SPEAKERS: AGOA Private Sector Forum

Amb.George Moose

Acting President

U.S. Institute of Peace

Ambassador Moose was a career member of the U.S. Foreign Service, where he attained the rank of career ambassador. His service with the U.S. State Department included assignments in Asia, Africa, the Caribbean and Europe. He held appointments as U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Benin and to the Republic of Senegal.

From 1991 to 1992, he served as the U.S. alternate representative to the U.N. Security Council. In 1993, he was appointed U.S. assistant secretary of state for African affairs, a position he occupied until August 1997. From 1998 to 2001, he was the U.S. permanent representative to the European Office of the U.N. in Geneva. In June 2007, he was appointed to USIP’s board by the White House, serving as a member and then chair until 2023.

He currently serves on the Board of Trustees at his alma mater Grinnell College, on the board of the American Academy of Diplomacy, and on the U.N. Foundation’s Global Leadership Council. Since 2003, he has been an adjunct professor of practice at The Elliott School of International Affairs at The George Washington University.

Florizelle Liser

President & CEO

Corporate Council on Africa

Florizelle (Florie) Liser is the third President and CEO of CCA. Ms. Liser brings expertise and an extensive network on trade and Africa to her new role, along with a strong track record of working with the private sector to translate policy into action. She is the first woman to lead the Council since its founding in 1993.Ms. Liser joined CCA from the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR), where she was the Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Africa since 2003. At USTR, she led trade and investment policy towards 49 sub-Saharan African nations and oversaw implementation of the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA).Previously, Ms. Liser served as Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Industry, Market Access, and Telecommunications from 2000-2003. She also served as Senior Trade Policy Advisor in the Office of International Transportation and Trade at the Department of Transportation from 1987-2000; worked as a Director in USTR’s Office of GATT Affairs, and served as an Associate Fellow at the Overseas Development Council (ODC) from 1975-1980.Currently, Ms. Liser serves as a re-appointed member of the 2023-2024 Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee for the Export-Import Bank (EXIM) where she previously served from 2019-2021. Ms. Liser also served as co-chair of the Advisory Council for the Millennium Challenge Corporation and has also served as a Board member for the Women in International Trade (WIIT).

Amb. Katherine Tai

United States Trade Representative (USTR)

Ambassador Katherine Tai was sworn in as the 19th United States Trade Representative on March 18, 2021. As a member of the President’s Cabinet, Ambassador Tai is the principal trade advisor, negotiator, and spokesperson on U.S. trade policy.

Prior to her unanimous Senate confirmation, Ambassador Tai spent most of her career in public service focusing on international economic diplomacy, monitoring, and enforcement. She previously served as Chief Trade Counsel and Trade Subcommittee Staff Director for the House Ways and Means Committee in the United States Congress. In this capacity, Ambassador Tai played a pivotal role in shaping U.S. trade law, negotiations strategies, and bilateral and multilateral agreements, including the recently re-negotiated United-States-Mexico-Canada Agreement.

Ambassador Tai is an experienced World Trade Organization (WTO) litigator. She previously developed and tried cases for the Office of the United States Trade Representative, eventually becoming the Chief Counsel for China Trade Enforcement. Before transitioning to federal service, she practiced law in the private sector, clerked for district judges, and taught English in Guangzhou, China.

Antony Blinken

U.S. Secretary of State

U.S. Department of State

Antony J. Blinken is the 71st U.S. Secretary of State.

He was nominated by President Biden on November 23, 2020; confirmed by the U.S. Senate on January 26, 2021; and sworn in by Vice President Kamala Harris the following day.

Over three decades and three presidential administrations, Mr. Blinken has helped shape U.S. foreign policy to ensure it protects U.S. interests and delivers results for the American people. He served as deputy secretary of state for President Barack Obama from 2015 to 2017, and before that, as President Obama’s principal deputy national security advisor. In that role, Mr. Blinken chaired the interagency deputies committee, the main forum for hammering out the administration’s foreign policy.

During the first term of the Obama Administration, Mr. Blinken was national security advisor to then-Vice President Joe Biden. This was the continuation of a long professional relationship that stretched back to 2002, when Mr. Blinken began his six-year stint as Democratic staff director for the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee. Then-Senator Biden was the chair of that committee from 2001 to 2003 and 2007 to 2009.

