Successfully Navigating Southeast Asia
On behalf of the Organization of Women in International Trade and the U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration, we invite you to join us for an Evening Chat/Asia Coffee focused on “Successfully Navigating Southeast Asia” on Monday, April 26 at 7:00 pm EDT/4:00 PDT.
Please join a leading panel of experts from the U.S. Department of Commerce including:
- The Honorable Diane Farrell, Acting Under Secretary for International Trade & Deputy Under Secretary for International Trade
- John Breidenstine, Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs & ASEAN Regional Senior Commercial Officer
- Krista Barry, Vietnam Desk Officer
The event will be moderated by Alexian Wines, Co-VP, Chapter Development, OWIT International; Chief Operating Officer, BowerGroup Asia.
Diane Farrell is the Acting Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade and Deputy Under Secretary for International Trade. In these roles, she plans, determines, and coordinates policy; directs the International Trade Administration; and oversees the daily operations of the International Trade Administration (ITA), which has an annual budget of $483 million with approximately 2,100 trade and investment professionals—based in more than 100 U.S. cities and 70 markets around the world.
She most recently served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Asia, where she was the principal advisor to the Assistant Secretary for Global Markets on all matters concerning international economics, trade, investment, and commercial policy programs and agreements with respect to Asia. In this role, she also oversaw planning and execution of Commerce commercial diplomacy and export promotion strategies at United States Missions in Region Asia.
Previously, Ms. Farrell worked as Executive Vice President at the U.S. India Business Council (USIBC). Prior to joining USIBC, Ms. Farrell served on the Board of Directors at the Export Import Bank of the United States (U.S. Exim Bank). Before serving at U.S. Exim Bank, Ms. Farrell was elected as the First Selectwoman in Westport, Connecticut. Ms. Farrell also served as Chairwoman of the Southwestern Connecticut Regional Planning Agency Metropolitan Planning Organization.
John Breidenstine began his assignment as Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs and ASEAN Regional Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Bangkok in August 2019. A career Senior Foreign Service Officer, Mr. Breidenstine was previously the Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs and Senior Commercial Officer for Europe at the U.S. Mission to the European Union (2015- 2019). Before serving in Brussels, John served as Minister Counselor for Commercial Affairs in London (2011-15), U.S. Consul General in Hermosillo, Mexico (2008-11), Regional Director for Europe and Eurasia (2006-08), and Commercial Counselor at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City (2003-06). Prior to a 2002 reconstruction-related assignment at the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan, John’s postings included: Ankara, Turkey (1997-2002); Tashkent, Uzbekistan (1994-97); Kuwait City, Kuwait (1991-93) and Munich, Germany (1990-91).
Krista Barry is the Vietnam Desk Officer at the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA). In this role, she works to help U.S. companies with market access issues, export promotion, and enforcement of Vietnam’s trade obligations. Prior to joining ITA, Krista worked in the Office of Europe and the Middle East at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative on various trade policy initiatives, most notably the U.S.-UK Trade Agreement negotiations. She has also worked at Nathan Associates Inc. on trade capacity building projects in West Africa and in the U.S. House of Representatives on healthcare issues.
OWIT and the Department of Commerce are pleased to share a Memorandum of Agreement linking trade policy experts, women-owned businesses and entrepreneurs to support growth globally and enhance a vibrant network of women in trade.