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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 bodog casino 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 bodog sportsbook review 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 Bodog Poker 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 bodog poker review 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