During the Clinton Administration, Mr. Blinken served as a member of the National Security Council staff, including two years as the senior director for European affairs, the president’s principal advisor on the countries of Europe, the European Union, and NATO. He also spent four years as President Clinton’s chief foreign policy speechwriter, and he led the NSC’s strategic planning team.

Mr. Blinken’s public service began at the State Department. From 1993 to 1994, he was a special assistant in what was then called the Bureau of European and Canadian Affairs. Now he is proud to lead the department where he got his start in government nearly 30 years ago.

Outside of government, Mr. Blinken has worked in the private sector, civil society, and journalism. He was a founder of WestExec Advisors, an international strategic consulting firm focused on geopolitics and national security. He was a senior fellow at the Center for Strategic and International Studies from 2001 and 2002. Before joining government, Mr. Blinken practiced law in New York and Paris. He was also a reporter for The New Republic magazine and is the author of Ally Versus Ally: America, Europe and the Siberian Pipeline Crisis (Praeger, 1987).

Mr. Blinken attended grade school and high school in Paris, where he received a French Baccalaureat degree with high honors. He is a graduate of Harvard College and Columbia Law School. He and his wife Evan Ryan have two children.

H.E. Commissioner Albert Muchanga

Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals

African Union

Ambassador Albert Mudenda Muchanga is African Union Commissioner for Economic Development, Trade, Tourism, Industry and Minerals. In addition to these broad areas, the portfolio also covers: investment, innovation, entrepreneurship, economic integration, economic policies and research, statistics and oil and gas. Following the admission of the African Union in the G20 in November 2023, He serves as the African Union Sherpa. In this capacity, Ambassador Muchanga coordinates the development, adoptions and advancement of African Union’s positions and contribution. He is formerly Commissioner for Trade and Industry. In this position, he provided strategic leadership in facilitating negotiation, conclusion and ratification of the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), which entered into force on 30th May 2019 and whose start of trading was launched on 1st January, 2021. In addition, Ambassador Muchanga provided similar leadership on matters of trade, industrialisation, mining and customs cooperation. He mobilized the African private sector to play a greater role in the AfCFTA, culminating in the establishment of the African Business Council, Pan-African Manufacturers Association and Association of Chambers of Mines and other Mining Associations in Africa. Ambassador Muchanga previously worked in the Zambian Civil Service at home and abroad, including as Permanent Secretary, Ambassador of Zambia to Brazil, Ambassador of Zambia to Ethiopia and Permanent Representative to the African Union and United Nations Economic Commission for Africa and as Deputy Executive Secretary of the Southern African Development Community (SADC). Ambassador Muchanga works with ease at technical, professional, management, leadership and political levels.

Everett Eissenstat

Partner, Public Policy Group

Squire Patton Boggs

Moderator

Everett Eissenstat is one of the nation’s foremost global trade experts having served in senior positions in Congress, Office of the United States Trade Representative, The White House, and a Fortune 50 company. He helps clients manage and mitigate geopolitical risk, influence international economic policy-making, and develop and execute successful international trade and investment strategies.

During a distinguished government career spanning over two decades, Everett served as Deputy Assistant to the President for International Economic Affairs and Deputy Director of the National Economic Council. Reporting to the President, the National Security Advisor, and the Director of the National Economic Council, he coordinated interagency policy development and implementation on international economic policy matters as Assistant US Trade Representative for the Americas (2006-2011). Everett led negotiations of multiple comprehensive bilateral free trade agreements. Previously, he also held key roles in the US House, Senate, and the Office of the US Trade Representative (USTR), including as the Chief International Trade Counsel to the Chairman of the US Senate Finance Committee (2011-2017), and

Everett also served as Legislative Director for Rep. Jim Kolbe, where he advised the Congressman on international trade matters, appropriations, and foreign affairs. He was also Senior Vice President at a multinational automotive manufacturer (2018-2021) reporting to the CEO and managing over 100 public policy professionals worldwide. He helped navigate a range of challenges including labor relations, supply chain disruptions and the regulatory and compliance implications of transitioning from internal combustible engines to electric vehicles.

Hon. Parks Tau

Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition

Republic of South Africa

Mr Parks Franklyn Mpho Tau is the former Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. He is also a former Member of the Executive Council (MEC) responsible for the Department of Economic Development, Environment, Agriculture & Rural Development in the Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG). He is also a former Provincial Treasurer of the ANC in Gauteng and former Chairperson of the Gauteng legislature portfolio committee on Finance.

