2023 Washington Trade Symposium

Laurie-Ann Agama

Acting Assistant USTR for Textiles,

Office of the U.S. Trade Representative

Dr. Laurie-Ann Agama serves as the Acting Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Textiles. In this capacity, she is responsible for advising the U.S. Trade Representative on textile and apparel trade policy matters, conducting and overseeing negotiations affecting textile and apparel products, and working to expand the industry’s access to foreign markets.

Dr. Agama has over twenty years of experience with the U.S. government.  She has served as the Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Economic Affairs in the Office of Trade Policy and Economics since 2012. In this role, she has led USTR’s strategic planning processes and provided economic advice for the development of U.S. trade policy and its implementation, and bilateral and multilateral trade negotiations.  She also conducted statistical and economic analyses for dispute settlement cases and to resolve various trade policy and investment-related issues.

She joined USTR in 2004 serving as a Director in the Office of African Affairs. In that role, she supported the development of bilateral and multilateral initiatives to enhance U.S. trade and investment relations with the countries in sub-Saharan Africa, including the implementation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).

Prior to her work at USTR, Dr. Agama served as an International Economist within the Office of Economics at the United States International Trade Commission from 2001 to 2004, where she conducted economic research analyses and provided trade advice to the USTR and Congress.  She was an adjunct professor at Bowling Green State University in Ohio from 1998 to 2001.

Dr. Agama holds Masters and Doctorate degrees in Economics from McGill University, is a recipient of USTR’s Superior Achievement Award and is an International Career Advancement Program (ICAP) Fellow.

Ann Marie Brouillette

Director of Programs

Partnership for Central America

Ann Marie Brouillette is the Director of Programs at the Partnership for Central America.  Ann Marie leads PCA's efforts to grow the textile and apparel manufacturing sector in Central America, which to date has mobilized over $1B in commitments to the region.  Ann Marie also leads PCA's work in business services, energy, and metrics. 

Before joining PCA, Ann Marie was a Senior Advisor at USAID, where she led a team to develop USAID's COVID analytics platform, led several strategic planning efforts to guide the Agency's COVID response, and oversaw USAID's grants to a portfolio of innovators. Prior to this, she was a manager in the Social Sector practice of McKinsey and Company, where she led strategic planning and implementation efforts for numerous leading donors and NGOs. Ann Marie holds an MBA and a B.A., both from Harvard University.

Patricia Figueroa

Executive Director

Central American Council of Textile Organizations (CECATEC)

Patricia Figueroa is a professional with more than 20 years of experience in the field of Economic Development.  Since 2015 she has been acting as Executive Director of the Chamber of the Textile, Apparel and Free Trade Zones of El Salvador – CAMTEX.  In 2022 she assumed the responsibility of representing the Central American Council of Textile organizations-CECATEC.

Through her career path She was also the First Salvadorean Ambassador to India establishing the first diplomatic headquarters in New Delhi  in 2009.

She served as Executive Director of the National Competitiveness Program  in the Ministry of Economy and worked for 10 years in FUSADES as Executive Director of the PRIDEX Program at the Salvadoran Foundation for Economic and Social Development (FUSADES), where she promoted export diversification and investment promotion.

 She also directed the Investment Promotion Agency (PROESA) from 2004-2008 been engaged in the strategy to bring the Textile synthetic cluster to El Salvador.

Bob Kirke

Executive Director

Canadian Apparel Federation

Bob Kirke is the Executive Director of the Canadian Apparel Federation (CAF).

 

He represents the industry across a range of issues from trade and tariffs, product safety and chemical management to international business development.   He is or has been a member of numerous industry advisory groups and voluntary bodies and serves as a Director of Brands for Canada, Canada’s only permanent clothing bank. He is a member of the Canadian General Standards Board Committee on Responsible Business Conduct and the Canadian Border Commercial Consultative Committee (BCCC).

