WTO Information Technology Agreement and the E-Commerce Initiative. She works closely with SIA member companies, the U.S. administration, domestic and international companies and business associations, and foreign government officials. Jennifer has prior experience working for the high-tech industry, including positions at the Albright Stonebridge Group, Eurasia Group, and the US Chamber of Commerce. She has a B.A. in political science and economics from the University of Toronto, and an M.A. in Asian Studies from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. She grew up in China and Canada and is fluent in Mandarin. She lives with her two dogs in Washington, D.C.

Ken Levinson serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Washington International Trade Association (WITA) and Washington International Trade Foundation. 

WITA is the world’s largest non-profit, non-partisan membership organization dedicated to providing a neutral forum for the open and robust discussion of international trade policy and economic issues. WITA and its affiliated groups have over 10,000 members, and more than 160 corporate sponsors and group memberships.

Ken has over 30 years of experience working with companies, associations, NGOs and governments, advocating innovative solutions to complex public policy challenges. Over the years, Ken has worked with clients in the technology, telecommunications, biopharmaceuticals, agriculture and food, financial services, retail, apparel, energy, and consumer products sectors.

Previously, Ken served as Senior Director for Global Government Affairs for AstraZeneca. Prior to joining AstraZeneca, Ken served as Senior Vice President and COO at the Washington, DC consulting firm of Fontheim International. Ken joined Fontheim after spending six years on the staff of U.S. Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV.  Ken advised the Senator on foreign policy and national security matters, and served as the Senator’s chief advisor on the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, dealing with issues related to international trade and tax policy.

Ken received his Master’s Degree from New York University after doing his undergraduate work at the University of Massachusetts, in Amherst. Ken also spent a year studying at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Ken and his wife, the Reverend Donna Marsh, live in Bethesda, MD, with their two daughters.

Diego Añez is the Managing Director of the Washington International Trade Association (WITA) and the Executive Director of the WITA Academy. He is responsible for management of operations, policy programs, strategic engagements and member services for the organization’s 5000+ members and corporate sponsors across all 50 states and over 100 countries worldwide. He provides direction, with the WITA CEO and Board of Directors, to WITA’s portfolio of programming and capstone events, such as the Washington International Trade Conference and Annual Dinner.

Diego also spearheads the organization’s WITA Academy – a program of the Washington International Trade Foundation which strives to make trade education and career opportunities in international trade accessible to communities in the United States and around the world. The mission of the WITA Academy is to make the trade community itself more diverse and inclusive.

Diego is originally from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia and was raised in Mobile, Alabama. Diego graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs with concentrations in International Political Economy and Comparative Politics.

The mission of the WITA Academy is to make trade education and career opportunities in international trade accessible to communities in the United States and around the world, and to make the trade community itself more diverse, equitable and inclusive.

The WITA Academy works with trade leaders in businesses, law, academia, NGOs, embassies and the U.S. Government to help stakeholders, students, and others to better understand and navigate the U.S. and global trade policy apparatus.

Thank you to our WITA Academy Sponsors

Law Partner Sponsor

.

The post WITA Academy: Pathways to Opportunity – Careers in International Affairs, Business, and Trade appeared first on WITA.

Featured Speakers:

Ralph Carter, Staff Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, FedEx

Kim Glas, President & CEO, National Council of Textile Organizations; Commissioner, U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission 

John Pickel, Senior Director, International Supply Chain Policy, National Foreign Trade Council

Felicia Pullam, Executive Director, Office of Trade Relations, U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Moderator: Ana Swanson, Trade and International Economics Reporter, The New York Times

The post Regulating and Reforming De Minimis appeared first on WITA.

The WITA Academy Pathways to Opportunity program consists of a series of career pathways sessions hosted by trade professionals from the Washington D.C. policy community. The curriculum, divided between the public and private sector, highlights different roles and career paths that are available in Washington D.C. and around the world.

Students will gain insight from trade professionals, pose questions to policymakers, and learn about exciting career opportunities in international affairs, political science, business, and trade. Students come away with an understanding of the trade policy-making community, the role of its key players, and the opportunities for internships and careers available to them.

Registration is free for students and faculty – must use university email to register.

Hosted in Partnership with

AGENDA

11:00 AM ET: Introduction and Welcome

Diego Añez, Executive Director, WITA Academy; Managing Director, Washington International Trade Association (WITA) (University of Georgia)

Kenneth I. Levinson, Chief Executive Officer, Washington International Trade Association (WITA) (M.A. New York University, B.A. University of Massachusetts)

11:05 AM ET – 11:30 AM ET: Opportunities in the Public Sector

Lea-Ann B. Bigelow, Director, Green Trade, U.S. Customs & Border Protection (University of Pennsylvania & Indiana University Bloomington)

Andrew Petrisin, Deputy Assistant Secretary, Multimodal Freight, U.S. Department of Transportation (University of Notre Dame)

11:30 AM ET – 11:55 AM ET: Opportunities in the Private Sector

Maria Luisa Boyce, Vice President, International Policy for Global Public Affairs, UPS (Universidad Externado de Colombia & Harvard University)

Ralph De La Rosa, President, Imperial Freight Brokers (Florida International University)

Closing Remarks

Diego Añez, Executive Director, WITA Academy; Managing Director, Washington International Trade Association (WITA) (University of Georgia)

Rafael Centeno, WITA Academy Fellow, Washington International Trade Association (Florida International University)

Gregory G. Maloney, Ph.D., Director, PayCargo Supply Chain and Logistics Program and Associate Teaching Professor, Department of Marketing and Logistics, Florida International University

For questions about the event, please contact the WITA Staff events@wita.org.

Speaker Biographies

Lea-Ann (Lea) Bigelow is a versatile and solutions-driven operations expert with a unique track record of innovation, strategy and policy development and execution, coalition building and results delivery across the Federal, private and non-profit sectors.  Ms. Bigelow’s 20 years of public sector leadership crosses the Executive Office of the President, two Cabinet Departments (Homeland Security and Commerce); and two independent Federal agencies (Commodity Futures Trading Commission and the National Gallery of Art.) 

Ms. Bigelow was appointed CBP’s Director, Green Trade, Trade Policy & Programs in October 2022.  Ms. Bigelow serves as CBP’s primary champion for execution of its Green Trade Strategy, which was launched in June 2022 as an agency-wide initiative to guide and inspire CBP’s enterprise-wide actions in the global fight against climate change and environmental degradation in the context of the trade mission.  More specifically, Ms. Bigelow leads CBP efforts to develop new green technologies, innovation and research, drive environmental trade enforcement and climate policy engagement with Partner Government Agencies and international customs entities, and engage with strategic partners from industry, academia and NGOs to explore green trade incentives and best practices. 

Immediately prior to assuming her current role, Ms. Bigelow served as Director of International Engagement at the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), leading global programs focused on government sustainability and climate, including the Greening Government Initiative, a first-of-its-kind community of practice with 48 participating countries working to build climate resilience in the public sector.  

From 2018 to 2021, as CBP’s Director, Interagency Collaboration Ms. Bigelow fostered and drove CBP’s partnerships with over 50 U.S. federal agencies, and global public and private sector entities with equities in cross-border trade towards optimization in 1) trade policy, 2) trade-facilitating technology, and 3) trade security and enforcement.  In that role, she oversaw the Border Interagency Executive Council (BIEC), the decision-making body charged with enhancing coordination across federal agencies with border responsibilities to measurably improve supply chain processes and the identification of illicit and high-risk shipments, and led design of the Global Business Identifier (GBI), a pilot program that will test the concept of a single business identifier solution to improve the U.S. Government’s and industry’s visibility into complex supply chains and facilitate legitimate trade.  Ms. Bigelow was also the policy lead for CBP’s Import Safety and Agriculture Priority Trade Issues, and directed ongoing interagency technology enhancements to the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE), otherwise known as the U.S. “Single Window,” the data exchange and warehouse through which all commodity imports to and exports from the U.S. are processed.  ACE is the system of record by which electronic trade and related financial transactions relating to cross-border goods flows are conducted and recorded by CBP. 

Ms. Bigelow’s previous U.S. Federal government service also includes:  Deputy Director, Performance Strategy & Systems, U.S. Department of Commerce; Director, Performance & Risk Management for the First Responders Network Authority (FirstNet); and Associate Director of Enforcement Operations, U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission.  Her government service began in 2004 when she joined the Treasurer’s Office of the National Gallery of Art, where she served for six years as the Gallery’s Director of Budget and Planning. 

Before entering public service, Ms. Bigelow operated for several years as an investment banker and strategy consultant, specializing in international M&A, venture capital and project finance.  She holds a B.Sc., magna cum laude, from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.  

In 2016, Ms. Bigelow was awarded the Commerce Gold Medal, the highest form of honorary recognition the Department of Commerce bestows, for distinguished contributions to Organizational Development.  Ms. Bigelow and her team were also recently recognized with the 2022 DHS Secretary’s Award for Innovation for their work in trade-facing Robotic Process Automation.  She lives with her husband and daughter in Shepherdstown, West Virginia.