Minister Tau has completed studies in Public Management from Regenesys Business School, and holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy & Management from the University of London.

Historical Reflection:

Minister Parks Tau is a seasoned local government practitioner and is a former Councillor in the Johannesburg Metro. In the year 2000, Minister Tau was appointed as Member of the Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Development Planning, Transportation, and Environment. From 2003 to 2011 Tau served as MMC of the Finance & Economic Development portfolio in the City of Johannesburg. Minister Tau was elected as theExecutive Mayor of the City of Johannesburg where he served from 2011 until 2016. He was the second democratically elected Mayor after Mr Amos Masondo.

Minister Tau has served in many organisations during his years as a public representative:

• He is a former President of the South African Local Government Association (SALGA).

• He is also former President of United Cities & Local Governments (UCLG).

• He was appointed Co-Chairperson of the UN High-Level Independent Panel, established to oversee the effectiveness of the UN-Habitat programme.

• He is a member of the World Resource Institutes & Coalition for Urban Transition.

• He is a former Chairperson of SA Cities Network.

• He is a former Deputy Chairperson of the UN Special Advisory Committee on Safer Cities.

• He is a member of the C40 Climate Change Network Steering Committee.

• He is a former co-President of Metropolis – a network of metropolitans established to build resilient and sustainable cities.

In 2019 Minister Tau was appointed to the position of Deputy Minister of Cooperative Governance & Traditional Affairs. He served in this position until he was appointed to the GPG in December 2020. Minister Tau has served as part of the ANC Greater Johannesburg Regional Executive Committee as Regional Secretary and Regional Chairperson. He is the former Provincial Treasurer in Gauteng and current member of the ANC NEC. He was appointed and currently serves as the Minister of Trade, Industry and Competition (the dtic) in the 7th Administration.

Anne Aliker

Group Head Client Coverage, Corporate and Investment Banking

Standard Bank

Anne has over 30 years experience in financial services in domestic and global banks, covering investment banking strategy and roles in transactions that leverage the full suite of investment banking solutions. A Ugandan now based in the UK, Anne currently leads specialised sector teams across the 20 markets in which Standard Bank operates. These are positioned to provide industry knowledge and insight across a range of sectors, working with the Investment Banking, Global Markets and Transactional Products and Services business units. Anne has substantial experience as a Non-Executive Director including membership of the Investment Committee at a Private Equity firm.

Farouk Gumel

Vice Chair, Africa

TGI Group

Farouk is a Group Executive Director and Vice Chairman (Africa) for Tropical General Investment (TGI) Group. TGI is a global conglomerate operating in 13 countries across Africa, the Middle East and Asia in various business verticals such as Food and Agribusiness, FMCG, Chemicals & Pharmaceuticals and Financial Services. Farouk is Chairman of some of the TGI Group companies including WACOT Rice among others. He is also the immediate past Chairman of the Nigeria Sovereign Investment Authority and sits on the boards of Corporate Council on Africa and Africa Business Coalition on Health.

Catherine Robinson

Senior Director, Global Trade Policy and International Government Affairs

Pfizer

Catherine (Cat) Robinson is Senior Director for Global Trade Policy and International Government Affairs. In this role, she develops, aligns, and executes comprehensive strategies to leverage governments, foreign embassies, trade associations, development agencies, and other stakeholders to strengthen healthcare systems and expand access to medicines. Before joining Pfizer, Cat worked for Amgen, the National Association of Manufacturers, the U.S. Congress Committee on Ways and Means Trade Subcommittee, and the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development in Geneva. She lives in Washington, DC, with her husband, daughter, dog and cat. She is an avid soccer player, a licensed real estate agent, and an amateur artist in her spare time.

Henok Teferra Shawl

Managing Director, Africa

Boeing

Henok Teferra Shawl is the Managing Director for Africa at The Boeing Company. Appointed to this position in December 2023, he leads and supports government and stakeholder relationships of Boeing in Africa and coordinates to expand the company’s market presence and strengthen its competitive position in the continent.

Previously, Henok Teferra was Ambassador of Ethiopia in France, also accredited to Spain, Portugal, The Holy See, Monaco and served as Ethiopia’s Permanent Delegate to UNESCO. In this role, he represented Ethiopia in these countries and at UNESCO, promoting the country’s political, economic and cultural interests.

