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Ambassador Mickey Kantor
Former U.S. Secretary of Commerce and former U.S. Trade RepresentativeMickey Kantor concentrates his practice on corporate and financial international transactions. He has extensive experience in market access issues, as well as the expansion of client activities in foreign markets through trade, direct investment, joint ventures, and strategic business alliances.
Prior to joining Mayer Brown, Mickey was the United States Secretary of Commerce (1996-1997) and the United States Trade Representative (1993-1996). He has been called “arguably the finest trade negotiator in the world” (Chambers Global 2006) and is said to be “blessed with fantastic political insights and connections” (Chambers USA 2007). He was recently recognized in The International Who's Who of Business Lawyers - Trade & Customs 2009. Among the many awards and honors he has received are the following: the Civic Medal of Honor by the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, the Order of the Southern Cross Award by The Government of Brazil, 2001, the William O. Douglas Award by the Constitutional Rights Foundation, the Thomas Jefferson Distinguished Public Service Medal from the Center for the Study of the Presidency, the Albert Schweitzer Leadership Award from the Hugh O'Brien Youth Foundation, and Elihu Root Distinguished Lecturer, Council on Foreign Relations.
Ambassador John Emerson
Vice Chairman of Capital Group International, Inc. and former United States Ambassador to the Federal Republic of GermanyJohn Emerson works in global distribution as vice chairman of Capital Group International, Inc. He has 22 years of industry experience, all with Capital Group.
He most recently served as the United States ambassador to the Federal Republic of Germany. In 2015, John was awarded the State Department's Susan M. Cobb Award for Exemplary Diplomatic Service, which is given annually to one non-career ambassador, and in 2017 he was awarded the CIA Medal and the U.S. Navy's Distinguished Public Service award.
Prior to accepting the ambassadorial posting, John was president of Private Client Services for the Capital Group Companies. Before joining Capital, he was deputy assistant to President Clinton where he coordinated his economic conferences, served as the president's liaison to the nation's governors, and led the administration's efforts to obtain congressional approval of the GATT Uruguay Round Agreement and the extension of China's MFN trading status. Additionally, he was appointed by President Obama to serve on his Advisory Committee for Trade Policy and Negotiations. Before working in the Clinton White House, John served as Los Angeles Chief Deputy City Attorney, and was a partner in the law firm of Manatt, Phelps, Rothenberg, and Phillips.
Ambassador Emerson currently serves as Chairman of the American Council on Germany and on the boards of the Pacific Council on International Policy, the German Marshall Fund, the American Friends of the Munich Security Conference, the Mayor's Fund for Los Angeles, and the Music Center Foundation. Previously he served as Chairman of the Music Center of Los Angeles (2003-11), Vice Chairman of the Los Angeles Metropolitan YMCA (2007-13), and as Chair of the first ever Los Angeles City Independent Redistricting Commission (2001). He is a long serving member of the Council on Foreign Relations.
John holds an honorary doctor of laws degree from Hamilton College, a juris doctorate degree from the University of Chicago and a bachelors degree in philosophy from Hamilton College. John is based in Los Angeles.
Marc Blakeman
President of AT&T CaliforniaMarc Blakeman serves as AT&T President – California. In that capacity, he leads the company’s government affairs, public policy, philanthropic and social engagement initiatives across California.
Over the course of his 25-year career at AT&T, he has served as President, Mid-Atlantic States, Vice President of External Affairs for AT&T California and as the Regional Vice President of External Affairs in Illinois. He joined AT&T’s predecessor, Ameritech, in 1997 after serving in various positions in Illinois state government. A graduate of Northwestern University with a B.A. in political science, Marc also received his certification in corporate community relations from the John Carroll Graduate School of Management at Boston College.
Marc is an active member of the community, serving on numerous non-profit boards including the Board of Directors of the California Chamber of Commerce, California Foundation on the Environment and the Economy and on the Board of Trustees of Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater. In his free time, he is a Tony Award-nominated theater producer.
He currently serves as Chair of the Employee Engagement Committee of the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Task Force at AT&T and in a similar volunteer role at Arena Stage.
