2026 Apparel Importers
Trade & Transportation Conference

Leslie August

Chief Marketing Officer, KYG Trade

Leslie August is Chief Marketing Officer for SaaS start-up KYG Trade, Inc – Know Your GoodsTM where she leads the sales and marketing team and helps enterprise and SMB compliance teams navigate the transition of their trade compliance operations to AI-assisted automation tools.

She is a third-generation global trade professional with a career in trade spanning 40 years including brokerage, forwarding, bonds, trade facilitation and compliance. Her background gives her a unique combination of global trade compliance and facilitation knowledge and marketing skills and experience.

Prior to KYG Trade, Leslie was a principal in several notable firms (including Roanoke Trade and boomerang carnets) specializing in cross-border financial guarantees such as US customs bonds and ATA Carnets. She continues to maintain her California insurance producers license.

Leslie has served on the WIT-NC board for 12 years and supports their annual production of educational and networking programs from global trade compliance professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area. 

Arthur Bodek

Partner, Grunfeld Desiderio Lebowitz Silverman & Klestadt LLP (“GDLSK”)

Arthur Bodek is a partner in the New York office of GDLSK. His practice is focused on import and export trade law, Customs law and other regulatory law as it relates to international trade. Much of his work centers around developing creative strategies to maximize benefits under Free Trade Agreements and a host of other duty-free/reduced duty tariff programs (e.g., U.S.-Mexico- Canada Agreement, Central American Free Trade Agreement, Generalized System of Preferences, African Growth and Opportunity Act, Caribbean Basin Initiative, and many others). A career highlight was being invited to be an attorney representative on a trade mission to Botswana and Lesotho to educate manufacturers, local businesses and government officials in how they could benefit from the AGOA and other U.S. trade laws. Mr. Bodek also works with clients to develop favorable Customs valuation and tariff classification strategies to generate Customs duty-savings as well as production-sharing and other strategies to minimize the impact of duties assessed under trade remedy provisions (e.g., China 301, Steel / Aluminum 232, etc.). In addition, Mr. Bodek devotes significant time to issues arising under CBP forced labor Withhold Release Orders and the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act.

Other areas where Arthur devotes much of his time include helping clients across a host of product sectors navigate their way through the complexities of country of origin rules, China 301 duties and Section 232 tariffs. In recent years, Arthur has been particularly focused on assisting clients with forced labor enforcement proceedings under a variety of Withhold Release Orders (WROs) and the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA).

Presently, Arthur spends much of his time counseling clients on the applicability of trade remedy tariffs (IEEPA, steel and aluminum, automotive, reciprocal tariffs, etc.) and strategies for navigating such tariffs.

Arthur regularly represents clients in connection with CBP requests, audits, investigations and enforcement actions. He is also involved in supply chain issues including those related to forced labor and sustainability as well as importer security programs such as the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT).

Mr. Bodek regularly counsels clients on compliance issues and frequently speaks to trade audiences around the country and the globe on these topics.

He is the author of “United States Customs Service Audits and Record Keeping Requirements,” The Transportation Lawyer, Vol. 3 No. 4 (1994), “U.S. Customs Service Announces Sweeping Changes In Rules of Origin For Textiles and Apparel,” Apparel Trade and Transportation News (1995), and various customs updates columns in the Journal of Commerce and elsewhere.

Craig Dana

Assistant Professor of Production Management at the Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology at Fashion Institute of Technology (SUNY)

Craig Dana (he/him) is an Assistant Professor of Production Management at the Jay and Patty Baker School of Business and Technology at Fashion Institute of Technology (SUNY). 

He joined the full-time faculty in 2024 after a 30-year corporate career as an executive with leading global fashion brands, including Ralph Lauren, Tory Burch, American Eagle Outfitters and AnnTaylor/LOFT. Earlier he was a management consultant serving retail clients. His expertise lies in global supply chain, inclusive of manufacturing, sourcing, product development and logistics spanning the apparel, footwear, accessories and home categories.