Prior to serving as Ambassador, Henok Teferra was Vice-President at Ethiopian Airlines in charge of Strategic Planning, Alliances and Corporate Communications. In this capacity, he led Ethiopian Airlines’ successful growth strategy and oversaw its network and fleet expansion as well as its infrastructure development, its commercial cooperation and equity partnerships.

During his tenure at Ethiopian Airlines, he was seconded to serve as Chief Executive Officer of ASKY Airlines, a regional airline in West Africa, where he led the airline to its first year of profitability in 2015.

Bobby Thomson

SVP and Head of U.S. Government Engagement

Visa

Bobby Thomson is Senior Vice President, Head of US Government Relations at Visa Inc. His responsibilities include advancing Visa’s legislative and public policy priorities, engaging key stakeholder groups in government and the private sector, as well as providing leadership over all federal and state lobbying activities for Visa within the United States. He serves on Visa's North America Management Team.

Before joining Visa, Bobby was with American Express Company for twelve years where he served as Vice President, Federal Government Affairs. In that role, he was the Company’s lead financial services lobbyist responsible for financial services policy issues that came before the U.S. Congress and the Administration. He also had responsibility for the American Express political action committee as well as the company’s political affairs program.

Erica Joubert

Head, Export Promotion

Wesgro

Erica Joubert is the Head of Trade Promotion at Wesgro. Wesgro’s export and OFDI unit is responsible to promote and facilitate the exports of goods and services from qualified companies in the Western Cape, and to facilitate and support operations and expansion of qualified Western Cape companies into the rest of Africa through OFDI.

Prior to joining Wesgro in October 2019, Erica served as Director of Global Market and Intelligence at IHS Markit for 17 years. IHS Markit is a multinational corporation providing information, analytics and technology solutions to international clients. Erica and her team were responsible to consult with executive teams and investor relations departments of international corporations with respect to their company’s institutional shareholder base, equity trading activity, peer activity, their interaction with the global investment community and investor relations best practices.

Jim Krigbaum

CEO

20/20 DC

Jim Krigbaum is a seasoned international development and trade professional with a wealth of experience in the private sector. With an impressive 42-year global trade and development career, his ability to identify product opportunities and niches has led to success in various industries.

Mr. Krigbaum and his companies, Resident Entrepreneurs, offer export and entrepreneurship training courses around the world. Students from companies of all sizes have used these lessons and skills to achieve greater success in their businesses. The principles of CHARM DANCE, developed by Mr. Krigbaum, are applied by individuals and companies globally. The CHARM DANCE course was created in 1999 for a Chemonics project in Guyana and has now evolved into a book undergoing final editing before publishing.

Having worked with diverse products such as wine from Georgia, horsemeat in Mongolia, high‐end fashion in Peru, wood products in Paraguay, stainless steel equipment from Austria and Germany, and honey in Ethiopia and Zambia, Mr. Krigbaum applies his experience working with industry and individual firms to build capacity for international trade, product development, and market linkages.

Eckart Naumann

Senior Associate

Tralac

Eckart Naumann is an economist with an undergraduate degree in economics and financial accounting and an M. Com in economics from the University of Cape Town. His research and consulting work spans a range of sectors and subjects, with a particular focus on rules of origin and market access issues. He has assisted the SADC, EAC and ESA EPA groups in their preparations for negotiating revised RoO with the EU, and has been part of the all-ACP Expert Group on Rules of Origin. He has undertaken assignment work for a range of organisations, including the World Bank, USAID/Tradehub, the EC, ACP Sec, ITC, ICTSD, Comsec and others.

Rahul Mittal

Director of Intra Africa Sales

ARISE

Rahul comes with over 24 years of experience working with companies like The Coca-Cola Company, Olam International and Tropical General Investments (TGI) Group. Currently, he is Director-Intra Africa Sales with Arise IIP and is also responsible for Business development in East African countries. In his earlier roles, he was the Chief Operating officer at Vink Corporation DMCC, a group company of TGI and Country Head for Olam International in Cameroon. He is very well-versed with Africa having spent almost 10 years in Cote d’Ivoire and Cameroon. He has a wide exposure in the agri-commodity and FMCG sectors and his experience has been broad based from farming operations, farmgate procurement, sustainability, mid-stream processing, to distribution, trading and marketing of value added products.