A native of downstate Illinois, Mr. Blakeman will be residing in the San Francisco Bay Area.
Matt Murray
U.S. Senior Official for APEC, U.S. Department of StateMatt Murray was appointed as the U.S. Senior Official for Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) in February 2022. In this role, he coordinates U.S. participation in APEC and also oversees the Office of Economic Policy in the State Department’s Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs.
Prior to his current assignment, Matt led the State Department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs as Senior Bureau Official from August 2021 to January 2022, and he served as Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Trade Policy and Negotiations from September 2020 to August 2021.
Matt has focused on U.S. economic engagement with the Asia-Pacific region throughout his State Department career, including as Minister Counselor for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, Counselor for Economic Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Canberra, and Special Assistant for East Asian and Pacific issues in the Office of the Under Secretary for Economic Growth, Energy and Environment.
Matt is a Senior Foreign Service Officer who also has served overseas in Beijing, Shanghai, Dar es Salaam and New Delhi and in Washington, D.C. as Director of the 24/7 Watch in the Bureau of Intelligence and Research. He has master’s degrees from the U.S. Army War College and the University of Pittsburgh and a bachelor’s degree from Washington College in Chestertown, Maryland.
Dominic Ng
Chairman and CEO, East West Bank and 2023 ABAC ChairDominic Ng is Chairman and CEO of East West Bank and serves as the 2023 Chair of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) for the United States. During his 31-year leadership, Mr. Ng transformed East West from a small savings and loan association with $600 million in assets into a global commercial bank with assets of over $62 billion.
Mr. Ng is a lifelong champion for financial inclusion and economic empowerment in underserved communities. Under his stewardship, East West has continued to expand the Bank’s community investment in partnerships such as Grameen America to assist low-income women entrepreneurs access capital and financial services.
Mr. Ng is nationally and internationally recognized for his leadership and philanthropy. He has been named one of Forbes' 25 most notable Chinese Americans, one of Los Angeles Times' 100 most influential Angelenos, and Los Angeles Business Journal's Business Person of the Year.
Contributing his business acumen, thought leadership, bicultural expertise, and philanthropic vision for public good, Mr. Ng serves on the boards of Mattel, University of Southern California, and the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and a former Chairman of the Committee of 100.
Monica Hardy Whaley
President, National Center for APECMonica Hardy Whaley was named the President of the National Center for APEC in January of 2009. She served as NCAPEC’s Deputy Director at its founding in 1994 and as the Executive Director since November of 2002. Monica is responsible for management of NCAPEC’s policy and administrative staff, membership, fundraising and fiscal management, and serves as the public spokesperson and representative of the National Center for APEC.
Monica holds Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and French from the University of Santa Clara, and studied in Paris at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (Sciences Pô). She is an Alternate Member of the U.S. APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), Chair of the US-APEC Business Coalition, and a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy.
Monica holds Bachelor’s degrees in Political Science and French from the University of Santa Clara, and studied in Paris at the Institut d’Etudes Politiques (Sciences Pô). She is an Alternate Member of the U.S. APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC), Chair of the US-APEC Business Coalition, and a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy.
Tricia Van Orden
Acting Director, Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee Secretariat, International Trade AdministrationTricia Van Orden is the Acting Director of the Trade Promotion Coordinating Committee Secretariat (TPCC) for the International Trade Administration (ITA). In this role, she coordinates trade promotion strategies with 20 federal agencies as well as states and localities to expand the number and diversity of U.S. businesses that successfully compete in global markets, in order to accelerate firm-level growth, expand employment, and contribute to equitable local and regional economic development. With a focus on small business export promotion, Van Orden also serves as the U.S. delegate to the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Small and Medium Enterprises Working Group. Additionally, she is responsible for coordinating women’s economic empowerment activities across ITA, and she leads the Gender Committee of the Department of Commerce’s Equity Council.