María Luisa Boyce is Vice President of International Policy for Global Public Affairs, bringing more than 25 years of experience and leadership in international trade, customs affairs and cross-border trade. In her current role, she is part of the team working on Capitol Hill, Washington D.C., United States, advocating for UPS’ priorities, she leads UPS’s government affairs efforts in Latin America, advocates for global policy impacting UPS’s Small Business Enterprise (SMEs) customers and leads for the Global Public Affairs team the UPS Women Exporters Program. As a policy leader, Maria Luisa participates in different roles, including as Co-Chair of the Trade Facilitation Committee of the American Business Dialogue, representing UPS at the Alliance for eTrade Development, and Chair of the Supply Chain Security Policy Committee with the American Trucking Association, among others. In her professional career, Maria Luisa has held different positions and functions in both the private and public sectors of the United States, to include U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Border Trade Alliance. She has worked in regional committees, and partner with multilateral organizations. This has allowed her to have a solid knowledge of cross-border trade, understanding of logistics and the challenges faced by SMEs around the globe.

Originally from Bogotá, Colombia, María Luisa holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Finance and International Relations from Universidad Externado de Colombia and has a Certificate from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government for Strategic Management for Regulatory and Compliance Agencies.

Ralph De La Rosa currently serves on the board of the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA) and was recently named as the Vice Chair of the NCBFAA Customs Committee as well as chair of the NCBFAA Trade Interruption and Resumption Subcommittee. He is also Vice President and Customs Committee Chair of the Florida Customs Broker and Forwarder Association (FCBF). He has been a Board member of FCBF since 2018. Additionally, he serves as President and CEO of Imperial Freight Brokers, a full-service supply chain, logistics, customs brokerage, and transportation firm based in South Florida that has been serving the global marketplace for the past 52 years. He received a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Florida International University and is a licensed customs broker.

Andrew Petrisin is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Multimodal Freight at the U.S. Department of Transportation. His focus is building the administrative and policy apparatus for the short and long-term policy, organizational, and administrative changes necessary to make the country’s goods movement system more efficient and resilient. This includes leading the development of the Freight Logistics Optimization Works (“FLOW”) effort to improve data sharing and transparency across the supply chain and development of the Office of Multimodal Freight Infrastructure and Policy Office (“Freight Office”) as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law Implementation. Andrew previously worked in alternative delivery, procurement, and federal funding delivery. Andrew graduated with a B.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of Notre Dame.

Diego Añez is the Managing Director of the Washington International Trade Association (WITA) and the Executive Director of the WITA Academy. He is responsible for management of operations, policy programs, strategic engagements and member services for the organization’s 5000+ members and corporate sponsors across all 50 states and over 100 countries worldwide. He provides direction, with the WITA CEO and Board of Directors, to WITA’s portfolio of programming and capstone events, such as the Washington International Trade Conference and Annual Dinner.

Diego also spearheads the organization’s WITA Academy – a program of the Washington International Trade Foundation which strives to make trade education and career opportunities in international trade accessible to communities in the United States and around the world. The mission of the WITA Academy is to make the trade community itself more diverse and inclusive.

Diego is originally from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia and was raised in Mobile, Alabama. Diego graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs with concentrations in International Political Economy and Comparative Politics.

Ken Levinson serves as the Chief Executive Officer of the Washington International Trade Association (WITA) and Washington International Trade Foundation. 

WITA is the world’s largest non-profit, non-partisan membership organization dedicated to providing a neutral forum for the open and robust discussion of international trade policy and economic issues. WITA and its affiliated groups have over 10,000 members, and more than 160 corporate sponsors and group memberships.

Ken has over 30 years of experience working with companies, associations, NGOs and governments, advocating innovative solutions to complex public policy challenges. Over the years, Ken has worked with clients in the technology, telecommunications, biopharmaceuticals, agriculture and food, financial services, retail, apparel, energy, and consumer products sectors.

Previously, Ken served as Senior Director for Global Government Affairs for AstraZeneca. Prior to joining AstraZeneca, Ken served as Senior Vice President and COO at the Washington, DC consulting firm of Fontheim International. Ken joined Fontheim after spending six years on the staff of U.S. Senator John D. (Jay) Rockefeller IV.  Ken advised the Senator on foreign policy and national security matters, and served as the Senator’s chief advisor on the U.S. Senate Finance Committee, dealing with issues related to international trade and tax policy.

Ken received his Master’s Degree from New York University after doing his undergraduate work at the University of Massachusetts, in Amherst. Ken also spent a year studying at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark. Ken and his wife, the Reverend Donna Marsh, live in Bethesda, MD, with their two daughters.

The mission of the WITA Academy is to make trade education and career opportunities in international trade accessible to communities in the United States and around the world, and to make the trade community itself more diverse, equitable and inclusive.

The WITA Academy works with trade leaders in businesses, law, academia, NGOs, embassies and the U.S. Government to help stakeholders, students, and others to better understand and navigate the U.S. and global trade policy apparatus.

Thank you to our WITA Academy Sponsors

Law Partner Sponsor

.

The post WITA Academy: Pathways To Opportunity – Florida International University appeared first on WITA.

Friday, September 27th, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (US/Eastern)

Friday, September 27th, 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM (US/Eastern)

Monday, September 30th, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (US/Eastern)

Tuesday, October 1st, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM (US/Eastern)

Prices and Registration:

Individual bundles available: $50-100/part (Must be a WITA Member)

For group rates (3 or more ticket purchases), email Diego Anez (danez@wita.org) to receive a special rate.

To get WITA member pricing, click here.

2024 Curriculum and Confirmed Speakers

Part 1: Friday, September 27

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET

9:00 AM ET: The Congressional Role in Trade Policymaking

Nasim Fussell, Senior Vice President, Lot Sixteen; former Chief International Trade Counsel, U.S. Senate Committee on Finance

Viji Rangaswami, Vice President, Federal Affairs, Liberty Mutual; former Chief International Trade Counsel and Staff Director, U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee

Moderator: Paul H. DeLaney, III, Vice President, Head of Government Relations, SK Americas; former International Trade Counsel, U.S. Senate Committee on Finance; former Deputy Chief of Staff, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

2024 ITS - Session 1

10:00 AM ET: Trade Responsibilities in the Executive Branch and the Interagency Process

Kate Kalutkiewicz, Senior Managing Director, McLarty Associates; former Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for International Trade, National Economic Council; former Director for European Affairs, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

Kelly Ann Shaw, Partner, Hogan Lovells; former Deputy Assistant to the President for International Economic Affairs and Deputy Director, National Economic Council; former Assistant General Counsel, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

Moderator: Michael J. Smart, Managing Director, Rock Creek Global Advisors; former Director for International Trade and Investment, National Security Council

11:00 AM ET: International Trade Administration and the Department of Commerce

Jamie Merriman, Deputy Director, Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce; former Evaluations Analyst, U.S Trade and Development Agency

Moderator: Professor Steve Suranovic, Associate Professor of Economics and International Affairs; former Director, Institute for International Economic Policy, George Washington University

2024 ITS - Session 3

11:30 AM ET: U.S. International Trade Commission – Investigations and Analysis

Deanna Okun, International Trade Commission Section 337 Litigation & Trade Remedies Chair, Polsinelli Law Firm; former Chairman, U.S. International Trade Commission

Moderator: Professor Steve Suranovic, Associate Professor of Economics and International Affairs; former Director, Institute for International Economic Policy, George Washington University

2024 ITS - Session 4

Part 2: Friday, September 27

1:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET

1:00 PM ET: AD/CVD/Safeguards

Stacy J. Ettinger, Senior Vice President of Supply Chain and Trade, Solar Energy Industries Association; former Associate Chief Counsel, Import Administration

Vanessa Sciarra, Vice President for Trade and International Competitiveness, American Clean Power Association; former Vice President, Legal Affairs and Trade & Investment Policy, National Foreign Trade Council

2024 ITS - Session 5

2:00 PM ET: USTR Role in Monitoring and Enforcement

Juan A. Millán, Acting General Counsel, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative; former Senior Legal Advisor, U.S. Mission to the WTO

Moderator: Thomas Beline, Partner, Cassidy Levy Kent; former Office of the Chief Counsel for Enforcement and Compliance, U.S. Department of Commerce

3:00 PM ET: Export Controls and Sanctions

David Lim, Partner, White & Case LLP; former Co-Director, Task Force KleptoCapture, U.S. Department of Justice; former Trial Attorney, Counterintelligence & Export Control Section, U.S. Department of Justice

Opher Shweiki, Partner, International Trade, Akin; former Chief Counsel, Bureau of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce

Moderator: Hon. Nazak Nikakhtar, Partner, National Security Chair, Wiley Rein LLP; former Under Secretary of Industry and Security, U.S. Department of Commerce

Part 3: Monday, September 30

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET

9:00 AM ET: Investment Controls  

Daniel Bahar, Managing Director, Rock Creek Global Advisors; former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Services and Investment, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

Timothy Keeler, Partner, Co-Leader of International Trade, Mayer Brown; former Chief of Staff, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative; former Deputy to the Assistant Secretary, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of Legislative Affairs

Ted Posner, Assistant General Counsel (International Affairs), U.S. Department of the Treasury; former Director for International Trade and Investment, National Security Council; former Associate General Counsel, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

Moderator: Nova Daly, Senior Public Policy Advisor, Wiley Rein LLP; former Deputy Assistant Secretary, Investment Security & Policy, U.S. Department of the Treasury, Office of International Affairs

CFIUS regulations_process overview(772805651_1)