Olawunmi Osholane

Deputy Managing Director

Global Shea Alliance

Wunmi Osholake is the Deputy Managing Director at the Global Shea Alliance (GSA), where she champions sustainable development and economic growth in the shea industry. With over a decade of experience, she specializes in designing sustainability strategies, building multi-stakeholder partnerships, overseeing donor-funded projects, and expanding market opportunities through policy engagement. Wunmi collaborates with global brands to optimize shea supply chains, promoting economic growth, environmental stewardship, and social responsibility. She is dedicated to developing innovative and replicable solutions that ensure sustainable trade practices.

Babajide Sodipo

Senior Manager, African Union/AfCFTA Relations and Trade Policy

African Export Import Bank (Afreximbank)

Babajide Sodipo is the Senior Manager, AU/AfCFTA Relations at Afreximbank, responsible for coordinating and managing key Bank initiatives and relationships centered around the AfCFTA and the African Union. He also served as Senior Manager, Export Development Advisory, leading the Bank’s interventions in providing advisory services and support to member states in the formulation, design, and implementation of policies, strategies and regulatory frameworks to develop and promote trade competitiveness in regional, continental and global markets.

Previously, he was a Senior Adviser to the AU Commissioner for Trade and Industry providing strategic technical assistance and advice on continental trade and industrial policy matters and the development of relevant African economic policies, including working on the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area among others. He has also provided advice on trade policy, investment and regional integration issues and policies in East and West Africa as well as provided support in the negotiation of key regional and international trade and investment agreements.

Laird Treiber

Senior Advisor

Corporate Council on Africa

Moderator

Laird Treiber is a recognized leader and active consultant on international trade and investment issues. He was previously a career member of the Senior Foreign Service in the State Department, where he worked as an Economic Officer for more than 30 years on the full range of international economic and commercial issues, with a specific focus on identifying and resolving trade and investment barriers. Laird has extensive experience in promoting trade and investment ties with Africa, including successfully resolving AGOA related trade disputes and engaging U.S. companies on the opportunities presented by the African Continental Free Trade Agreement. He worked most recently as the State Department’s Senior Liaison for Prosper Africa, the Administration’s program to promote trade and investment between the U.S. and Africa. Laird previously served as the Economic Minister Counselor at the U.S. Embassies in South Africa, Turkey and Saudi Arabia, as well as earlier tours in Poland, Mexico and Washington. From 2018-19, the State Department detailed Laird as the Senior Adviser to the President of the Corporate Council on Africa, where he helped hold two major international events bringing U.S. and African companies together with senior government leaders. Laird has worked extensively on issues related to energy, environment and climate change, finance, trade, Intellectual Property Rights and aviation. Laird is proficient in Turkish, Spanish and some Polish. Laird received a BS from Georgetown’s School of Foreign Service, an MIA from Columbia and a Masters of Security Studies from National Defense University. Laird is also a senior associate (non-resident) in the CSIS Africa Program.

Brionne Dawson

Head of Emerging Markets, International Government Affairs

Google

Brionne Dawson is a results-driven global public policy practitioner in Washington, DC with two decades of experience in program management, sustainable development, and government affairs. Brionne serves as Head of Emerging Markets, International Government Affairs at Google. She previously served as Senior Advisor in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs at the U.S. Department of State supporting U.S. economic growth priorities and private sector engagement around the globe. Prior to the State Department, Brionne worked at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce advising multinational companies operating in East and Southern Africa on navigating regulatory, political, and operational risks in emerging and frontier markets. Brionne also served as Congressional Liaison at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), and in leadership capacities at the National Democratic Institute (NDI) in Washington, DC, and South Africa. Brionne holds a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, M.A. in International Business from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Tufts University.

Victor Ogalo

Deputy CEO

KEPSA

Victor Ogalo is an Economist and Policy Entrepreneur with over 15 years of professional work experience, currently serving as the Deputy Chief Executive Officer, in charge of Competitiveness and Operations at KEPSA. Prior to that, Ogalo was Head of Policy Research Analysis & Public-Private Dialogues at the KEPSA from 2017 to 2021. In these roles, he has led thought leadership development on public policy, legislative and regulatory issues affecting businesses in Kenya and within East Africa. He was instrumental in the planning and organization of Presidential Roundtable, Speaker’s Roundtable, Ministerial Stakeholder Forums and the EAC Regional Forums targeting reforms to improve the local and regional business environment, competitiveness, and national development agenda. Ogalo began his career in the Ministry of Planning and National Development before joining CUTS International as Trade and Development Officer and Regional Coordinator for the EAC-EU Economic Partnership Agreements between 2006 and 2012. Ogalo has been privileged to serve and undertake assignments with institutions such as the African Union, COMESA, Commonwealth Secretariat (ComSec), DFID, EAC, European Commission, EU, DFID, DANIDA, FAO, GIZ, TMEA, UNDP, UNECA, World Bank, WTO. He has served in the National Investment Policy Taskforce that developed Kenya’s National Investment Policy between 2015 2017. Currently, he is a member of the e-Government Procurement Steering Committee, Inter-Agency Committee on Contribution of Research, Science, Technology and Innovation to National Development and the Kenya Industry and Entrepreneurship Project (KIEP) Steering Committee.