Van Orden has held several positions at ITA. She directed the President’s Export Council and the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa. She also served as the Canada Desk Officer, where she was responsible for increasing access to the Canadian market for U.S. businesses. Van Orden started at ITA as a Presidential Management Fellow in the Office of the Western Hemisphere, where she lead efforts to promote business ethics and corporate social responsibility programs among local business communities throughout Central America and the Caribbean.
Van Orden has also worked at the Inter-American Development Bank, where she led programs to increase the capacity of small businesses to access capital. She started her career as an aide in the U.S. Senate covering foreign affairs and international trade. Van Orden earned a Bachelor of Arts in economics from Colorado State University, a Bachelor of Arts in political science from the University of Washington, and a master’s in public policy from George Mason University.
Robert Holleyman
President and CEO of Crowell and Moring InternationalAmbassador Robert Holleyman is the president and CEO of Crowell & Moring International and a partner in Crowell & Moring’s International Trade, and Privacy and Security groups. He advises clients on a range of trade and investment issues, including market access, global trade negotiations, tariffs, cross-border data flows, and privacy/cybersecurity, among other matters.
In his most recent position, Ambassador Holleyman was responsible for U.S. trade and investment relations with Asia and with regional institutions, including the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum. He led USTR’s negotiations with China, including the annual Joint Committee on Commerce and Trade (JCCT) and with India through the U.S.-India Trade Policy Forum (TPF). He was responsible for global trade policy in the areas of services, investment, intellectual property, and innovation.
Ambassador Holleyman led the creation of a new Digital Trade Working Group within USTR to focus on trade policy and the digital economy and to advance U.S. negotiating priorities around digital trade. He developed and advanced USTR’s “Digital2Dozen,” a series of groundbreaking measures secured in the Asia-Pacific region that established rules promoting a free and open internet; expanded e-commerce; led to the free flow of cross-border data transfers; enhanced competition in telecommunications networks, and more. He also represented USTR on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. (CFIUS), reviewing foreign acquisitions of U.S. commercial entities for their impact on national security.
Ambassador Holleyman was appointed by President Obama to serve as a member of the U.S. Advisory Committee on Trade Policy and Negotiations (ACTPN). He previously served as a member of the Industry Trade Advisory Committee on Services for the U.S. Department of Commerce and USTR. In earlier public service, Ambassador Holleyman was Senior Counsel for the U.S. Senate Commerce Committee, and Legislative Director to U.S. Senator Russell B. Long (D-LA).
Ambassador Holleyman was President and CEO of BSA/The Software Alliance from 1990–2013, where he grew it into a global association representing the world’s software powerhouses across 65 countries. At BSA, he positioned companies to address emerging standards, competition, IP, and innovation issues. Ambassador Holleyman has testified frequently before Congress aand appeared in major media outlets in the U.S. and internationally on the topics of innovation, IP, emerging markets, export controls, cybersecurity, digital transformation, and cloud computing. He was named by Managing IP magazine as one of the “50 Most Influential People” in the intellectual property world, by the The Washington Post as a key private sector player in cybersecurity policy, and by Computer Reseller News as one of “20 To Watch” in the software industry.
Ambassador Holleyman received his Juris Doctor degree from Louisiana State University and his Bachelor of Arts degree from Trinity University. He studied at Stanford’s Graduate School of Business.
Garett Gerson
Founder & CEO, VARIANT3DGarrett is the founder and CEO of VARIANT3D, the disruptive technology platform pioneering the future of textiles with 3D knitting. The team at VARIANT3D is paving the way for the textile industry to become a leader in sustainability, transparency, and innovation. Our goal is to connect factories,
domestically and globally, to produce on-demand, customizable, and sustainable textiles with near-zero waste. Our focus is education, lowering domestic factory costs, and enabling industry-wide adoption of our digital twin LOOP design software. Garrett sat on the Innovation Board for Peter Diamandis's XPrize Foundation, where he's committed to nurturing businesses to develop industry-changing technology that brings us closer to a better, safer and more sustainable world.