He received a Bachelor of Arts (Political Science) from McGill and a Master of Arts (Political Science) from Carleton University.  In 2012 he received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal, nominated by then Minister of International Trade, the Hon. Ed Fast.

Jennifer Knight

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles, Consumer Goods, Materials Industries, Critical Minerals and Metals

Industry and Analysis

 As the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles, Consumer Goods, Materials Industries, Critical Minerals and Metals, Jennifer Knight oversees four offices, including the Office of Textiles and Apparel, the Office of Consumer Goods, the Office of Materials Industries, and the newly created Office of Critical Minerals and Metals within the International Trade Administration’s Industry and Analysis Unit.

Knight leads the work to advance the global competitiveness of the U.S. textile and manufacturing industries through the development and execution of international trade and investment policies and promotion strategies.

Through her strategic vision, passionate leadership, and management skills Knight combines her unique understanding of the traditional textile industry with her proven experience in manufacturing and e-commerce to achieve success.

Her previous experience includes leading startups, family-owned, and private equity-owned companies through growth, turnarounds, and ownership transitions as a former C-suite executive. She was previously the president and COO of American Woolen Company and a partner at Newport Board Group, a national professional services firm that provides executive level and Board of Directors advisory services to emerging growth companies. Knight was also founder and president of GetawayStyle, an e-commerce site offering content and product recommendations of Made in the USA, eco-friendly home furnishings to second and retirement homeowners.

Prior to that, Knight spent almost 15 years in the U.S. textile industry leading several companies through growth and turnaround situations. She has navigated challenges in the domestic manufacturing industry and international markets, including setting up operations in Central America and China.

She received a Bachelor of Arts in religious studies and women’s studies from Brown University and earned a Master of Business Administration from Columbia University. Outside of work, she is an avid gardener and hiker along with her wife, Chiqui Cartagena, who is a well-known expert on the U.S. Hispanic market.

Anne Marie Lacourse

Global Trade Industry Advisor

Sayari Labs

Anne Marie Lacourse is an expert practitioner currently with Sayari Labs. She has 25+ years of demonstrated experience helping over 2000 companies embed international trade compliance into their global supply chains and commercial operations. Anne Marie has deep experience developing, implementing, and managing cross-border trade platforms to support multijurisdictional import and export regulations. She has managed three-quarters of a million classifications across nearly a billion shipments on every continent, (yes, Antarctica too). Ms. Lacourse’s extensive technical and practical knowledge across diverse regulatory schemes has been instrumental in completing nearly 1000 assessments and audits. And in the development of industry-leading commodity-based transaction signals for red flag identification and shipment diversion detection.

While at Vastera, Anne Marie was a key member of the team that developed the first commercially available Global Trade Management (GTM) platform. Technology later acquired by JPMorgan Chase which Ms. Lacourse utilized in day-to-day operations powering AML/TBML compliance for the bank’s international trade finance business. She has served as a U.S. State Department International Traffic in Arms Empowered Official (ITAR-EO). Ms. Lacourse is a member of the ACAMS Editorial Committee and contributing author on topics such as trade-based money laundering and managing global import and export controls for ACAMS Today and other publications. She speaks extensively at conferences on the mechanics of using transactional import and export data to signal TBML risk.

John Leonard

Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner, Office of Trade

U.S. Customs and Border Protection

Mr. John P. Leonard is the Deputy Executive Assistant Commissioner (DEAC) of Office of Trade, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). Mr. Leonard oversees a diverse portfolio of trade enforcement, security, and facilitation to enable legitimate trade, contribute to American economic prosperity, and protect against risks to public health and safety. His work ranges from enforcing over 500 U.S. trade laws, to overseeing 14 trade agreements, to directing CBP’s seven Priority Trade Issues in collaboration with 49 partner government agencies.