Lilowtee Rajmussen-Jooseery

Director

MEXA

Mrs. Lilowtee Rajmun-Jooseery is a well-known figure in corporate Mauritius. She is the director of the Mauritius Export Association (MEXA), the largest private sector associations regrouping exporting firms of the island. As the head of MEXA and over the past 2 decades, Mrs. Rajmun-Jooseery has had a rich contribution towards the industrial and export development of the country. She currently serves various Boards at both the public and private sector level. In 2021, she has been conferred the National Award of the Commander of the Star and Key of Indian Ocean in the field of the business development.

Paul Ryberg

President

African Coalition for Trade (on behalf of AREA)

Paul Ryberg is a founding partner in the Washington, D.C. law firm of Ryberg and Smith, L.L.C., where his practice focuses on international trade law, including in particular trade between Africa and the United States, especially under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA). Mr. Ryberg’s law practice also includes advising clients on agricultural trade, textile and apparel trade, Customs issues affecting a variety of products and import programs, and lobbying Congress on trade legislation. Prior to founding Ryberg and Smith, L.L.C. in 2000, Mr. Ryberg was a partner in Pierson, Semmes and Bemis, L.L.P.

Mr. Ryberg is President and a Director of the African Coalition for Trade (ACT), a non- profit trade association of African private sector entities dedicated to expanding U.S.-Africa trade ties. ACT has been one of the leading spokespersons for the African private sector in the development, enactment, implementation and amendment of AGOA. Mr. Ryberg has assisted a number of AGOA beneficiary countries in developing the AGOA apparel visa system that is required to export apparel under AGOA.

Mr. Ryberg has served as a member of the Steering Committee for many of the Private Sector Sessions of the U.S. – Africa Trade and Economic Cooperation Forum. He co-chaired the AGOA Forum Private Sector Session of the first AGOA Forum to be held in Africa, which was in Mauritius in 2003.

Dr. Kate Tulenko

CEO

Corvus Health

Dr. Kate Tulenko is a physician executive, health workforce expert, futurist, and founder and CEO of Corvus Health, a global health workforce firm with the goal of giving all people access to skilled health workers.

Dr. Tulenko is a sought after speaker who shares her keen insights and relatable stories about healthcare, innovation, and where we are all heading. Audiences leave her talks encouraged and with greater confidence in how to solve their greatest challenges. Not only does Dr. Tulenko offer her insight and analysis, but she provides the audience with tools for performing better in the future. Dr. Tulenko is a breast-cancer survivor, bird enthusiast, wife, and mother of two tween daughters.

Former head of the US Government's global health workforce program
Former coordinator of the World Bank's regional health workforce program
One "50 Women in Global Health Security" by Women in Global Health
One of “300 Women Leaders in Global Health” by the Geneva Graduate Institute
Leads the “100 Health Professional Schools” initiative to catalyze the founding or expansion of 100 schools for nurses, physicians, and other essential health workers

Rahama Wright

Chief Executive Officer

Yeleen Enterprises

Rahama Wright is a social entrepreneur working to innovate the shea butter supply chain in West Africa. In 2005, she launched Shea Yeleen International, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that supports women-owned cooperatives in West Africa, and provides training on quality assurance and micro-enterprise development. With a vision to develop an integrative and sustainable supply chain, Ms. Wright created Shea Yeleen Health and Beauty, LLC in  2012, a for-profit sister organization. Shea Yeleen markets and distributes high quality skincare products, while providing living wages to cooperative members. The line of high quality shea butter products is being distributed through Whole Foods Markets. A leading voice on African women’s economic and business development Ms. Wright has participated in the United Nations Thematic Debate on Entrepreneurship for Development, the Secretary of State Global Diaspora Forum, and the Congressional Black Caucus Conference. In 2014, she completed her first round of private equity investment with the Pan African Investment Company. She currently serves as an advisor to entrepreneurs in the Johns Hopkins University’s Social Innovation Lab. In 2014 she was appointed to President Obama's Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa. Ms. Wright received her BA in International Relations from the State University of New York at Geneseo, and served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mali. 