Ann-Marie Padgett
Director, Market Access Remanufacturing Division, Caterpillar Inc.Ann-Marie Padgett is the Director, Market Access within the Remanufacturing Division at Caterpillar Inc. In this role, Ann-Marie leads Caterpillar Reman in developing specific market access strategies to penetrate closed markets and define growth strategies for existing markets. She advises on activities related to the acquisition projects at Cat Reman including private and public acquisitions, mergers, joint ventures; develops a thorough understanding of the Reman business and its contribution to sustainability and developing growth strategies to achieve organizational goals.
Ann-Marie has been at Caterpillar for twelve years. In her previous role she served as Manager, Federal & International Government Affairs - Asia Pacific portfolio. She was responsible for collaborating with Caterpillar business units with significant sales opportunity in Asia - particularly in China, India, and ASEAN member countries. She was also Caterpillar’s lead lobbyist on healthcare and skilled workforce issues.
Before joining Caterpillar, Ann-Marie served as the Global Public Policy Manager for the Association of Equipment Manufacturers (AEM), the U.S.-based international trade group representing the business interests of companies which manufactures and market equipment and services used worldwide for construction, agriculture, road building, mining, energy, forestry, and utilities industries. At AEM, Ann-Marie worked with more than 700 member companies to develop policy positions on international trade issues and advocate to Members of Congress, Congressional staff, and various Executive Branch officials.
Ann-Marie also worked as an International Trade Specialist at the U.S. Department of Commerce China Office where she ensured U.S. companies’ access to the Chinese market and the opportunity to compete on a level playing field. Her portfolio included standards and technical barriers to trade, consumer goods, textiles and U.S. trade with Hong Kong and Macau.
Ann-Marie received a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Chinese from Middlebury College and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Hawaii. She is also a graduate of The Paul H. Nitze School of Advanced International Studies Hopkins-Nanjing Center. Ann-Marie is an American Mandarin Society Fellow and serves on the board. She speaks English, Mandarin Chinese, and Jamaican Patois.
Peter Lavoy
Senior Director, IGR, ExxonMobilPeter joined ExxonMobil in January 2017 after two decades of U.S. government service. Based in Washington, D.C., he provides political and geopolitical insight to ExxonMobil companies, facilitates business in the Asia-Pacific region and informs regional stakeholders about ExxonMobil. Prior to 2017, Peter was Special Assistant to President Obama and Senior Director for South Asia at the National Security Council, where he guided U.S. efforts to promote peace, democracy, economic prosperity and security in India, Afghanistan, Pakistan and other South Asian states.
From 2014 to 2015, Peter was a partner and head of the Washington, D.C. office for Monitor 360, a San Francisco-based consultancy. From 2011 to 2014, Peter managed U.S. defense partnerships throughout the Asia-Pacific and Indian Ocean regions as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs. Earlier he was Director for Counterproliferation Policy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense. From 2007 to 2011, Peter served as Deputy Director of National Intelligence for Analysis, Chairman of the National Intelligence Council, and National Intelligence Officer for South Asia all in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence.
Peter founded and directed the Center for Contemporary Conflict and taught in the National Security Affairs Department of the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey. He has written numerous journal articles and book chapters on Asian and international security subjects and has edited several books.
He received a B.A. in government from Oberlin College and a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of California, Berkeley. Peter speaks Hindi, Urdu, and French.
Adina Renee Adler
Deputy Executive Director of Silverado Policy AcceleratorAdina joined Silverado Policy Accelerator in February 2022 as Deputy Executive Director to lead Silverado’s work on Trade & the Circular Economy, among other key trade and environmental policy issues, while also executing Silverado’s growth to effectively lead accelerated policy that advances American prosperity and global competitiveness in the 21st century.
Prior to Silverado, Adina was Vice President of Advocacy at the Institute of Scrap Recycling Industries (ISRI), a trade association, overseeing government relations efforts at the State, Federal and International levels, advocacy with law enforcement and ISRI’s commodities and market analysis on behalf of the recycling industry. Prior to ISRI, Adina was Director of Global Government Affairs for Alcoa and Arconic and International Government Relations Advisor for Shell Oil Company, advising business leaders on trends in U.S. trade and international policy. Adina also served in the U.S. Government as Director for South Asia in the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) and International Trade Specialist at the U.S. Department of Commerce, both assignments responsible for U.S. commercial and trade policy with the countries of South Asia. Adina has a B.A. in International Affairs from The George Washington University and M.A. in International Economics and International Law from The Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS) and has lived in and traveled to more than 75 countries for business and pleasure.