Mr. Leonard has over 30 years of experience at CBP and the former U.S. Customs Service, first beginning his career as an Import Specialist in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1989. Since then, he has worked in various leadership positions at CBP, from 2013 to 2017 as CBP Attaché to Singapore, and prior to this as the Area Port Director of San Francisco. As Area Port Director, Mr. Leonard oversaw the CBP clearance of nearly 5 million passengers per year at San Francisco International Airport and over 400,000 cargo containers per year at the Oakland Seaport.

Mr. Leonard holds a bachelor's degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and a master's degree in International Commerce and Policy from George Mason University. He is a graduate of the Harvard University John F. Kennedy School Senior Executive Fellows program and a certified Project Management Professional (PMP).

Dr. Sheng Lu

Associate Professor in the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies

University of Delaware

Dr. Sheng Lu is an Associate Professor in the Department of Fashion and Apparel Studies at the University of Delaware. He also serves 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 is also the multiple-time recipient of the Paper of Distinction Award at the ITAA annual conferences for his study on the textile and apparel specific-sectoral impact of mega free trade agreements. Several of his studies were cited by government reports such as the Congressional Research Service (CRS) studies prepared for members of 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 the media outlet.

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.

Maytee Pereira

Customs and International Trade Co-Leader

PwC

Maytee Pereira is a Senior Managing Director in the Customs & International Trade practice, located in New York.  She has over 30 years experience in the area of customs law and international trade matters and has assisted firm clients from myriad industry sectors including consumer and industrial products, Bioscience and Pharma, as well as apparel & textiles and footwear, involved in import/export activities in taking full advantage of both U.S. and foreign customs laws to minimize their import related liabilities while managing compliance with all applicable customs and export requirements. Maytee is particularly involved in developing and supporting customs valuation strategies that align to complex tax planning as well as in designing implementing streamlined global supply chain strategies aimed at minimizing overall duty expense for inbound and outbound clients as well as opportunities to leverage Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). She also assists clients in administrative proceedings and compliance audits before the U.S. Bureau of Customs & Border Protection (CBP), implementing Foreign Trade Zones and has preparing to participate in Customs programs such as the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT), Duty Drawback, Importer Self-Asessment (ISA), Reconciliation and others.

Maytee has assisted companies from a wide range of industry sectors, including apparel and footwear, consumer electronics, pharmaceutical/life sciences, telecommunications and wholesale/retail proactively address customs appraisement issues and opportunities. She has assisted large multinational companies better understand and manage the interplay be transfer prices and customs value considerations and has helped global companies develop centralized customs valuations policies that are aligned to their transfer pricing policies and objectives in order to avoid “whipsaw” impacts. She has conducted global assessments of internal control procedures for trade compliance and has assisted companies in developing best in class trade compliance processes.

Maytee holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Fordham University, with majors in Economics and Political Science, a Juris Doctor from Fordham Law School, and is a Licensed Customs Broker

Mark Prater

Managing Director, Tax Policy Services Practice

PwC

Mark Prater serves as a Managing Director in PwC's Tax Policy Services Practice in Washington, DC. In his role, Mark advises clients with respect to tax policy issues and tax legislation with a concentration on the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017.

Mark Prater graduated from Portland State University in 1981 with a B.S. in accounting. In the summer after finishing at Portland State, Mark worked on a governmental audit under the direction of a team from Coopers and Lybrand. He obtained a J.D. from Willamette University in 1984 and an LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Florida in 1987. Mark became a member of the Oregon and Washington State bars in 1984 and a certified public accountant in Washington in 1986. He practiced with Touche Ross from 1984 to 1986 and a Portland law firm, Dunn, Carney et al. from 1987 to 1990. From January 1990 through November 1993, Mark served as a tax counsel on the Republican staff of the U.S. Senate Finance Committee. In November 1993, Mark was promoted to Chief Tax Counsel on the Republican staff of the Senate Finance Committee and in January 2007, added the role of Deputy Staff Director of the Republican staff.

In September of 2011, Mark was selected as Staff Director for the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction, ("JSCDR") i.e. the Super Committee. 

Mark retired from Federal service on May 22, 2018.