10:00 AM ET: USMCA and the Rapid Response Mechanism

Josh Kagan, Special Counsel, Kelley Drye & Warren LLP; former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Labor Affairs, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

Thea Mei Lee, Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs, U.S. Department of Labor/ILAB

Moderator: Kellie Meiman, Senior Counselor, McLarty Associates; former Director for Brazil and the Southern Cone, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

11:00 AM ET: Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) – Enforcement and Compliance

John Foote, Partner, Trade, Customs, Forced Labor, Kelley Drye & Warren LLP

John Pickel, Senior Director, International Supply Chain Policy, National Foreign Trade Council; former Principal Director of Trade and Economic Competitiveness, Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans, U.S. Department of Homeland Security

Moderator: Jon Gold, Vice President, Supply Chain and Customs Policy, National Retail Federation; former Vice President, Global Supply Chain Policy, Retail Industry Leaders Association

Part 4: Tuesday, October 1

9:00 AM – 12:00 PM ET

9:00 AM ET: WTO Agenda

Angela Ellard, Deputy Director General, World Trade Organization

Moderator: Andrea Durkin, Vice President for International Policy, NAM; former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for WTO and Multilateral Affairs, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

10:00 AM ET: USMCA 6-Year Review – Key Issues and Process

Jason Bernstein, Director of International Trade and Supply Chain, American Chemistry Council; former Deputy U.S. Trade Representative for American Competitiveness and Enterprise, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

Christine Bliss, President, Coalition of Services Industries; former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Services, Investment Telecommunications and E-Commerce, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

Amanda (Blunt) Farrell, Counsel, Legal Affairs & Trade, GM; former Associate General Counsel, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

Ari Giovenco, Head, U.S. Trade Policy, Amazon; former Senior Director for Congressional Affairs, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

Shawna Morris, Executive Vice President, Trade Policy & Global Affairs, National Milk Producers Federation

Moderator: Everett Eissenstat, Partner, Public Policy Practice Group, Squire Patton Boggs; former Deputy Assistant to the President for International Economic Affairs and Deputy Director, National Economic Council; former Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for the Americas, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

11:00 AM ET: Trade Around the World – U.S. Trade Initiatives

Marjorie Chorlins, Senior Vice President, Europe, U.S. Chamber of Commerce

Eric Farnsworth, Head of the Washington Office of the Council of the Americas and the Americas Society

Wendy Cutler, Vice President and Managing Director, Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) Washington, D.C. Office; former Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

Florizelle Liser, President and CEO, Corporate Council on Africa

Moderator: Penny Naas, Lead, GMF Allied Competitiveness, German Marshall Fund

Speaker Biographies

Part 1: Friday, September 27

Nasim Fussell is a Senior Vice President at Lot Sixteen, where she leads the firm’s trade practice. On Capitol Hill, Nasim served as the Chief International Trade Counsel for the Senate Finance Committee under Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-IA), spearheading the Committee’s work on the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and all other trade matters.

She also served as Deputy Chief International Trade Counsel to former Chairman and late Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT). Prior to her work in the Senate, Nasim served as Trade Counsel to the House Ways and Means Committee, where she worked for Chairmen Brady (R-TX), Ryan (R-WI), and Camp (R-MI) to advance trade negotiations with other countries as well as trade legislation, including Trade Promotion Authority (TPA), customs reauthorization, trade preference programs, and the Miscellaneous Tariff Bill (MTB).

Nasim has also worked in the private sector as a law firm partner, in-house with two multinational companies, and a trade association. She started her career at the U.S. Department of Commerce. Nasim is a member of the board of the Washington International Trade Association (WITA). She holds an LLM in International & Comparative Law from GW Law School, a JD from the University of Baltimore School of Law, and a BA in History from the University of Michigan.

Viji Rangaswami is the Vice President & Federal Affairs Officer at Liberty Mutual since January 2014. Prior to joining Liberty Mutual, Viji was chief trade counsel to the Committee on Ways and Means in the U.S. House of Representatives, where she worked for over 12 years. While at the Committee, Viji played a key role in crafting and passing major trade legislation, including legislation to normalize US trade relations with China and Vietnam. She provided oversight and advice to members of Congress on ongoing trade negotiations and worked with Administrations to implement subsequent negotiated agreements. Before joining the Ways and Means staff, Viji was an associate at the law firm of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld. She also held an appointment at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, where she focused on international development. She has served as a visiting lecturer at Princeton University’s Woodrow Wilson School and as an adjunct professor at Georgetown University Law School.

Paul H. DeLaney, III is Vice President, Head of Government Relations at SK Americas. As Head of Government Relations at SK Americas, Paul leads a talented government relations, public affairs, and industry strategy team that supports SK’s semiconductor and advanced materials, energy and battery, digital technology, and life sciences operations, workforce, and investments across the United States. The team advocates on U.S. federal, state and local government policy issues impacting SK’s U.S. operations and workforce, international business, and supply chains.

Paul specializes in international trade, investment, tax, supply chain, regulatory and customs advocacy and policy development. Paul has worked extensively with Executive branch agencies across four Administrations, the U.S. Congress, foreign governments, business associations, think tanks, and a wide range of companies.

Prior to joining SK Americas, Paul was a Partner at the Kyle House Group and led the firm’s international commercial policy, advocacy, counseling and dispute resolution efforts. Prior to that, Paul was Vice President for Trade and International at the Business Roundtable (BRT) where he led BRT international policy efforts through Trade and International CEO Committee and with the company representatives of the Trade and International Coordinating Committee. He partnered with BRT leadership and Trade and International CEO Committee Chair to set strategy and engage BRT CEO Members on policy priorities and advocacy. He also served as International Trade Counsel for the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance where he assisted with Finance Committee hearings and legislative markups, drafted trade legislation and amendments, briefed Senators and staff, consulted with the Administration and the trade agencies, and met with stakeholders and foreign governments. Paul assisted in managing the Senate floor during the consideration of seven trade bills.

Prior to his Senate service, Paul served as a Senior Attorney for Trade and International Affairs at FedEx Express and advocated on trade policy and international regulatory issues before the U.S. and foreign governments, as well as with industry and trade associations. Paul also served as Deputy Chief of Staff to both U.S Trade Representative Rob Portman and Susan Schwab where he was integrally involved in strategic planning, agency operations and decision-making with senior political and career staff. Paul was the Office point of contact for the White House Staff Secretary, National Security Council, and National Economic Council staff to coordinate interagency actions.

Kate Kalutkiewicz is the Senior Managing Director at McLarty Associates. She has managed complex challenges around global trade, industrial, and investment policy for nearly two decades. Her experience spans roles in government, particularly in Europe and South America, where she honed her skills in negotiating complex international agreements and navigating the nuance around public-private sector interactions.

Kate most recently served as Head of US Trade Policy for Amazon, where she advocated a broad range of international trade and economic issues with the US Government, touching several sectors, including retail, creative content production and distribution, cloud services, sustainable fleet, autos, and hardline manufacturing.

Prior to that, Kate served as Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for International Trade at the National Economic Council, where she developed and led US trade policy initiatives. During her White House tenure, she led interagency teams responsible for the US G7 Presidency and US positions on supply chain resiliency and support for the economy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Before serving in the White House, Kate was the Senior Trade Representative at the US Mission to the European Union from 2016-2020. While in Brussels, she was the USTR’s primary interlocutor with the European Commission and Member State authorities responsible for trade.

Before her time in Brussels, Kate held the role of USTR’s Director for European Affairs (2011-2016) and served as Associate Chief Negotiator for the US in the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership negotiations.  She began her career at USTR as its Director for Brazil and the Southern Cone (2007-2011), where she was the principal agency representative for implementing and managing US trade policy in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Paraguay.

Prior to USTR, Kate was a legislative assistant in the office of Senator James Talent (R-MO), where she supported the Senator on issues related to trade, foreign policy, homeland security, immigration, and the judiciary.

Kelly Ann Shaw is Partner at Hogan Lovells and former Deputy Assistant to the President for International Economic Affairs and Deputy Director of the National Economic Council. She brings to bear a deep knowledge of U.S. international trade, investment, and economic law and policy drawn from her extensive public service at the White House, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), and the Ways and Means Committee in the U.S. Congress.

In her White House role, serving on both the National Security Council and National Economic Council, Kelly Ann led the Office of International Economic Affairs and played an instrumental role in a wide range of legislation, negotiations, and agreements, including the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the China Phase One agreement. As a senior adviser to the president on matters of international economic policy, including trade, investment, development, global economics, energy, and the environment, she was directly involved in almost every major economic decision made at the Trump White House.

Kelly Ann also has served as lead U.S. negotiator at the G7, G20, and APEC and led the U.S.-UK Economic Working Group. As Republican Trade Counsel for the Committee on Ways and Means, Kelly Ann played an important role in formulating U.S. international trade and investment law, policy, and strategy. In her role as Assistant General Counsel for USTR based in Geneva, Switzerland, and Washington, D.C., she represented the United States in more than 40 World Trade Organization (WTO) disputes and in negotiations. She also served as a lead lawyer, negotiator, and adviser in other important international negotiations, including the Trans-Pacific Partnership.

Prior to her distinguished government service, Kelly Ann was in private practice in Washington, D.C.