Catherine Mellor
Vice President, Global Public Affairs, UPSCatherine Mellor is the Vice President for International Trade at UPS’s Global Public Affairs division. In this role, Mellor helps guide the organization’s policy development and advocacy in support of an inclusive trade agenda, with a specific focus on the company’s engagement in its Asia and healthcare business initiatives.
Prior to joining UPS in 2019, Mellor led the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Global Initiative on Health and the Economy which promotes the importance of workforce health to economic growth. Mellor joined the Chamber in 2006. Her previous roles were focused on Asia and included directing the Chamber’s work in support of the 12 country Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade negotiation. She also led the organization’s international work in the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation, and implemented anti-counterfeiting and piracy programs in Southeast Asia.
Mellor spent four years as a research officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade at the Australian Embassy in Washington. During this time, she participated in the negotiation and successful conclusion of the Australia-U.S. Free Trade Agreement. Mellor is an Australian citizen and graduate of the University of Queensland. She began her career in Washington working for Congressman Darrell Issa.
Michael Pergine
Head of Global Policy, Government Relations & ESG Strategy, Organon & Co.Michael is the Head of Global Policy, Government Relations and ESG Strategy for Organon, a US-based multi -national biopharmaceutical company that is the world’s largest MNC focused on improving the health of women. As a founding executive of the multi-billion-dollar Fortune 500 startup, he directs global strategic policy-shaping efforts across the full portfolio of Women’s Health, Biosimilars and Legacy Brands franchises, leads international government relations activities, and oversees the strategic direction of Organon’s comprehensive Environmental Social and Governance (ESG) program, with a focus on Access to Medicine.
Prior to joining Organon, Michael spent twenty-five years at Merck & Co., one of the world’s largest and oldest innovative biopharmaceutical companies, preceded by time as a Senior Performance Improvement Consultant at Ernst & Young, and as a Senior Logistics Analyst at BDM Technologies. While at BDM and E&Y, Michael engaged with eight different companies on three continents, across multiple industry sectors including pharmaceuticals, chemicals, medical devices, consumer goods, telecommunications, electronics industrial paper and packaging, and transportation.
During his career at Merck, Michael took on twelve different roles across the company. He managed a $1.5 Billion annual P&L, delivered profitable sustained growth and dramatic increases in volume and market share, owned and shaped the global strategy and operations for the GARDASIL franchise (the world’s leading HPV cancer prevention vaccine, available in more than 130 countries and now generating over $5.6 Billion annually), engaged in product development activities for multiple assets, managed global supply chains, transformed and led critical functions, negotiated contracts worth more than $200 Million annual spend in support of global basic research, designed and implemented innovative business process improvements, led business development and alliance management activities, led 10-year-horizon strategic planning efforts across an integrated R&D, manufacturing & supply and commercial vaccine enterprise, built trusting stakeholder relationships, represented the company to government officials around the world, and built, led and motivated high-performing global team.
Scott Pietan
Assistant USTR for Japan, Korea and APEC (Acting), Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR)Mr. Scott Pietan is the Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Japan, Korea and APEC (Acting). Previously Scott was the Deputy Assistant USTR for APEC, and he continues to serve as the U.S. representative to the APEC Committee on Trade and Investment. Mr. Pietan has over 20 years of trade experience with the U.S. government. His time includes 15 years in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative where Mr. Pietan also served as the Director of International Procurement Policy and the Director of Industry Trade Policy.
Prior to USTR, Mr. Pietan served as an economist in the International Trade Administration, Department of Commerce and a Peace Corps volunteer in Belize. Mr. Pietan has a BA in history from Hampden-Sydney College and a MA in international relations from Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies.
