This event will take place on Tuesday, October 28, from 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM ET (12:00 PM – 1:00 PM MT).

Pathways to Opportunity: Careers in International Affairs, Business, and Trade

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

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

This online event was free and open to ALL students (undergraduate and graduate students). Hosted in partnership with the University of Denver, Tufts University and the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA) Member Schools.

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

Program Agenda

All times US/Eastern

2:00 PM – 2:05 PM ET: Welcome & Introduction

• Kenneth I. Levinson, Chief Executive Officer, WITA – the International Trade Membership Association (B.A. University of Massachusetts; M.A. New York University)
• Diego Añez, Executive Director, WITA Academy; Managing Director, WITA – the International Trade Membership Association (B.A. The University of Georgia)

2:05 PM – 2:30 PM ET: Careers in the U.S. Public Sector

• Carrie Esko, Director of Global Policy, Semiconductor Industry Association (B.A. Columbia University – M.A. George Washington University)
• Jaye Goodrich, International Trade Specialist, International Trade Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce (B.A. University of Colorado, Boulder)
• Moderator: Hua Wang, Executive Director, Global Innovation Forum, National Foreign Trade Council Foundation; former Pacific Islands Fellow, U.S. Department of State (B.A. Duke University – J.D. Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law)

2:30 PM – 3:00 PM ET: Careers in the Private Sector

• Anissa Brennan, Senior Vice President of Global Policy and Federal Affairs, Motion Picture Association; Motion Picture Association; former Foreign Affairs Officer, U.S. Department of State (B.A. James Madison University – M.A. University of Denver)
• Zoe Reid, Associate Director, Crowell Global Advisors (B.A. Tufts University)
• Moderator: Hua Wang,Executive Director, Global Innovation Forum, National Foreign Trade Council Foundation; former Pacific Islands Fellow, U.S. Department of State (B.A. Duke University – J.D. Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law)

Conclusion 

• Diego Añez, Executive Director, WITA Academy; Managing Director, WITA – the International Trade Membership Association (B.A. The University of Georgia)

Speaker Biographies

Anissa Brennan is Senior Vice President of Global Policy and Federal Affairs for the Motion Picture Association (MPA). Ms. Brennan works with federal government agencies and Congress to reduce foreign trade barriers and improve the protection of intellectual property in foreign markets for the U.S. motion picture, television programming and home entertainment industries. Ms. Brennan previously served on the International Trade Advisory Committee for Intellectual Property and is MPA’s representative to numerous industry associations including the U.S. Chamber’s Global IP Center, the International Intellectual Property Alliance and the Alliance for Trade Enforcement. She currently serves on the Industry Trade Advisory Committee for Services.

Prior to joining MPA, she worked in the State Department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs as the Department’s expert on trade in services, representing the State Department at World Trade Organization and various free trade agreement negotiations. Her other policy portfolios included government procurement, trade capacity building, cultural diversity, and temporary entry. Brennan entered the State Department as a Presidential Management Fellow from the US Department of Labor’s Bureau of International Labor Affairs (ILAB). While with ILAB, Brennan focused on the NAFTA’s labor side agreement. She earned her M.A. in International Development with a concentration in Human Rights from the University of Denver and her B.A. from James Madison University.

Carrie Esko is a director of global policy at SIA with a focus on trade and supply chain issues. Prior to joining SIA, she served various roles as a trade negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, with regional and sectoral expertise ranging from tariffs and industrial goods, APEC affairs, and ICT services and digital trade. She was previously an international trade analyst at the U.S. International Trade Commission, where she worked on trade remedy investigations, and at the law firm Crowell & Moring. She received a B.A. in economics from Columbia University and an M.A. in international trade and investment policy from the George Washington University.

Jaye Goodrich is an International Trade Specialist at the International Trade Administration while volunteering for Women in International Trade (WIIT) as the Co-VP of Professional Development. Before the ITA, Jaye worked for Trade Data Monitor as a International Trade Associate where she supported clients across government and private sectors in North America and Oceania to execute marketing campaigns and analyze trade data statistics. She received her bachelor’s degree, cum laude, in economics and international affairs, with minors in political science and leadership, with a working knowledge of Spanish, from the University of Colorado, Boulder.

Zoe Reid is an Associate Director at Crowell & Moring and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Tufts University. Her genuine passion for international affairs shows through into insightful reports that connect the dots for clients. She is known for explaining complex issues clearly and identifying trends that keep clients ahead of the policy curve.

Zoe’s tenure at the Wilson Center was marked by her specialization in U.S.-Canada relations, particularly focusing on the implementation of the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), as well as energy and border security. She co-authored several articles at the Center and worked closely with the U.S. Department of State Department, congressional offices, and embassies in Washington

During her career, Zoe has supported C-suite executives during high-profile engagements at the United Nations General Assembly and the World Economic Forum in Davos. She also led a Congressional staff delegation to the Arctic Circle Forum in Iceland. These experiences, combined with her skill moderating panels and podcasting, are an asset for clients seeking ways to gain a presence and voice in high-level, international forums.

As a member of Women in International Trade (WIIT), Zoe contributes to the Exports, Sanctions & National Security Committee, allowing her to remain deeply connected to the latest news and events in international affairs.

Hua C. Wang is Executive Director for Global Innovation Forum (GIF) at the National Foreign Trade Council Foundation. NFTC Foundation’s mission is to inspire, promote, encourage and facilitate international trade and investment in order to enhance economic growth and job creation throughout the world.

As GIF’s Executive Director, Hua engages an international network of small, minority and women-led businesses, nonprofit leaders and government officials to improve the trade and digital policy landscapes. She oversees the development and execution of GIF’s strategy to facilitate more inclusive access to the global marketplace. She amplifies the voice of innovators and entrepreneurs in public policy discussions domestically and with international organizations including the World Trade Organization and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum.

Hua previously led a top technology accelerator in Alabama with the 15 startups collectively raising $20 million in funding and generating $11 million in revenue. She also founded SmartBridge Health, a cancer telemedicine startup, during which time she served an entrepreneur in residence at Start-Up Chile, the Malaysian Global Innovation & Creativity Centre and the Washington, DC-based Halcyon Incubator.

Prior to entrepreneurship, Hua worked as a private equity attorney at Proskauer and K&L Gates, in-house counsel at Cisco Systems and a global scholar at the Kauffman Foundation.

Fall Session Hosted by:	In Partnership with:

Bringing Trade Education and Career Development Opportunities to Communities Across the United States and Around the World

The mission of the WITA Academy™ is to provide trade education and career development opportunities in international trade to individuals across the United States and around the world. By expanding the network, the WITA Academy™ builds a stronger and more dynamic trade community.

The WITA Academy™ is a program of the Washington International Trade Foundation. Through its programs, the WITA Academy is committed to strengthening the trade community by bringing together a broad range of perspectives and creating opportunities for engagement amongst the trade community. These educational and professional development programs ensure the continued growth and success of the trade community, shaping the future of trade policy.

Thank you to our WITA Academy Sponsors