Mark frequently speaks to national professional tax organizations such as the American Bar Association, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Federal Bar Association, the Tax Executives Institute, and the Tax Council. Mark also speaks to state professional tax groups such as the Oregon State Bar, Oregon Society of Certified Public Accountants, Iowa State Bar, Florida Bar, and the New York State Bar Association. In addition, Mark has guest lectured at undergraduate colleges, universities, and professional schools.

Avedis H. Seferian

President & CEO

Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production (WRAP)

Avedis H. Seferian joined WRAP in 2004 and became its President and CEO in 2012. He has extensive knowledge of social responsibility issues within the highly complex worldwide supply chains of the apparel, textile and footwear sectors. A recognized expert in the area of social compliance and responsible sourcing, Mr. Seferian was named by Assent Compliance as one of the Top 100 Corporate Social Responsibility Influence Leaders for 2020. He often speaks on topics in this field at different forums around the world and has contributed to many leading trade publications and news outlets. Mr. Seferian is the Chairman of the Executive Board (and a member of the Stakeholder Board) of the Association of Professional Social Compliance Auditors (APSCA) and sits on the Impartiality Committees of several audit organizations; he also served on the Board of Advisors of the Alliance for Bangladesh Worker Safety.

Mr. Seferian began his career working for a business research and development organization before migrating over to legal research. Prior to joining WRAP, he was with a small law firm in Washington, DC. Mr. Seferian has also taught in various capacities in the business and legal arenas, including as an adjunct professor at the University of Maryland University College. He speaks five languages, has lived in four countries and holds three degrees from three continents - a Bachelor’s in Economics from St. Stephen’s College, Delhi University in India; an MBA from the American University of Armenia; and a Juris Doctor from the Georgetown University Law Center in the United States, where he was a Law Fellow and made the Dean’s List.

Mr. Seferian is a member of the American Bar Association and the Virginia State Bar. He resides in Fairfax, Virginia with his wife and their 2 sons.

Eric Shin

Consumer Markets Tax Leader

PwC

Eric is a partner in PwC’s New York City office currently serving as the Lead Client Partner and Lead Tax Partner for Fortune 500 multinationals and advise on multiple areas of business consulting and tax, including value chain transformation, supply chain resiliency, global operating model, deals, and global tax structure optimization. In his current role as the US Consumer Markets Tax Leader, Eric is responsible for leading the firm’s subject matter specialists to deliver thought leaderships on critical industry issues and help clients navigate the fast evolving environment of Consumer Markets and uncertainties of legislative landscape around the globe.

Eric’s recent areas of focus have included advising clients on tax optimizing the transformation programs through global org redesign, supply chain reconfiguration/simplification, repatriation strategies, value chain optimization, cross boarder IP planning, IPO readiness, divestitures including design and implementation of Day 1 operating models, and assessing the value chain impact of ESG programs.

Eric holds a bachelor’s degree in Economics from the Carleton College. He is a Certified Public Accountant.

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.

Matt Wallace

Partner, International Tax Services

PwC

Matt leads PwC’s International Tax Services teams in New York, Philadelphia and Boston. Matt is also part of PwC’s integrated global structuring team, a national group of specialists providing holistic tax planning advice to multinationals. He has worked extensively with retailers – from specialty to big box - during his time with PwC.

Matt helps his clients solve complex international tax problems, helps the people on his teams develop as professionals, and helps his community through volunteer work and by making businesses stronger. Matt has spent his 18-year career working with multinationals on tax structuring, including advising on internal and external transactions, cross-border financing, large-scale value chain transformations, and tax attribute planning.

Matt is a frequent speaker at regional and national conferences. He is a graduate from both The Ohio State University and from American University.

Erin Williamson

Senior Director of Customs Brokerage Product

GEODIS USA

Erin Williamson is the Director of Product Management in the Customs Brokerage Product Team. Erin is responsible for ensuring compliance of customs brokerage activities and supporting the US station brokerage operations.