Monique Rodriguez
Vice President, Government Affairs, QUALCOMM, Inc.Monique Rodriguez is Senior Director of Government Affairs for QUALCOMM Incorporated. In this capacity she manages part of QUALCOMM's international public policy agenda on a range issues, including international trade, technology policy, competition and innovation, and intellectual property. In addition to maintaining and strengthening QUALCOMM's relationships with branches of the United States and foreign governments, she often represents the company before industry associations and multilateral institutions, such as the United Nations and World Trade Organization (WTO).
Ms. Rodriguez also manages all legislative matters at the local and state level, including political fundraising and acting as the QUALCOMM liaison to local and state government in all 50 states. In this capacity Ms. Rodriguez is responsible for creating and executing corporate strategy in areas ranging from quality of life, technology neutrality, environmental stewardship and taxation. Ms. Rodriguez also manages the Qualcomm Political Action Committee (QPAC).
Ms. Rodriguez serves as a member of the San Diego & Imperial District Export Council. She also serves on the boards of the National Center for APEC, National Foreign Trade Council and the New Children’s Museum.
Ms. Rodriguez graduated from the University of California, San Diego in 2002 with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics. She also received a Masters in Business Administration from the Rady School of Management at the University of California, San Diego in 2008.
Qualcomm is the world’s leading wireless technology innovator and the driving force behind the development, launch, and expansion of 5G. When we connected the phone to the internet, the mobile revolution was born. Today, our foundational technologies enable the mobile ecosystem and are found in every 3G, 4G and 5G smartphone. seamlessly.
Sarah Thorn
Senior Director, Global Government Affairs, Walmart, Inc.Sarah Thorn is primarily responsible for managing global government relations related to supply chain and trade issues at Walmart. In this capacity, she advocates for Walmart priorities in legislation and trade negotiations that impact the company’s worldwide sourcing, e-commerce and retail distribution rights. She also leads a team that drives global public policy in support of Walmart’s responsible sourcing commitments. Most recently, Sarah has expanded her portfolio to manage Walmart’s UK government relations, focused on BREXIT negotiations.
In 2011, Sarah led the strategy team that developed Walmart’s Global Women’s Economic Empowerment Initiative, which is focused on empowering women throughout Walmart’s global supply chain. She is actively involved in the implementation of the initiative, focusing primarily stakeholder engagement and global partnerships. Before joining Walmart, Sarah worked for seven years at the Grocery Manufacturers Association where she led the food, beverage and consumer products industry advocacy on international trade issues. Sarah has also worked as a consultant for PricewaterhouseCoopers on business mobility issues and served as an international relations representative with AMP Incorporated.
Sarah began her career in Washington as a Presidential Management Fellow at the U.S. Information Agency. She holds a Master of Arts degree in law and diplomacy from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and a Bachelor of Arts degree in comparative area studies and comparative literature cum laude from Duke University. She has been recognized as a Top Lobbyist by The Hill magazine and serves on the board of the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition and Secretary of the Board of the Washington International Trade Association.
Kenneth Vincent
Director of the Office of Asian Affairs U.S., Department of Energy (DOE)Dr. Kenneth R. Vincent is the Director of the Office of Asian Affairs at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). In this role, he manages the Department’s bilateral and multilateral relations with the Indo-Pacific region. This includes advising the Secretary and other senior officials on energy issues in Asia, supporting the U.S. government’s foreign policy-making process, and representing the United States in international fora.
Previously, Dr. Vincent served the Chief of Staff in DOE’s Office of Fossil Energy, which is responsible for fossil energy research and development, export authorizations for liquefied natural gas, and management of the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. As an Economist for the Office of Petroleum Reserves, he oversaw major planning and economic studies on American energy security and conducted oil market and policy analysis. Dr. Vincent began his career at DOE as oil market analyst with the U.S. Energy Information Administration.
He holds a B.A. in Foreign Affairs from the University of Virginia, a Master of International Affairs from the Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University, and a Ph.D. in International Relations from George Washington University.