Dr. Joseph Sany

Vice President, Africa Center

U.S. Institute of Peace

Moderator

Dr. Joseph Sany joins USIP as the vice president of the newly established Africa Center. Dr. Sany has been working at the forefront of peacebuilding with civil society, governments, businesses, and international organizations in Africa for over 20 years.

In his most recent role at FHI 360, Dr. Sany provided technical leadership in the design and implementation of multi-year, multi-million-dollar peacebuilding and civil society development programs in several countries in Africa and Asia. He led the organizational and institutional capacity development strategy of many civil society organizations in Africa. He also advised the design, implementation, and dissemination of the annual USAID Civil Society Sustainability Index that assesses the civil society sector and operating environment in 75 countries, including 32 in Africa.

Prior to his work at FHI 360, Dr. Sany advised international organizations and development agencies including the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti, USAID missions, and the Economic Community of Central African States on peacebuilding and development strategies. He led several peacebuilding and civil society program assessment and evaluation missions in more than 20 countries in Africa. In addition, he has worked with USIP staff to expand and establish the U.S. State Department-funded USIP/ African Contingency Operations Training and Assistance program as a gold standard of civilian-led pre-deployment curriculum training on the continent. Sany has a rich experience moderating high-level, multi-stakeholder policy dialogues and collaborative actions at the national level in several countries in Africa, including Djibouti, Mali, and Senegal, among others.

Tony Carroll, Esq

Vice President

Manchester Trade

With over 35 years as a corporate lawyer & business advisor in the areas of international trade and investment, Tony is keenly focused on sub-Saharan Africa. Currently working to transfer new technology and methodology to the region, his passion for Africa, its business and overall development date back to his Peace Corps service in Botswana in the late 1970s. Also serving as an adjunct professor, at the School of Advanced International Studies, Johns Hopkins University, and Senior Associate at the Center for Strategic & International Studies, he has served on the Africa advisory boards at EXIM Bank, the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, and the U.S. Trade Representative; and was also a congressional nominee to the Board of the Millennium Challenge Corporation. With degrees in economics, public administration & law from the Universities of Denver + Wisconsin - Madison, he’s concurrently director to the Acorus Fund in Hong Kong, and on the Board of Visitors at the University of Wisconsin - Madison.

Tom Sheehy

Distinguished Fellow

U.S. Institute of Peace

Tom Sheehy is a distinguished fellow in USIP’s Africa Center. Sheehy examines the role of China in Africa and supports USIP’s work to strengthen the Sudd Institute, a research organization in South Sudan that promotes national reconciliation.

Previously, Sheehy served on the USIP senior study group that produced the report “China’s Impact on Conflict Dynamics in the Red Sea Arena.” He is a member of the International Advisory Council of Afrobarometer, the leading survey organization focused on gauging African attitudes toward democracy, governance, and society.

Prior to joining USIP, Sheehy held several positions on the Foreign Affairs Committee in the U.S. House of Representatives, including most recently as staff director, responsible for its overall operations, and as staff director of its Africa subcommittee, which focused on conflict resolution, economic development, and natural resource conservation, among other issues. The subcommittee actively pressed for the successful apprehension and trial of Liberian warlord Charles Taylor and promoted peace and stability in war-devastated Liberia and Sierra Leone.

With the committee, Sheehy worked on several pieces of legislation that have defined U.S. policy toward Africa, including the African Growth and Opportunity Act, the Electrify Africa Act, the BUILD Act, and the Global Fragility Act. He served as an international election observer for national elections in Kenya and Nigeria.

Sheehy served as an Africa policy analyst at the Heritage Foundation before working in Congress. At the think tank, he co-developed the Index of Economic Freedom, an annual survey of national economies worldwide now in its 25th edition. He frequently appeared in national media and testified before several congressional committees.

Dr. Zainab Usman

Director of the Africa Program

Carnegie Endowment for International Peace

Zainab Usman is a senior fellow and inaugural director of the Africa Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace in Washington, D.C. Her fields of expertise include institutions, economic policy, energy policy, and emerging economies in Africa.

