Pathways: Careers in International Affairs & Trade

The WITA Academy Pathways 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 will gain insight from trade professionals, pose questions to policymakers, and learn 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 free event was open to ALL students. It was hosted in partnership with the Josef Korbel School of Global and Public Affairs at the University of Denver and Tufts University, and we were excited to make this program available to all students attending schools that are part of the Association of Professional Schools of International Affairs (APSIA).

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

• Diego Añez, Executive Director, WITA Academy; Managing Director, WITA – The International Trade Association (B.A. The University of Georgia)
• Maya Ghazi, Associate Director, WITA – The International Trade Association (B.A. Damascus University)

2:05 PM – 3:00 PM ET: Careers in International Affairs & Trade

• Ryan Hill, Director, International Government Affairs and Policy, Amgen (B.A. University of California, Irvine; M.B.A Georgetown University)
• Hemal Shah, Senior Director, Intellectual Property & Trade Policy, Government Affairs, Gilead Sciences (B.A. Nottingham University Business School; M.Sc. The London School of Economics and Political Science)
• Cameron Thomas-Shah, Desk Officer for Central America and Migration, U.S. Department of State (B.A. Morehouse College; M.A. Johns Hopkins University; D.I.A. Johns Hopkins University) 
• Dan Wielechowski, Program Officer, Policy Planning and Coordination, U.S. Department of State (B.B.A University at Buffalo; M.B.A. Walsh College)
• Moderator: Yuri Unno, Principal, Penn Quarter Consulting LLC; Adjunct Fellow, Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS); former Director of Trade and Supply Chain, Toyota Motor North America Inc. (B.A. Penn State University; M.A. George Washington University)

Conclusion 

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

Speaker Biographies

Ryan Hill is the director of International Government Affairs at Amgen Inc., previously the senior manager (2016-2019). Prior to joining Amgen, he was the director of Government Relations for Northern Latin America at BlackBerry Mexico and the director of Global Policy at Information Technology Industry Council (ITI). He has also held board positions for CanCham Mexico and ITI. He is currently the board treasurer for the US-Algeria Business Council. Ryan earned his MBA in International Business from the Georgetown University McDonough School of Business.

Hemal Shah is a Senior Director in Gilead’s Government Affairs team, leading intellectual property and trade policy. Previously, she led policy advocacy programs focused on India and emerging markets at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. She also served as research associate for South Asia at the American Enterprise Institute and program coordinator at the Legatum Institute in London. 

Shah has served as a scholar with the GMF’s Young Strategists Forum in Tokyo, the Center for Strategic and International Studies’ Taiwan-U.S. Policy Program in Taipei, and the American Jewish Committee’s Project Interchange in Tel Aviv, with research focus on U.S. foreign and trade policy. Shah is the author of 40+ op-eds and research reports on economic and trade policy featured in publications including the Financial Times, the Economist, the Diplomat, and Foreign Policy. 

Shah holds an MSc in Development Studies from the London School of Economics & Political Science and a BA in Business Management from the University of Nottingham.

Cameron Thomas-Shah is a Foreign Service Officer at the U.S. Department of State. He currently serves as a desk officer for public diplomacy and public affairs focused on migration messaging and Central America. He previously served as the spokesperson at the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi, Vietnam. His previous assignments also include Ho Chi Minh City, Karachi, and Tegucigalpa. Cameron holds a bachelor’s degree from Morehouse College and a master’s degree from Johns Hopkins SAIS, where he is currently a doctoral candidate. Cameron speaks Spanish and Vietnamese, and is the recipient of a Superior Honor Award.

Dan Wielechowski joined the State Department’s Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs (WHA) in 2016 as a contractor before becoming a civil servant in 2022. He now leads foreign assistance planning, budget formulation and execution, performance management, and congressional engagement for WHA’s Assistance Coordination office. Previously, he advised WHA on budget planning and congressional appropriations. Before joining WHA, Dan managed the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement budget formulation process for programs in the Western Hemisphere; and held finance leadership roles in the private sector at CSIG Holding Company.

Dan holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the State University of New York at Buffalo and an MBA from Walsh College of Accountancy in Michigan. Originally from the Detroit area, Dan, his wife Carrie, and their two daughters moved to Arlington, Virginia, in 2015.

Yuri Unno is an accomplished international government relations expert with over 25 years of experience in global trade advocacy and policy strategy. She currently serves as principal at Penn Quarter Consulting LLC. As director of trade and supply chain policy at Toyota Motor North America, she played a pivotal role in leading Toyota’s engagement in the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement negotiations and resolving trade challenges under the U.S.-Korea Free Trade Agreement. Her expertise spans global trade policies, sanctions, and supply chain resilience, where she provided strategic counsel to executives and maintains robust relationships with U.S. and international policymakers. Yuri holds a master of arts in international affairs from George Washington University and dual bachelor’s degrees in political science (with honors) and economics from Penn State University. At the Center for Strategic and International Studies, Yuri contributes her deep expertise in global trade and international relations to advance actionable policy solutions.

Diego Añez is the Managing Director of WITA – The International Trade Membership Association and the Executive Director of the WITA Academy. He is responsible for management of operations, policy programs, strategic engagements and member services for the organization’s 5000+ members and corporate sponsors across all 50 states and over 100 countries worldwide. He provides direction, with the WITA CEO and Board of Directors, to WITA’s portfolio of programming and capstone events, such as the Washington International Trade Conference and Annual Dinner.

Diego also spearheads the organization’s WITA Academy – a program of the Washington International Trade Foundation which strives to make trade education and career opportunities in international trade accessible to communities in the United States and around the world. The mission of the WITA Academy is to make the trade community itself more diverse and inclusive.

Diego is originally from Santa Cruz de la Sierra, Bolivia and was raised in Mobile, Alabama. Diego graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and a Bachelor of Arts in International Affairs with concentrations in International Political Economy and Comparative Politics.

Maya Ghazi is the Associate Director at the WITA – The International Trade Association. She joined WITA in October 2022 as the WITA Academy Fellow. Her enthusiasm and positive outlook will continue to foster a collaborative and supportive environment reflective of WITA’s mission.

She has experience in the field of Arabic-English translation. She has also taught in the fields of English, Math and Science at Al-Wataniah Syrian National School in Damascus, Syria.

Maya is fluent in both Arabic and English; and has professional working proficiency in French. She received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Damascus University. She grew up spending time between both Damascus, Syria and Dassel, Minnesota.

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