Craig lived for nearly 15 years in Asia and has led sourcing and production teams in more than 10 countries. He additionally served as a member of the Hong Kong Support Foundation Board of the Asian University for Women (2016-2020) and has been a founding member of its New York Advisory Board.  

Craig holds an M.B.A. in Finance and Management from the Stern School of Business at New York University and a B.A. in Political Science and Geography (honors) from Colgate University. 

Maristella Iacobello

Vice President, Global Customs & Trade Governance for PVH Corp.

Maristella Iacobello is Vice President, Global Customs & Trade Governance for PVH Corp., headquartered in New York City. PVH is one of the world's largest apparel companies, with a portfolio of globally recognized brands including Tommy Hilfiger, Calvin Klein, and a variety of licensed brands.

With more than 40 years of experience at PVH, Ms. Iacobello has held numerous leadership positions across the company's import, logistics, customs, and trade functions. Throughout her tenure, she has played a pivotal role in developing and strengthening global trade compliance programs while supporting the company’s international sourcing and supply chain strategies.

In her current role, Ms. Iacobello is responsible for establishing and overseeing global customs and trade governance policies, providing strategic guidance on a broad range of international trade matters. Her areas of expertise include customs compliance, free trade agreements and preference programs, customs valuation, tariff classification, trade enforcement, supply chain compliance, labeling and regulatory requirements.

Ms. Iacobello is a recognized leader within the international trade community and actively participates in numerous government advisory groups, industry associations, and trade committees. Through these engagements, she contributes to the development of trade policy, regulatory initiatives, and customs modernization efforts, helping shape strategies that support compliant and efficient global commerce.

Michael Lambert

Executive Director of Global Trade and Compliance for Urban Outfitters, Inc.

Michael Lambert has spent over 30 years in the retail fashion business, primarily in the import/export and Customs compliance area, and is currently the Executive Director of Global Trade and Compliance for Urban Outfitters, Inc. Urban Outfitters, Inc. includes the Urban Outfitters brand, as well as Anthropologie, Free People, Terrain and Nuuly brands.

In his role at Urban Outfitters, Inc., Michael is responsible for Customs, Social, Vendor and Regulatory Compliance. Urban Outfitters has a global footprint, with stores in the U.S., Canada, Europe and the United Kingdom. Urban Outfitters designs and develops product throughout the world, working with a core vendor base across more than thirty countries.

Compliance with global Customs regulations, as well as ensuring the vendor base meets Urban Outfitters code of conduct and ethical sourcing guidelines, are critical components of Urban Outfitters Global Trade and Compliance mandate. Michael and his team have adapted to the ever-changing global trade landscape by engaging public officials in multiple countries and addressing changes in individual countries that impact the importation and sale of fashion products.

Prior to Urban Outfitters, Michael spent nine years with Limited Brands as head of their Import Planning department. He spent his last two years with Limited Brands in London, setting up Compliance activity for Limited Brands as they expanded overseas. While in London, Michael served as a representative for Limited Brands on the Private Sector Consultancy Group (PSCG), a working group of corporations, global service providers and global organizations that consults with the World Customs Organization (WCO) for the purpose of informing and advising the WCO Secretary General, the Policy Commission and WCO Members on Customs and international trade matters from the perspective of the private sector.

Michael has been a Licensed Customs Broker since 1998 and is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University, with a Bachelor of Arts in International Politics and Foreign Service.

Janet Labuda

Global Senior Consultant, Maersk 

Janet L Labuda is the Global Senior Consultant for Maersk. Janet retired in 2011 after completing a thirty-one year career with U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Prior to her retirement, she was the Director, Textile/Apparel Policy and Programs Division at the Headquarters Office of International Trade in Washington, D.C. As the Director, she led the development and implementation of national policy decisions regarding the importation of textile products into the United States. She was responsible for ensuring the enforcement of laws affecting a $100 billion textile import industry comprising close to 70,000 importers and more than a million annual import transactions. Previously, she worked on various trade enforcement and compliance programs including supply chain security, anti-dumping countervailing duty, Intellectual Property Rights protection.

