CBP's Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) reappointed 14 members for the 17th term of the group, the agency said. Additional 17th term appointments will be made and announced at a later date, CBP said.

Chad Bown, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics who tracked the ways the U.S.-China phase one trade agreement fell short, has joined the State Department as chief economist.

As Josh Kagan leaves as assistant U.S. trade representative for labor, USTR Katherine Tai announced that Katy Mastman will replace him in an acting capacity. Tai said, "Josh’s leadership has been instrumental in our successful use of the USMCA Rapid Response Labor Mechanism and work to eradicate forced labor in supply chains."

Sarah Bianchi, deputy U.S. trade representative for Asia and Africa for more than two years, left the agency Jan. 29.

Rimon Law added two partners and one associate to its international trade practice, the firm said. The new partners are James Min, former global chair of international trade law for the DHL Group and Mi-Yong Kim, former partner at LimNexus. The firm also added Chelsea Ellis, former LimNexus associate, as an associate. Rimon also announced the launch of its export controls and economic sanctions practice. Ellis, Kim and Min join partner Daanish Hamid in that practice. Sandra Bell, former deputy assistant commissioner at CBP's Office of International Trade, also recently joined the firm (see 2401120064).

The Consumer Product Safety Commission on Jan. 22 announced the appointment of Austin Schlick as its executive director. Jessica Rich will take over as general counsel, Schlick’s former role, CPSC said.

Elizabeth Cannon, former global trade counsel with Microsoft, has joined the Bureau of Industry and Security as the executive director of the agency’s Office of Information and Communications Technology and Services, a BIS spokesperson said. That office is responsible for implementing certain prohibitions on information and communications technology and services transactions, restrictions on foreign access to certain U.S. sensitive data, and more. Cannon’s first day was Jan. 22.

Trade attorney Irwin Altschuler returned to Greenberg Traurig as a shareholder after working for three years at Mexican steel company Deacero, the firm announced. Altschuler is a member of the firm's international trade practice, based in Washington, D.C. He was with the firm for 16 years prior to joining Deacero and chaired the international trade practice.

International trade attorney Lindsay Meyer, co-chair of Venable's international trade group, has retired, according to a firm notice at the Court of International Trade. Meyer received her J.D. degree from the George Washington University Law School in 1987 and worked in international trade for over 30 years, covering trade remedies, the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act, and customs and homeland security matters. She also is a licensed customs broker.

Heather Hurlburt will step down as the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative's chief of staff, effective Jan. 26, and Jamila Thompson, a senior adviser to USTR Katherine Tai, becomes acting chief of staff. “I have worked with Jamila Thompson for ten years, dating back to our time as colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives. She has been a trusted [adviser] throughout my time as United States Trade Representative," Tai said in the announcement.