Michael J. Smart is a Managing Director at Rock Creek Global Advisors, where he focuses on international trade and investment policy, including market access and regulatory matters. He also advises multinational companies on sanctions, supply chain policy, and trade-related climate measures.

Mr. Smart previously served as Trade Counsel on the Democratic staff of the US Senate Committee on Finance. In that role, he advised Chairman Max Baucus (D-MT) and members of the committee on various trade matters, including World Trade Organization negotiations and dispute settlement, free trade agreements, agricultural trade, and the trade aspects of legislation to address climate change.

Before joining the Finance Committee, Mr. Smart was Director for International Trade and Investment on the staff of the National Security Council at the White House. Mr. Smart focused on the Doha Development Agenda, trade in financial services, free trade agreements, and bilateral investment treaties. He also served as the lead White House staff for cabinet-level dialogues with Brazil and India.

Mr. Smart was previously an associate at the law firm of Sidley Austin LLP, where his practice focused on international trade and investment policy and dispute resolution. He represented companies and governments in WTO, investment treaty, and NAFTA disputes. Earlier in his career, Mr. Smart was Legislative Director for former Congressman Earl Pomeroy (D-ND).

Mr. Smart has appeared on CNN International, BBC News, Bloomberg News, and Channel News Asia and has been quoted in publications such as the New York Times, Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Politico, and Financial Times.

Mr. Smart is a member of the Executive Circle of the Institute of International Economic Affairs at The George Washington University and a member of the Board of Directors of the Washington International Trade Association. Mr. Smart received his BA in International Affairs from The George Washington University (Phi Beta Kappa and magna cum laude) and his JD from Georgetown University Law Center (cum laude).

Jamie Merriman is the Deputy Director of the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee at the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA). In this role, she coordinates trade promotion strategies with numerous federal, state, and local entities to expand the number and diversity of U.S. businesses that successfully compete in global markets.

Previously, Ms. Merriman served as ITA’s Director of Strategic Partnerships, leading public-private partnerships with corporate and non-profit entities in support of ITA’s mission. Ms. Merriman also formerly served as the Deputy Director of the Trade Agreements Secretariat, where she was responsible for the fair and impartial administration of trade dispute settlement actions involving billions of dollars of merchandise under the United States Mexico and Canada Agreement (USMCA) and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Prior to working at the Department of Commerce, Ms. Merriman managed several regional portfolios and served as an evaluations analyst at the U.S. Trade and Development Agency. Ms. Merriman led the agency’s efforts to link U.S. companies with infrastructure projects in East Africa, Eastern Europe, and South Asia, enabling millions of dollars of U.S. exports while improving energy, transportation and IT infrastructure overseas.

Ms. Merriman holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Relations from the University of Connecticut, a Master of Arts degree in International Affairs from the George Washington University, and a Master of Science degree in National Resource Strategy from the National Defense University’s Eisenhower School.

Professor Steve Suranovic is an Associate Professor of Economics and International Affairs at George Washington University. He received his B.S. in mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana/Champaign and his M.S. and Ph.D. in economics from Cornell University. He has been a faculty member at the George Washington University since 1988. He has served several terms as the Director of the International Economic Policy M.A. program (formerly known as the International Trade and Investment Policy M.A. program) at the Elliott School of International Affairs.

Professor Suranovic teaches principles of microeconomics, international trade and international finance theory and policy. In Fall 2002, he taught at Sichuan University in Chengdu, China, as a visiting Fulbright lecturer. Since 2009 he has taught summer study abroad classes for GW students at Fudan University in Shanghai. He has also spoken to business, government and academic audiences in Japan, Malaysia, the Philippines, China and Mongolia as part of the U.S. State Department’s speaker’s programs.

Professor Suranovic’s research interests include international trade policy analysis, fairness in international trade, and the behavioral economics of cigarette addiction and dieting. His most recent research evaluates unfair trade policies with China, and examines the world’s addiction to fossil fuels and the implications for global climate change.

Deanna Okun is an International Trade Commission Section 337 Litigation & Trade Remedies Chair at Polsinelli Law Firm. She is an international trade lawyer whose former experience as a US ITC Commissioner and Chair informs her legal and strategic international trade policy advice. She supports companies where innovation confronts barriers, such as intellectual property theft, unfair trade practices, or regulatory hurdles.

Deanna’s practice involves all aspects of unfair trade litigation and trade remedy advocacy. Her Section 337 work includes all stages of litigation at the ITC from pre-institution consultation to post-remedy enforcement with Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Her clients range from Fortune 500 companies protecting leading edge technologies to Small and Medium Enterprises confronting rampant infringement by foreign competitors.  She also represents companies in Title VII antidumping and countervailing duty investigations before the ITC and Department of Commerce (DOC). Deanna’s work in trade remedy proceedings on behalf of U.S. companies extends to previously rarely used trade statutes, including Section 201, 232, and 301 investigations. Deanna participated in one of only two Section 201 investigations in the past twenty years, winning a successful remedy for her client. She works closely with contacts in the executive, judicial and legislative branches of the government to create innovative solutions to her clients’ legal and business challenges.

Deanna has extensive experience as a top administrator, regulator, enforcer, legislative aide and lawyer. She served two terms as Chairman during her twelve years of service as a member of the ITC. During her tenure as a Commissioner, she ruled on hundreds of cases involving allegations of patent, trademark and copyright infringement, antidumping and countervailing duty ,global safeguard investigations under the Trade Act of 1974, including investigations under Section 201 and the China-specific safeguard investigations under Section 421. Prior to her appointment to the ITC, she served as counsel for international affairs to U.S. Senator Frank Murkowski, Chairman of the Energy and Natural Resources Committee and senior member of the Finance and Foreign Relations Committees, and practiced international trade law with a large Washington, D.C.-based law firm.

In 2012, Deanna was named the Outstanding Woman of the Year by the Association of Women in International Trade, a chapter of the Organization of Women in International Trade. In 2022, for the tenth consecutive year, Managing Intellectual Property named Deanna one of the Top 250 Women in IP. Deanna is also on the 2022-2023 USMCA Binational Panel Roster.

Part 2: Friday, September 27

Stacy J. Ettinger is Senior Vice President of Supply Chain and Trade at the Solar Energy Industries Association (SEIA), the national trade association for the solar and solar + storage industries with over 1,200 member companies including manufacturers, project developers, installers, construction companies, financiers, and non-profits. Stacy oversees SEIA’s policy and legal work on supply chain, trade, and sustainability efforts. She has over 25 years of experience advising U.S. and foreign businesses on policy, regulatory, and legal issues related to industrial policies, trade, and investment.

Prior to joining SEIA, Stacy was a partner in the global law firm K&L Gates, leading the firm’s international trade policy practice. She also served for over nine years as senior legal and policy advisor to Senator Chuck Schumer on trade, investment, and regulatory matters, as well as consumer protection issues. Prior to her work in the United States Senate, Stacy spent 15 years at the U.S. Department of Commerce as a trade negotiator, legal and policy advisor, and litigator.

Stacy is a member of the Advisory Committee of the Export-Import Bank of the United States, as well as a member of EXIM’s Council on Climate and Energy Transition.

Vanessa Sciarra is Vice President for Trade and International Competitiveness at the American Clean Power Association (ACP), where she leads work on all aspects of trade policy as it affects the renewable energy industry. Prior to joining ACP, she worked at the National Foreign Trade Council (NFTC) and at the Emergency Committee for American Trade (ECAT), where her work involved advocating for trade and international investment issues for companies in many sectors of the economy. In addition to her trade association work, she has served as a Trial Attorney with the U.S. Department of Justice and as an Assistant General Counsel with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).

A member of the District of Columbia Bar, she also has had a significant career in private practice representing clients in international trade matters at two law firms. She currently serves as President of the Association of Women in International Trade (WIIT), based in Washington, DC, which works to promote the professional development of women in international trade and business and to raise public awareness of the importance of international trade. She holds her B.A. and J.D. from Yale and her M.Sc. from the London School of Economics.

 Juan A. Millán is the acting General Counsel for the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). He most recently served as the Deputy General Counsel for Monitoring and Enforcement for USTR. From 2005 to 2012, he was Legal Advisor and Senior Legal Advisor at the U.S. Mission to the WTO in Geneva, Switzerland, participating in all U.S. disputes and disputes-related matters in the WTO during that period and representing the United States in the WTO Dispute Settlement Body. Before moving to Geneva, he served as an attorney in Office of General Counsel at USTR, with a focus on domestic and export subsidies, agriculture, and SPS (human, animal, or plant life or health) issues. Previously, he worked at a Washington, D.C., law firm. He holds a law degree from Yale Law School and an undergraduate degree in politics from Princeton University.

Tom Beline is a partner in Cassidy Levy Kent’s Washington DC office. Tom identifies creative ways for clients to benefit from import regulatory compliance and policy, trade remedies, and international trade litigation.

Tom’s representative experience involves appearing as lead counsel for clients in various and wide-ranging industries before the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. International Trade Commission, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, the U.S. Court of International Trade, and United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) binational panels.  Tom regularly advises clients on compliance with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and navigating the dispute settlement process.  Tom regularly provides counsel to companies on complying with, and benefiting from, trade and customs regulation before U.S. Customs and Border Protection.