As the Director, she worked closely with the trade community often speaking at various venues. She ensured close partnerships with the Department of Commerce, the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative and the State Department on matters of textile trade compliance. She was the agency spokesperson on these issues to the Congress, the press and foreign governments. In addition, she spearheaded various training initiatives for CBP personnel, the domestic and international trade communities, and foreign government representatives. She has done extensive travel in Africa promoting compliance with the African Growth and Opportunity Act.

She began her career with Customs as an Inspector at John F. Kennedy International Airport. In addition to passenger and cargo processing she was a member of the Contraband Enforcement Team. She spent time as a Senior Customs Representative in the Hague, Netherlands, the Director, of the Zero Tolerance Program, the Director, Revenue Enforcement Division, Office of Regulatory Audit and worked for the Commissioner on a multi-agency Interdiction Committee devising anti-narcotic cooperative programs with private pilots, commercial fisheries and commercial aviation associations.

She has traveled extensively and has skills in international negotiation. She represented Customs in negotiations of the Morocco, Singapore, Australia Free Trade Agreements and up to her retirement worked on Trans Pacific Partnership negotiations. She has also advised various governments as well as the U.S. importing community on the establishment of trade compliance standards. She has her Master’s degree from New York University, a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Joseph’s College in Brooklyn, New York and is a John F. Kennedy School of Government Senior Executive Fellow. She currently resides in Gainesville, Virginia and is doing private consulting on a number of trade and security related issues with the U.S. Department of the Treasury, Grunfeld, Desiderio, Lebowitz Law Firm, and various corporate clients throughout the world.

Dr. Sheng Lu

Professor in the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies, University of Delaware

Dr. Sheng Lu is a Professor and Director of Graduate Studies in the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies at the University of Delaware. He also served as a consultant for the International Trade Centre (ITC) co-run by the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations (UN). With over 70 publications in academic and trade journals, Dr. Lu’s research focuses on the economic and business aspects of the textile and apparel industry, including international trade, trade policy, and the governance of the global apparel value chain. Dr. Lu received the 2014 Rising Star Award and 2019 Mid-Career Excellence Award from the International Textile and Apparel Association (ITAA) to recognize his research and teaching excellence. He has also been the multiple-time recipient of the Paper of Distinction Award at the ITAA annual conferences for his study on the specific-sectoral impact of mega-free trade agreements on textile and apparel. Several of his studies were cited by government reports such as the Congressional Research Service (CRS) studies prepared for members of the U.S. Congress, U.S. International Trade Commission (USITC) official assessment on the economic impacts of free trade agreements as well as the World Bank, International Labor Organization, and the United Nations research publications. Dr. Lu’s published works also have been translated into Chinese, Vietnamese, Spanish, and Thai and regularly featured by media outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Financial Times (UK), BBC World News (UK), Nikkei Asian Review (Japan), Associated Press, South China Morning Post (Hong Kong), Voice of America, and Forbes. 

Kelly Pedersen

Retail Leader,
PwC US

Kelly Pedersen is a Partner at PwC, based in San Francisco, and leads PwC's US Retail practice.

With over 20 years of retail experience in both industry roles as well as a consultant, Kelly has advised retailers on a wide array of topics that range from growth and profit strategies, large business transformations, and technology and capability building. He focuses a lot of his time in the merchandising area, helping retailers organize and optimize for growth in an omni-channel environment through their product, pricing, and promotion, and inventory strategies.

