Dawn Shackleford, the assistant U.S. trade representative for the World Trade Organization and multilateral affairs, has been chosen to be assistant USTR for Southeast Asia and the Pacific, which covers Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific islands, in addition to Southeast Asia. "Dawn has demonstrated great skill and expertise across multiple positions at USTR,” USTR Katherine Tai said. “Her diplomatic experience and judgement will be invaluable as we engage our trading partners and resume our work to enhance U.S. economic cooperation in Southeast Asia and across the Pacific.” Shackleford was the lead negotiator on the WTO Trade Facilitation Agreement and the lead negotiator for customs and trade facilitation in European trade talks that faltered. She joined USTR in 2004, after working at the Pentagon. Kent Shigetomi will serve as acting assistant USTR for WTO and multilateral affairs.

A retired undersecretary of state, Nicholas Burns, has been named by the White House as its nominee for ambassador to China, and former Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who also was chief of staff in the Obama White House, has been chosen to be the ambassador to Japan. The announcement came Aug. 20.

After the sudden death of Richard Trumka, Liz Shuler was elected president of the AFL-CIO, the federation of unions announced Aug. 20. Shuler is the first woman to lead the AFL-CIO. Shuler started as an organizer at Electrical Workers (IBEW), and worked at that union's political/legislative affairs department in Washington, D.C., before becoming secretary-treasurer of the AFL-CIO.

A former assistant U.S. trade representative for services and investment is joining Rock Creek Global Advisors as a managing director. A founder of the firm noted that Daniel Bahar led in digital trade policy and negotiations and represented USTR on the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS). "His experience in negotiating investment rules with China, developing cutting-edge digital trade policy, and dealing with the intersection of national security and global commerce will be of great benefit to our clients," Daniel Price said.

Erik Autor, president of the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones, will leave the group as of Sept. 1, he said in an email. A replacement hasn't been named.

Michael Brown advanced to president and CEO of Avalon Risk Management, succeeding founding partner Lisa Gelsomino in that role, the surety said Aug. 9. Brown was most recently executive vice president at the company, overseeing sales and marketing. Gelsomino plans to spend more time with her family but “will continue to serve Avalon as a Senior Advisor focusing on her continued role in the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) through various working groups,” the company said.

Alex Amdur, previously director for antidumping/countervailing duty policy and programs at CBP, recently became a trade adviser in the Office of the Commissioner, an agency spokesperson said. Kristin Weaver is now in Amdur's role on AD/CVD policy in an acting capacity, the spokesperson said.

Brenda Barnes, co-chair of CBP’s 15th term Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee Export Modernization Work Group and export manager for Geo. S. Bush & Co., will retire July 29 after more than 30 years in the industry. Barnes served on several COACs and helped to produce the Export Modernization White Paper, a broad undertaking meant to serve as a road map for the export process (see 2106230056). “I have been devoted to exports for my entire career and I hope to have served its community well and for the betterment of our United States of America’s economic security,” Barnes said in a July 27 email.

The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative announced on July 22 the hiring of:

Lisa Wang has been chosen by the Biden administration for the role of assistant secretary for enforcement and compliance at the Commerce Department. Wang specializes in trade policy and antidumping and countervailing duty litigation at Picard, Kentz and Rowe, where she is a partner. She also was a senior attorney in the Office of the Chief Counsel for Trade Enforcement and Compliance at Commerce before going to the private sector, and worked as assistant general counsel in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. She also worked as senior import administration officer at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing. Wang graduated from Georgetown University Law Center and from Cornell University. Her nomination was announced July 13.