Tom’s work includes prosecuting and defending trade actions in the United States and abroad, and has litigated trade issues in bankruptcy law and reverse Qui Tam actions.  In addition to this work, Tom has experience counseling clients in navigating U.S. trade restrictions, including in export controls, antiboycott, economic sanctions, and anticorruption laws.

Tom has been appointed by the chief judge of the U.S. Court of International Trade to serve as a member of the Court’s Rules Advisory Committee. Tom has also appeared as a frequent speaker on international trade topics.  Tom is an adjunct professor of law at the University of Pittsburgh.

David H. Lim is a partner in the Firm’s Global International Trade Practice, where he represents clients regarding economic sanctions, export controls and national security matters, and brings with him a plethora of experience related to investigating and prosecuting criminal and civil matters in federal and state courts.

Opher Shweiki is Partner, International Trade at Akin. Opher draws on his almost 25 years of experience as a government official, including senior positions at the departments of Commerce and Justice working on high profile national security and cross-border matters, to advise clients on cutting-edge issues.

Leveraging this regulatory and prosecutorial experience, Opher is uniquely qualified to counsel clients on corporate compliance and due diligence efforts pertaining to the statutes and regulations addressing export controls, sanctions, information and communications technology and services (ICTS) supply chain, anti-boycott, anti-corruption, anti-money laundering, national security, cybersecurity and other related matters. Those issues relate to, for example: The Export Administration Regulations (EAR), economic sanctions administered by the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), international Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), national security reviews conducted by the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA), and the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA).

Opher similarly is uniquely positioned to conduct internal investigations, advise on disclosure issues, resolve disputes with government agencies and defend clients in related white collar criminal matters.

His extensive experience in government service handling complex investigations and prosecutions, as well as his deep knowledge of regulatory matters including export controls and economic sanctions, enables him to provide clients with comprehensive and effective legal representation.

Opher most recently served as Chief Counsel for BIS, managing a team of over 25 attorneys in all aspects of regulatory and enforcement matters, where he played a key role across BIS programs. Acting as the Department’s lead counsel on BIS matters, Opher was significantly involved in the agency’s high-profile export control-related regulatory changes and enforcement actions. That work included a lead role in some of the agency’s most prominent enforcement matters to date, including the largest standalone civil penalty in BIS history. Opher also led the legal review of high-profile changes to the EAR affecting semiconductors and semiconductor manufacturing equipment, among other areas. Opher received numerous accolades in recognition of his notable contributions, including the Commerce Department’s Gold Medal Award for personal and professional excellence.

Prior to being recruited to join Commerce, Opher served as the National Security and Cyber Crime Coordinator at the Executive Office for U.S. Attorneys. Opher assisted U.S. Attorney’s Offices across the country to address a variety of cutting-edge issues in those areas, with a particular focus on matters involving advanced technologies. To further those efforts, Opher regularly worked with high-ranking officials throughout the Department of Justice and other key agencies. 

Opher also served, both as a line prosecutor and supervisor, for approximately 15 years in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of Columbia where he prosecuted a wide range of cases, including a number of high-profile matters. Opher most recently served in that Office as a Senior Assistant U.S. Attorney in the Office’s National Security Section where, among other cases, he was responsible for investigating and prosecuting a variety of complex terrorism, export control and cyber-facilitated crimes. Opher was designated the Office’s National Security Cyber Specialist in 2016. Opher repeatedly briefed the Attorney General and other senior national security and law enforcement officials on matters of the utmost sensitivity, and received the Attorney General’s Distinguished Service Award, among other accolades.

As an experienced trial attorney with the proven ability to handle deeply regulatory matters in the litigation context, Opher trained numerous national security and law enforcement officials across the government on an array of topics, including trial practice and novel substantive issues.

Opher began his legal career as an associate in the Washington, D.C. office of an international law firm, handling complex litigation at the trial and appellate levels.

The Honorable Nazak Nikakhtar is Partner and National Security Chair at Wiley Rein LLP. She brings over two decades of experience in international trade and national security to help clients succeed in the domestic and global marketplace. Through leadership roles in the U.S. government and private sector, Nazak has leveraged her valuable insights into the expansive range of U.S. and international laws, regulatory and policy processes, and federal agency resources to achieve clients’ business objectives. 

From 2018 to 2021, with unanimous confirmation by the U.S. Senate, Nazak served as the Department of Commerce’s Assistant Secretary for Industry & Analysis at the International Trade Administration (ITA). Nazak also fulfilled the duties of the Under Secretary for Industry and Security at Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS). In these roles, Nazak was the agency’s primary liaison with U.S. industry and trade associations, and she shaped major initiatives to strengthen U.S. industry competitiveness, promote innovation, and accelerate economic and job growth. As one of the key national security experts in the U.S. government, she developed and implemented innovative laws, regulations, and policies to safeguard strategically important technologies, strengthen the U.S. industrial base, and protect the national security and foreign policy interests of the United States. As the Department’s lead on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS), she played a key role in shaping U.S. investment policy. As the head of the agency’s trade policy office, she advised the U.S. government on legal and economic issues impacting critical technologies, advanced manufacturing, financial services, e-commerce, data privacy, cybersecurity, critical minerals/rare earths, and energy competition. Finally, as the federal agency’s lead on supply chain assessments, Nazak spearheaded the United States’ first-ever whole-of-government initiative to evaluate and strengthen supply chains across all strategic sectors of the economy.

Part 3: Monday, September 30

Daniel Bahar is a Managing Director at Rock Creek Global Advisors, where he focuses on international trade and investment policy, including negotiations, market access, and regulatory matters.

From 2016 to 2021, Mr. Bahar served as Assistant US Trade Representative for Services and Investment, responsible for development and implementation of US services, investment, and digital trade policy. He oversaw bilateral, plurilateral, and multilateral negotiations, including services, investment, and digital aspects of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement and the US-China Phase One Trade Agreement, the US-Japan Digital Trade Agreement, and the WTO Joint Statement Initiative on E-Commerce. He also represented USTR on the interagency Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States.

As Deputy Assistant US Trade Representative for Investment, beginning in 2012, Mr. Bahar led USTR’s overall investment policy portfolio, serving as USTR’s lead investment negotiator for trade and investment agreements, including U.S.-China investment treaty negotiations and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and representing the United States on investment matters in international fora, such as the G20. He joined USTR as Director for Investment in 2006.

Before joining USTR, Mr. Bahar was an associate at Sidley Austin LLP, representing multinational companies, organizations, and governments on matters arising under the WTO, international trade and investment agreements, and US law.

Mr. Bahar and the USTR Digital Trade Team received the National Foreign Trade Council Foundation Trade Leadership for the Digital Age Award in 2018, recognizing the team’s role in advancing US digital trade leadership.  Mr. Bahar received the USTR William B. Kelly Special Honor Award in 2015, recognizing exemplary dedication and leadership in US trade policy.

Mr. Bahar received a J.D. from Harvard Law School (cum laude), an M.A. from the College of Europe, studying as a Fulbright Fellow, and a B.S. from Drexel University (summa cum laude).

Tim Keeler is Partner and Co-Leader of International Trade at Mayer Brown. He joined Mayer Brown after a varied career in the US Government, serving at the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR), the US Treasury Department (which chairs CFIUS), and the US Senate Finance Committee.

Tim also advises and advocates for clients on high-profile International Trade law and policy, including investigations and tariff actions by the USTR under Sec. 301 of the Trade Act of 1974; safeguard investigations and tariff remedies by the International Trade Commission (ITC) and the USTR under Sec. 201 of the Trade Act of 1974; the consistency of various legal regimes – or proposed laws – with World Trade Organization (WTO) rules and other international legal obligations; international trade negotiations in the WTO, Free Trade Agreements, and other arrangements; and WTO and other trade agreement litigation.

Tim was previously the Chief of Staff in the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR) from 2006 – 2009, where he oversaw implementation of US policy, strategy and negotiations involving all aspects of international trade and investment matters. He worked on a number of key issues including: climate change and trade; US and China relations; WTO negotiations and litigation; free trade agreement negotiations and implementation; and CFIUS decisions.

Before working for USTR, Tim spent more than five years at the Treasury Department from 2001 – 2006. He joined the Office of Legislative Affairs in 2001 as a Deputy to the Assistant Secretary for International Issues, where he was responsible for Treasury’s legislative strategy on issues including CFIUS, foreign exchange rate policy testimony, appropriations for US funding of the World Bank, and US participation in the International Monetary Fund. He later managed the Office of Legislative Affairs from 2002 – 2006 and assisted on all policy and personnel issues in the Office. This included leading Treasury nominees through the US Senate confirmation process, and legislative strategy on Treasury Intelligence and Anti-Terrorist Financing matters.

Tim also served on the Presidential Transition Team in 2000–2001 as a policy coordinator on export control and trade remedy policy, handling the Commerce Department’s Bureau of Export Administration (now called the Bureau of Industry and Security) and the International Trade Commission (ITC). Earlier in his career (1998-2000), Tim served as a professional staff member for international trade on the US Senate Finance Committee under Chairman William V. Roth (R-DE).

In recognition of his government service, Tim was awarded the USTR Distinguished Service Award, the Treasury Distinguished Service Award, and the Treasury Secretary’s Honor Award twice.

Tim is a member of the Board of Directors of the Washington International Trade Association. He was also an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University in both the School of Law—co-teaching a course on US and WTO law, policy, and politics, and the School of Foreign Service.