Prior to joining PwC, Kelly was an executive at a large global apparel retailer

John Pellegrini

Customs Consultant
U.S. Fashion Industry Association (USFIA)

Until January 2020, Mr. Pellegrini, who is no longer a member of the bar, was Senior Counsel at McGuireWoods LLP where his clients included multinationals, general merchandise retailers, importers, exporters, domestic and foreign manufacturers, commission agents, trade associations, and international marketing companies. Mr. Pellegrini’s practice focused on the regulatory and commercial aspects of international trade. He provided assistance with respect to government regulation of the import-export trade, duty planning, admissibility requirements, litigation in the United States Court of International Trade, representation before the various federal agencies that regulate trade in the United States, and the commercial aspects of international trade.

William Petty

Global Head of Innovation and Product Development

Will leads the development of Maersk’s portfolio of trade and customs data and consulting services, supporting businesses to identify and mitigate their trade compliance risks, and to boost their bottom line through customs and optimisation strategies. One of his key focus areas is enabling enterprises to navigate the complexity of evolving trade regulations, including global tariff fragmentation and ESG regulations, leveraging data, artificial intelligence, and trade compliance expertise. Previously Deputy Director of the Global Alliance for Trade Facilitation at the World Economic Forum, and a senior leader in UK Customs, UN Office on Drugs & Crime, and the International Road Transport Union, Will has over 20 years’ experience in customs and trade in Europe, Africa, Middle East, Americas and Asia, and is currently Vice Chair of the International Chamber of Commerce Commission on Trade & Investment.

Steven Pires

Associate Director, Sustainability for Cotton Incorporated

Steven Pires is a sustainability leader with over a decade of experience shaping corporate sustainability strategy. As Associate Director of Sustainability at Cotton Incorporated, he directs research and initiatives that elevate cotton’s role in the global sustainability landscape. His work advances circularity solutions like composting and biochar while ensuring cotton is represented with accurate, science-based data in emerging frameworks. Steven holds degrees in Environmental Technology and Management and Forest Biomaterials from NC State University, where he is pursuing a PhD focused on biogenic carbon accounting and dynamic life cycle assessment within the cotton supply chain. Outside of work, he enjoys mountain biking, cooking, and spending time with his wife and two children.

Beth Rooney

Port Director, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

Bethann Rooney was appointed the Director of the Port Department at The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in May 2022. She oversees the management, operation, and ongoing development of the major marine terminal facilities in the Port of New York and New Jersey, the largest and busiest seaport on the East Coast of North America. As the Port Director, she is responsible for managing a nearly $400 million annual budget, advancing major capital programs, increasing cargo and passenger volumes, promoting diversity, equity and inclusion in all of the Port’s programs and fostering safe, secure, sustainable, and innovative practices focused on strengthening the Port’s contribution to the regional economy.

Throughout her 34-year career, Rooney has distinguished herself as a leader in port operations, maritime transportation, port security and emergency management and global logistics. Ms. Rooney regularly networks with a wide range of customers, partners, and stakeholders and has a proven track record of collaborative, inclusive, transparent and heart led leadership. Since joining the Port Authority in 1993, she has held a series of management positions with progressive responsibilities including operations, leasing, property management, intermodal transportation, and technology planning. In the immediate aftermath of 9/11, Bethann was named the first ever Manager, Port Security, a position she held for 14 years, developing, and managing best-in-class port security and emergency management programs. Beth then broke new ground once again and assumed a newly created senior role focused on port performance, efficiency, and goods movement after she developed the framework for the Port’s Council on Port Performance (CPP). The CPP is credited with getting the Port of New York and New Jersey through the COVID 19 pandemic and the associated supply chain disruption with minimal congestion. In April 2019, Ms. Rooney became the Port’s Deputy Director and was instrumental in finalizing the Port Master Plan 2050. Since becoming Port Director, Beth led the Port through pandemic related growth of more than 35%, spearheaded a landmark deal with the US Army Corps of Engineers to further deepen the Port’s navigation channels to 55-feet, kicked off a historic berth and wharf replacement program, led efforts to divest of the heavily subsidized Brooklyn Port Authority Marine Terminal and completely transformed the container terminal leases to a best in class model.