Ted Posner serves as the Assistant General Counsel for International Affairs, U.S.Treasury Department, and in this capacity is responsible for the direction of all legal activities of the Department with regard to a broad range of international economic and financial matters, including matters related to global economic stability and U.S. participation in the G-20; international banking and securities matters; national security and foreign investment in United States (CFIUS); trade and investment matters, particularly in the financial services sector; sovereign debt and development issues; U.S. participation in international financial institutions such as the IMF and the World Bank; and climate finance and legislation and other environmental matters.

Prior to the U.S. Treasury Department, Ted worked in the private and public sectors, specializing in international trade and international arbitration. Most recently, he was a partner in the Washington, DC office of law firm Weil, Gotshal & Manges (2012-2020). His career before that included law firm Crowell & Moring (2009-2012); the National Security Council (2008-2009); the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (2002-2008); the U.S. Senate Finance Committee (2001-2002); Office of Congressman Sander M. Levin (1999-2001); law firm Howard, Smith & Levin (1998-1999); and law firm Sidley & Austin (1995-1998). Following his graduation from law school in 1994, Ted clerked for Judge Wilfred Feinberg of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit.

Ted earned his law degree from Yale Law School (1994), his A.B. from Princeton University’s School of Public & International Affairs (1990), and a Certificate of International Studies from the Institut Universitaire De Hautes Etudes Internationales in Geneva (1991).

Nova J. Daly is a Senior Public Policy Advisor at Wiley Rein LLP. Nova was previously Deputy Assistant Secretary for Investment Security and Policy at the U.S. Department of the Treasury where he directed and coordinated the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) and created and led the U.S.-EU Investment Dialogue and the U.S.-China Investment Forum. He also developed the U.S. Treasury’s “Open Investment Initiative” to attract foreign investment and reduce foreign and domestic barriers to international investments. Before joining Treasury, Mr. Daly was Director for International Trade at the National Security Council, Senior Advisor for Trade Policy for Commerce Secretary Donald Evans, and an International Trade Advisor for the U.S. Senate Finance Committee.

Drawing on his experience in the management, development, and implementation of the U.S. economic and national security policies and programs, he provides both high-level insight and deep operational experience to help clients navigate the policy and regulatory environment surrounding cross-border business activities, especially through the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS).

Nova received his undergraduate degree in political science from the University of California, Irvine, and a graduate degree in international law and organizations from American University.

Josh Kagan is Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Labor. His office is responsible for developing and implementing U.S. trade policy related to labor issues and workers’ rights.  

Mr. Kagan oversees labor and trade issues for USTR, including serving as chief negotiator of labor provisions in multilateral, regional, and bilateral free trade agreements, formulating recommendations concerning countries’ adherence to worker rights provisions of U.S. trade preference programs, and developing U.S. positions on the relationship between trade and labor in the International Labor Organization, World Trade Organization, Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, and other relevant international bodies. Among his U.S. government interagency representational roles, he co-chairs the Interagency Labor Committee for Monitoring and Enforcement pursuant to the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement Act and represents USTR as a principal on the Forced Labor Enforcement Task Force.

Mr. Kagan previously served as Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Labor. Prior to employment with USTR, Mr. Kagan served as Deputy Director of the Office of Trade and Labor Affairs in the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs.  He was a Presidential Management Fellow and held past positions as a public defender, Peace Corps Volunteer (Costa Rica), and Americorps NCCC member. Mr. Kagan began his work on international labor issues in 2004 by volunteering with an organization working to support labor rights and independent unions in Mexico. 

Mr. Kagan holds a B.A. from the University of Richmond’s Jepson School of Leadership Studies, a J.D. from the University of San Diego School of Law, and an LL.M. in International Economic Law from Georgetown University Law Center. He was the recipient of the University of San Diego School of Law’s Outstanding Public Interest Advocate Award. He is married and has two children.

Thea Mei Lee is the Deputy Undersecretary for International Affairs at the U.S. Department of Labor. She has held this role since May 10, 2021. She has been advocating for workers’ rights, both domestically and internationally, for over thirty years. She was president of the Economic Policy Institute, a progressive pro-worker Washington think tank, from January 2018 to May 2021 and an international trade economist at EPI in the 1990s. From 1997 to 2017, Lee worked at the AFL-CIO, a voluntary federation of 56 national and international labor unions that represent 12.5 million working men and women. At the AFL-CIO, she served as deputy chief of staff, policy director, and chief international economist. 

Lee has served on the State Department Advisory Committee on International Economic Policy, the Export-Import Bank Advisory Committee, and on the Boards of Directors of the National Bureau of Economic Research, the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center, the Center for International Policy, and the Coalition on Human Needs, among others. She served on the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission from 2018 to 2020. In 2022, she was appointed to the Congressional-Executive Committee on China. 

Lee holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor and a bachelor’s degree in economics cum laude from Smith College.

Kellie Meiman Hock is Senior Counselor at McLarty Associates. For over thirty years, Kellie Meiman Hock has managed some of the most challenging issues confronting companies, non-governmental organizations, universities, and other stakeholders as they seek to grow their presence and/or operate internationally.

A Latin American expert by background, Kellie worked for nearly a decade as a U.S. Foreign Service Officer at the Department of State, serving in Bogota, Colombia, and throughout Brazil in Porto Alegre, São Paulo, and Recife, as well as at the State Department Operations Center. Her final posting was at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) as Director for Brazil and the Southern Cone, running point on the U.S. trade relationship with Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, and Paraguay. During her tenure, she helped USTR to lay the groundwork for the U.S./Chile Free Trade Agreement and successfully managed multiple disputes to the benefit of U.S. companies, exporters, and workers.

In 2000, Kellie joined the global consulting firm McLarty Associates, at the time a small firm focused primarily on Latin America. Kellie helped build and grow the firm into one with global impact, originally founding the firm’s trade and Brazil/Southern Cone practices and eventually becoming Managing Partner. Over the course of nearly 25 years, she helped more than one-hundred companies and organizations to achieve their objectives internationally and is known for her creative approaches to problem solving and consensus/coalition building.

Beyond Latin America, Kellie has been deeply engaged in stakeholder efforts to manage broad geopolitical uncertainty, a dynamic global trade agenda, and increased deployment of industrial policy. She has helped many companies to internationalize their business and public policy operations, developing strategies to address both challenges and opportunities not only in the Americas but globally.

Kellie is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, the Women’s Foreign Policy Group Leadership Council, and the Bretton Woods Committee. She is active in the Inter-American Dialogue and often writes and speaks on policy matters related to trade/investment/industrial policy, Brazil, and Latin America. A native of Omaha, Nebraska, Kellie is a graduate of the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service. She has lived and studied in Central America and Japan and fluently speaks Spanish and Portuguese. Kellie resides in Northern Virginia with her husband, Jim, and their two sons.

John Foote is Partner at Kelley Drye & Warren LLP. He brings an in-depth understanding of international trade law, U.S. trade policy, and global supply chains to his practice advising companies with trade compliance and enforcement challenges—especially related to forced labor trade laws.

Whether helping clients navigate trade enforcement actions, conducting sophisticated supply chain due diligence, or helping clients resolve disputes with U.S. Customs and Border Protection, John delivers sound counsel characterized by a dual orientation toward policy and compliance.

John is a respected authority on the use of trade laws to target forced labor in global supply chains. He is passionate about protecting both his clients and vulnerable populations from the deleterious impact of forced labor in global supply chains.

As restrictions on access to the U.S. market continue to grow, John gives companies practical advice on how to navigate all manner of trade enforcement actions and helps design compliance solutions to minimize the impact of the same.

Leader of Kelley Drye’s customs practice, John helps companies leverage the building blocks of trade (classification, valuation, country of origin, preferential trade agreements, drawback, tariff exclusions, and waivers) to reduce the unnecessary costs of doing business and avoid business disruptions. He advises companies on strategies to mitigate the impact of high tariffs and advocates for the fair and transparent enforcement of U.S. trade laws.

John represents clients in enforcement proceedings before CBP, including Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) detentions, detentions under Withhold Release Orders (WROs) pursuant to the forced labor import ban (Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930), Enforce and Protect Act (EAPA) proceedings, customs penalty actions, liquidated damages assessments, seizures, forfeitures, and customs audits.

John also represents clients in customs and trade disputes before the U.S. Court of International Trade and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

A prolific writer and frequent speaker on trade and supply chain issues, John is recognized for his in depth knowledge on the use of trade tools to address unfair or unjust labor conditions in global supply chains. These include forced labor trade laws, the Rapid Response Labor Mechanism under the United States-Mexico-Canada Trade Agreement, and labor provisions under other free trade agreements.

Early in his career, John was a law clerk for the Hon. Gregory W. Carman at the U.S. Court of International Trade.

John complements his efforts addressing labor abuses in supply chains with a strong commitment to pro bono legal work, including assisting Uyghurs and others with asylum claims.

John Pickel is Senior Director of International Supply Chain Policy at the National Foreign Trade Council, the leading business association dedicated solely to advancing the interests of U.S. companies in international commerce.

In this role, John sets strategic direction and executes efforts to promote efficient, resilient and stable supply chains. This includes advancing policies related to anticounterfeiting, product safety, environmental sustainability, human and labor rights, and preventing illicit trade. He also promotes the implementation of trade facilitation measures and customs best practices across government agencies and international organizations to increase predictability and enable compliance with U.S. trade laws.