She is a graduate of the State University of New York Maritime College with a Master’s in International Transportation and a Bachelor’s in Marine Transportation. In the Fall of 2019, Beth was inducted into NY Maritime College’s Heritage Hall of Fame for her “awe inspiring achievements and contributions to the maritime industry. In November 2025, she was sworn in as the 77th Commissioner, since 1853, of the Board of Commissioners of Pilots of the State of New York. She is an Accredited Marine Port Executive (AMPE) from the International Association of Maritime and Port Executives, recipient of the US Secretary of Transportation’s 9/11 Medal and two-time recipient of the US Department of Homeland Security’s Distinguished Public Service Award as well as numerous other industry awards and recognitions.

David Spooner

USFIA Washington Counsel
Partner, Barnes & Thornburg LLP

David M. Spooner is a partner in the Corporate Department in Barnes & Thornburg’s Washington, D.C., office.  Mr. Spooner represents governments, trade associations, and corporate clients on international trade matters, including trade remedies, trade policy and customs issues.  He uses his past experience as a high-level political appointee in the Executive Branch and on Capitol Hill to assist clients with their advocacy efforts before both branches of government, as well as before foreign governments.

Prior to entering private practice, Mr. Spooner served as the Assistant Secretary of Commerce for Import Administration.  In that capacity, Mr. Spooner led U.S. Government enforcement of trade remedy laws, principally the antidumping and anti-subsidy laws.  He administered the Foreign Trade Zone system; oversaw apparel trade policy and the implementation of laws governing trade in apparel; managed trade remedy negotiations at the World Trade Organization (WTO), as well as dispute resolution proceedings at the WTO; chaired U.S.-China talks on macroeconomic reforms and the steel industry; and supervised the US Department of Commerce’s import safety initiatives.

Prior to his Senate confirmation as Assistant Secretary, Mr. Spooner served as the Chief Textile and Apparel Negotiator and Transition Coordinator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR).  While at USTR, he was a principal negotiator for free trade agreements with Central America, the Dominican Republic, Singapore, Australia, Chile, Panama, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Colombia and Peru, principally negotiating customs enforcement, apparel and textile, origin and safeguard provisions.  He was heavily involved in building support for congressional passage of the Bush Administration’s trade agenda.  Mr. Spooner also negotiated a comprehensive apparel trade agreement with China and concluded bilateral customs and quota arrangements with several nations.

Before his appointment to USTR, Mr. Spooner worked on Capitol Hill, managing the Washington D.C. office and serving as the legislative director and press secretary for a member of Congress, serving as Communications Director for the U.S. House Committee on Agriculture, and working for the U.S. House Committee on Rules, which manages debate and amendments in the House of Representatives.

Mr. Spooner earned his J.D. from the College of William & Mary School of Law and his B.A. from the University of Virginia.

He is admitted to practice in Washington, D.C., and Virginia and before the U.S. Court of International Trade and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.

Julianne Thibodeaux

Head of Global Commercial at FibreTrace Technologies

Julianne Thibodeaux is Head of Global Commercial at FibreTrace Technologies, where she leads market expansion, enterprise partnerships, and revenue strategy for the traceability infrastructure that enables real-time material verification across the textile supply chain. She is a trusted partner in helping brands combat counterfeiting, meet regulatory and sustainability requirements, and protect brand reputation through verified sourcing and accountable production.

Julianne brings a rare combination of legal expertise, technical fluency, and global sales leadership to the traceability space. She holds a Master of Studies in Law (Fashion Law) from Fordham University School of Law and a BS in Apparel Design from Louisiana State University, where she also serves on the Industry Advisory Board for the Textiles, Apparel Design, and Merchandising program. A frequent speaker, she covers supply chain transparency, compliance, digital innovation, and the future of verified materials.

Erin Williamson

Vice President of U.S. Customs Brokerage, GEODIS USA

Erin Williamson is the Vice President of GEODIS' U.S.  Customs Brokerage Product Team. Erin is responsible for ensuring compliance of customs brokerage activities and supporting the US station brokerage operations.