John previously served as the Principal Director of Trade and Economic Competitiveness in the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Office of Strategy, Policy, and Plans (Policy), where he was a primary trade and supply chain policy advisor to agency leadership, served as the DHS representative to various interagency groups and processes, and led implementation of trade-related initiatives across DHS components.

Prior to joining DHS Policy, John served in various roles at U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) over a decade. More recently, he was the Counsellor to the Commissioner for trade facilitation and enforcement matters. In addition to advising CBP executives on trade policy issues, John led engagement with senior administration officials, the trade community, and others to inform the development and implementation of CBP trade priorities. Earlier, John coordinated CBP Congressional Affairs efforts related to trade policy. In this role, he worked closely with Members of Congress and senior staff to shape legislation including the Trade Facilitation and Trade Enforcement Act of 2015 (TFTEA) and Synthetics Trafficking and Overdose Prevention (STOP) Act.

John has represented companies, nonprofit organizations, and cities before Congress and federal agencies at a government relations firm and worked in a leadership office in the U.S. House of Representatives.

John is a graduate of The George Washington University (B.A., Political Science).

Jonathan Gold is vice president of supply chain and customs policy at the National Retail Federation. In this role, Gold is a primary spokesperson and is responsible for representing the retail industry before Congress and the administration on supply chain, international trade, product safety and customs-related issues impacting the retail industry. While with NRF, he has been a leading advocate of the value of trade and global value chains to the U.S. economy. 

Prior to joining NRF, Gold served as a policy analyst in the Office of Policy and Planning for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. He joined CBP in May 2006 and was responsible for providing policy guidance on issues surrounding maritime cargo security and trade-related matters. Gold also worked on implementation issues surrounding the SAFE Port Act and other issues within the agency including CBP intelligence reform, pandemic flu and trade facilitation.  

Before joining CBP, Gold spent nearly a decade with the Retail Industry Leaders Association holding several government relations positions including director and then vice president of international trade policy before being named vice president of global supply chain policy in January 2005.  

Gold has served on several government advisory committees including the Department of Commerce’s Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness, the Department of Homeland Security’s Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) and on the Department of Commerce’s International Trade Advisory Committee on Distribution Services.  

Gold graduated from American University in Washington, D.C., in 1994 with a bachelor’s degree in international business with a concentration in finance. 

Part 4: Tuesday, October 1

Angela Paolini Ellard is Deputy-Director General of the WTO and has served since June 2021. Prior to her appointment, Ms. Ellard had a distinguished career serving in the US Congress as Majority and Minority Chief Trade Counsel for over 26 years. She is internationally recognized as an expert on trade and international economic policy, resolving trade and investment barriers, negotiating trade agreements, and supporting multilateral solutions as part of an effective trade and development policy. Ms. Ellard has negotiated and delivered significant bipartisan trade policy outcomes and legislation with Members of U.S. Congress and senior Biden, Trump, Obama, Bush, and Clinton Administration officials. Ms. Ellard was also a lawyer in the private sector, specializing in trade litigation and strategy, trade policy, and legislative issues. Ms. Ellard obtained her Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Tulane University School of Law and her Master of Arts in Public Policy also from Tulane. She received her Bachelor of Arts from Newcomb College of Tulane University, summa cum laude. Ms. Ellard is a frequent lecturer at law – graduate, and undergraduate classes. She has received numerous awards recognizing her accomplishments in trade law and policy.

Andrea Durkin is vice president for international policy for the National Association of Manufacturers, working for the success of manufacturers in the United States by advancing trade policies that will unlock global opportunities for the 13 million people who make things in America.

Andrea is one of the nation’s foremost experts on international policy, drawing from decades of experience serving in Democratic and Republican administrations. Immediately prior to joining the NAM, Andrea served as Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for World Trade Organization (WTO) and Multilateral Affairs.  She led trade negotiations and U.S. policy at the WTO and was responsible for committees on industrial subsidies, technical barriers to trade, government procurement, trade facilitation, customs and others. She was also the U.S. senior official for the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development Trade Committee, G7 and G20 trade tracks. This was Andrea’s second stint in the Office of U.S. Trade Representative, after nearly two decades in the private sector as an entrepreneur, author and corporate government relations executive.

While a solopreneur, Andrea also served as a non-resident senior fellow and advisor to leading think tanks in Washington, Dallas and Chicago on trade policy, economic growth and food and agricultural trade. She has taught hundreds of students international trade and investment policy for the last 19 years as an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University’s Master of Science in Foreign Service program and served as president of the Women in International Trade association.

Jason Bernstein is the Director of Global Affairs at the American Chemistry Council (ACC), specializing in international trade and supply chain issues. He has over 20 years of experience in trade and investment, dispute settlement, market access, customs, and industry/economic analysis, and has successfully resolved numerous trade and supply chain issues. At ACC, he focuses on opening new markets for U.S. exports of innovative chemicals and plastic products and technologies, reducing and preventing technical barriers to trade that harm U.S. chemical producers and workers, and cultivating resilient and strategically integrated supply chains to manage vulnerabilities to political, economic, and environmental factors. Before ACC, Jason Bernstein was the Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for American Competitiveness and Enterprise at the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and the senior trade negotiator and policy advisor on rules of origin and customs for the U.S. Government. Jason was also a lead U.S. negotiator for the USMCA and CPTPP Agreements. Before becoming a Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative, Jason was the Director of Customs Affairs and Director of Market Access and served as the lead negotiator for customs and market access issues. Jason earned a Bachelor of Arts in Mathematical Economics from Temple University and a Master of International Policy Studies with a Major in International Economics and Trade Policy from the Middlebury Institute of International Studies.

Christine Bliss became CSI President in March 2016. Prior to CSI, Ms. Bliss was the Assistant U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) for Services, Investment, Telecommunication, and E- Commerce, responsible for overseeing all multilateral, regional and bilateral negotiations and policy issues in those areas for the agency. She also served as the lead U.S. negotiator in the World Trade Organization (WTO) Doha Services Negotiations and in the WTO Bilateral Services Accession Negotiations for Russia and Saudi Arabia.

Ms. Bliss oversaw the Services and Investment negotiations and was Co-Lead negotiator of the Financial Services negotiations in the Trans-Pacific Partnership Negotiations and was a lead negotiator for Services and Financial Services in previous U.S. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations. Ms. Bliss led the three year Model BIT Review that resulted in the 2012 Model BIT. She also led the development of USTR’s digital services and investment trade agenda, including innovative new disciplines on cross-border data flows and local server requirements.

Ms. Bliss has also served as Chief Counsel and Acting Assistant USTR for Monitoring and Enforcement, responsible for managing U.S. litigation in the WTO, NAFTA, and other multilateral and bilateral trade agreements.

Before joining USTR in 2000, Ms. Bliss was Counsel to the Emergency Committee for American Trade (ECAT), an association representing U.S. Fortune 500 firms on international trade, investment, and tax issues. Prior to joining ECAT, Ms. Bliss had a wide range of experience in private practice representing foreign and domestic clients on international trade, regulatory, legislative, and policy issues as a partner in the firm of Mudge, Rose, Guthrie and Ferdon. She has also served on Capitol Hill as a legislative assistant.

Ms. Bliss is admitted to the D.C. and California Bars and received her J.D. degree from the University of California at Davis and LLM from George Washington University.

Amanda (Blunt) Farrell is Counsel, Legal Affairs & Trade at General Motors. Before joining GM in 2021, Amanda spent five years in the Executive Office of the President, focusing on international trade and investment law and policy in the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office of General Counsel. She represented the United States in multilateral negotiations including at the United Nations, and negotiated trade agreements with the EU, China, Japan, and others. She also litigated trade disputes at the World Trade Organization in Geneva, Switzerland. Ms. Blunt began her legal career in a large law firm’s Washington, DC office. Amanda received her J.D. from the Georgetown University Law Center. During law school she interned at the Smithsonian Institution and US Chamber of Commerce. Prior to law school she interned with a Philadelphia-based government affairs firm and the Coalition of Service Industries, a trade association in Washington, DC, while completing her degree in Political Science at the Pennsylvania State University.

Ari Giovenco is the Head of U.S. Trade Policy at Amazon where he advocates on a wide range of trade and economic issues with the U.S. Government and international organizations. Previously, he was a Senior Director for Congressional Affairs in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, served as a Legislative Assistant for a senior member of the House Committee on Ways and Means, and was the Director of Trade and International Policy at the Internet Association.

Shawna Morris serves as Executive Vice President of Trade Policy and Global Affairs at NMPF. In this role she leads the organization’s efforts to advance beneficial dairy trade policies through work with the U.S. and foreign governments as well as with domestic and international allied organizations to maximize U.S. dairy export opportunities, promote a more balanced playing global field for the U.S. dairy sector, and address policy-related barriers to the sale of their dairy products around the world. She acts in the same capacity with NMPF’s partner organization on trade policy, the U.S. Dairy Export Council. As part of that work, she is a confidential trade advisor to the U.S. Trade Representative’s Office and the Department of Commerce.

Prior to joining NMPF in 2003, Morris worked for an economic consulting firm. The Pennsylvania native is a graduate of the College of William & Mary. She is a past Chair of the U.S. International Dairy Federation.

Everett Eissenstat is a partner in the Public Policy Practice Group. Everett is one of the nation’s foremost global trade experts having served in senior positions in Congress, the Office of the US Trade Representative, the White House and a Fortune 50 company. He helps clients manage and mitigate geopolitical risk, influence international economic policy-making, and develop and execute successful international trade and investment strategies.

During a distinguished government career spanning over two decades, Everett served as deputy assistant to the president for international economic affairs and deputy director of the National Economic Council. Reporting to the president, the national security advisor and the director of the National Economic Council, he coordinated interagency policy development and implementation on international economic policy matters. He served as the president’s personal representative and principal negotiator to the G7, G20 and Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economic summits and led interagency preparations for all international summits.

Previously, Everett held key roles in the US House, Senate and the Office of the US Trade Representative. As the chief international trade counsel to the chairman of the US Senate Finance Committee (2011-2017 (under Sen. Orrin Hatch) and 2001-2006 (under Sen. Chuck Grassley)), Everett built and led professional international trade policy teams for two chairmen. He advised the chairmen on all international trade matters before the committee and coordinated the international trade work of the Finance Committee Republicans. His legislative responsibilities included Trade Promotion Authority, US Customs authorization, implementation of free trade agreements, preferential trade arrangements and sanctions policy. He was also responsible for the oversight of US government international trade agencies and international trade negotiations.

During his tenure as chief international trade counsel, Everett negotiated and helped gain congressional approval of the Trade Act of 2002 and the Bipartisan Congressional Trade Priorities and Accountability Act of 2015. He also gained approval of legislation implementing bilateral trade agreements with Australia, Chile, Colombia, Jordan, Morocco, Korea, Panama and Singapore, as well as the Dominican Republic-Central America-US-Free Trade Agreement (DR-CAFTA).

As assistant US trade representative for the Americas (2006-2011), Everett led negotiations of comprehensive bilateral free trade agreements with Colombia, Panama and Peru, as well as the entry into force of DR-CAFTA, a plurilateral trade agreement with Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, he led negotiation of the US-Brazil Framework Agreement, the US-Canada Government Procurement Agreement and the US-Uruguay Trade and Investment Framework Agreement.

Everett also served as legislative director for Rep. Jim Kolbe, where he advised the congressman on international trade matters, appropriations and foreign affairs. He also served as special assistant in the Office of the Western Hemisphere at the Office of the USTR. Everett also served as a member of the 2000 Presidential Transition Team for the Office of the US Trade Representative, the US Department of Commerce Office of Import Administration and the International Trade Commission.

Everett most recently served as chair of North America and global trade lead at a boutique global public relations consultancy firm. He was senior vice president at a multinational automotive manufacturer (2018-2021) reporting to the CEO and managing over 100 public policy professionals worldwide. He helped navigate a range of challenges, including labor relations, supply chain disruptions and the regulatory and compliance implications of transitioning from internal combustible engines to electric vehicles.

Marjorie A. Chorlins is the senior vice president for Europe at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. She develops policies and executes programs related to trade and investment with Europe. With more than 30 years of experience in the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, Chorlins has focused on forging consensus among competing points of view. She has represented the U.S. government in multilateral trade negotiations, advocated in support of global sales, consulted with multinational corporations on corporate responsibility, and helped foster a robust transatlantic relationship. Chorlins began her federal government service in the office of former Sen. John C. Danforth (R-MO), where she participated in drafting the 1988 Trade Act and the 1989 implementing legislation for the U.S.-Canada Free Trade Agreement. She continued her government service as principal deputy assistant secretary for Import Administration at the Department of Commerce, representing the U.S. in the GATT Uruguay Round and NAFTA negotiations. Chorlins then became director for international trade relations at Motorola Inc. She played a leadership role in early business community efforts to normalize U.S.-China commercial relations and was an early proponent of a balanced approach in addressing commercial, human rights, and environmental priorities. Subsequently, Chorlins served as executive vice president of Business for Social Responsibility, which provides technical assistance on socially responsible business practices. She later rejoined Motorola’s government relations organization as senior director of advocacy and global strategy, leveraging political resources to support the company’s international sales and resolve matters of strategic importance to the corporation. Chorlins also served as director of government and regulatory affairs at Lockheed Martin, where she managed the international portfolio and focused on export control reform and defense trade policy. Chorlins holds an M.A. in international relations and economics from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a B.A. in French from Wellesley College.

Wendy Cutler is Vice President at the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI) and the managing director of the Washington, D.C. office. In these roles, she focuses on leading initiatives that address challenges related to trade, investment, and innovation, as well as women’s empowerment in Asia. She joined ASPI following an illustrious career of nearly three decades as a diplomat and negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), where she also served as Acting Deputy U.S. Trade Representative. During her USTR career, she worked on a range of bilateral, regional, and multilateral trade negotiations and initiatives, including the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, U.S.-China negotiations, and the WTO Financial Services negotiations. She has published a series of ASPI papers on the Asian trade landscape and serves as a regular media commentator on trade and investment developments in Asia and the world.

Eric Farnsworth is the Head of the Washington office of the Council of the Americas and the Americas Society. He leads with a passion for promoting the importance of the Western Hemisphere for U.S. economic, security, and strategic interests.  A recognized expert, he maintains an important policy leadership and advocacy role across a broad range of issues, including U.S. relations, economic development, trade, and energy; Asia-Latin American relations and global governance; and security and democracy.  He consults frequently with senior U.S. government and foreign officials and private sector leaders, is a widely sought conference speaker and media commentator, and publishes regularly in leading newspapers and journals. 

Prior to the Council, Mr. Farnsworth served in government with the U.S. Department of State, Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and Clinton White House.  He also worked with U.S. Senator Sam Nunn (D-GA).  His private sector experiences include ManattJones Global Strategies and the Bristol-Myers Squibb Corporation.  He has been decorated by the Governments of Brazil, Chile, Colombia, and Spain, and is an elected Academic Correspondent of Uruguay.

Florizelle (Florie) Liser is the third President and CEO of CCA. Ms. Liser brings expertise and an extensive network on trade and Africa to her new role, along with a strong track record of working with the private sector to translate policy into action. She is the first woman to lead the Council since its founding in 1993. Ms. Liser joined CCA from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), where she was the Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Africa since 2003. At USTR, she led trade and investment policy towards 49 sub-Saharan African nations and oversaw implementation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Previously, Ms. Liser served as Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Industry, Market Access, and Telecommunications from 2000-2003. She also served as Senior Trade Policy Advisor in the Office of International Transportation and Trade at the Department of Transportation from 1987-2000; worked as a Director in USTR’s Office of GATT Affairs, and served as an Associate Fellow at the Overseas Development Council (ODC) from 1975-1980. Currently, Ms. Liser serves as a re-appointed member of the 2023-2024 Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee for the Export-Import Bank (EXIM) where she previously served from 2019-2021. Ms. Liser also served as co-chair of the Advisory Council for the Millennium Challenge Corporation and has also served as a Board member for the Women in International Trade (WIIT). Ms. Liser holds a M.A. in International Economics from Johns Hopkins University, School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and a B.A. in International Relations and Political Science from Dickinson College.

Penelope (Penny) Naas is a global public policy leader who designs strategies on international economic issues that sit at the nexus of geopolitics, trade, and climate. She is an adviser for TradeExperettes, a global organization of women trade experts.

Naas has created innovative strategies and solutions for Citigroup and, more recently, for UPS as its president for international public affairs and global sustainability. She opened and was managing director of Citigroup’s first government affairs office in Brussels between 2007 and 2012 before leading UPS’s international team from 2012 to 2019. She started her career at the US Department of Commerce, where she worked for 13 years on international economic issues and advancing the commercial interests of US companies in Europe.

Naas holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and a master’s degree in public policy from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. She is on several boards and has co-chaired the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Trade and Investment.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND? 

The four-part Intensive Trade Seminar, cohosted by the Institute for International Economic Policy at George Washington University, is geared towards individuals who want to learn how trade policy is made in Washington, DC. Past attendees include those in business, law, academia, NGOs, embassies and the U.S. Government.

Participants gain insight from trade professionals, pose questions to policy makers, and learn about the ever-shifting trade landscape. Attendees come away with an understanding of the trade policy-making process, the role of its key players, and the important issues facing policy makers.

The curriculum is focused on helping attendees broaden their understanding of trade policy making, those seeking a career in trade policy, others new to the trade policy field, and anyone serving the import/export community.

We also encourage the international community working on economic and trade issues, and others who want to learn more about international trade, to participate in this program. 

If you cannot view every session at the time it is originally offered, most sessions* will also be available off-line to paying attendees (access code will be required).

Registration for the Intensive Trade Seminar is open to the public and all sessions are off-the-record/Chatham House Rules.

WITA has a two-day cancellation policy for this event

* Most sessions will be available to paying attendees to watch at a later time. However, certain sessions may not be recorded to facilitate more open discussion.

**If your agency or business does not use Zoom, we can work with you to make content available on an accessible platform for later viewing.

Diamond Sponsors will receive two free passes to attend the Intensive Trade Seminar; Platinum, Platinum Half, and Gold level Sponsors will receive one free pass.

Thank you to our WITA Academy Sponsors

Law Partner Sponsor

The post 2024 WITA Academy Virtual Intensive Trade Seminar appeared first on WITA.