Prior to Carnegie, Usman was at the World Bank initially as part of the prestigious Young Professionals Program and later as a public sector specialist. At the World Bank, she worked on social sustainability, policy reforms, natural resources management, and disruptive technologies. She has worked on these issues in Cote d’Ivoire, Morocco, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, the Republic of Congo, Serbia, Tanzania, and Uzbekistan. She has also worked at the Blavatnik School of Government at the University of Oxford and has consulted for the Department of International Development (DfID).

Usman’s research has been published on various academic, policy, and media platforms. She is author of the book Economic Diversification in Nigeria: the Politics of Building a Post-Oil Economy, which was selected as one of the Best Books of 2022 on economics by the Financial Times. She is also co-editor of the book, The Future of Work in Africa: Harnessing the Potential of Digital Technologies for All. Usman contributed to the World Bank’s flagship report on Rethinking Power Sector Reforms in Developing Countries. Usman’s other analytical pieces have been published with the journal of African Affairs, the World Bank’s Policy Research and Working Paper Series, and as book chapters in edited volumes with Oxford University Press and James Currey. Her written and broadcast commentary has appeared in Al-Jazeera English, BBC, the Financial Times, Foreign Affairs, Foreign Policy, Project Syndicate, and the Washington Post.

Dr. Witney Schneidman

President

Schneidman and Associates

Moderator

Dr. Witney Schneidman has over four decades of experience working on African economic and political issues.

He is CEO of Schneidman & Associates International and works with international and African companies to mitigate risk, resolve disputes, and help companies align their commercial objectives with the economic growth objectives of African countries. He also advises non-profit organizations on their work in Africa.

Prior to re-starting his consulting practice, Dr. Schneidman spent a decade at Covington & Burling LLP where he created and chaired the firm’s Africa Practice Group. Prior to joining Covington, for eleven years he was president of Schneidman & Associates International which did similar type of work.

During the Obama Administration, Dr. Schneidman served on the Africa advisory committees at the U.S. Export-Import Bank and the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative. On Obama’s presidential campaign, Dr. Schneidman was co-chair of the Africa Experts Group and a member of the Presidential Transition Team. In the Clinton Administration, Dr. Schneidman served as deputy assistant secretary of state for African Affairs, responsible for economic and commercial issues in sub-Saharan Africa. His responsibilities included the passage and implementation of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act, coordinating the U.S.-SADC Forum, the U.S.-Angola Bilateral Consultative Commission, and the U.S.-Nigeria Joint Economic Forum.

Dr. Schneidman is the author of Engaging Africa: Washington and the Fall of Portugal’s Colonial Empire in Africa, which Foreign Affairs described as “a must-read for anyone interested in decolonization or Cold War diplomacy.” He is the author of the report, A TenYear Strategy for Increasing Capital Flows to Africa, published by Peterson Institute for International Economics, and “Twelve Years of the African Growth and Opportunity Act,” published by the Brookings Institution, where he is a nonresident senior Fellow. He has written extensively on African economic, commercial, and political issues, and has served as a commentator for CNN, the BBC and NPR, among other media outlets.

David Olave

Associate and Trade Policy Advisor

Sandler Travis & Rosenberg

David Olave is an Associate and Trade Policy Advisor for Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., with more than 15 years of experience in U.S. trade matters. He employs a unique blend of expertise in customs law, trade negotiations, legislative procedures, lobbying, and civil society outreach to advise clients on trade-related legislation and legal requirements. Mr. Olave holds a J.D. from The Catholic University of America Columbus School of Law, a master's degree in international trade policy from George Mason University, and a B.A. in international politics and business from Brigham Young University. He is fluent in Spanish and conversant in Portuguese.

David Coffey

CEO

African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM)

Dave Coffey who has spent most of his working career in the automotive industry graduated from the University of Natal in South Africa with a degree in B.Sc. Mechanical Engineering in 1984 and subsequently obtained an MBA from the University of Cape Town in 1992.

He is currently the CEO of the African Association of Automotive Manufacturers (AAAM). He previously held senior positions within various automotive supplier companies including Dorbyl Automotive Technologies and Bel-Essex Engineering. Before taking up his position at AAAM he was the Managing Director of Shatterprufe, a manufacturer and distributer of automotive glass in South Africa.

Dave has also been active in various business organisations during his career, including being President of the National Association of Automotive Component and Allied Manufacturers (NAACAM) twice, as well as being President of the Nelson Mandela Bay Chamber of Commerce.

Chris LeGrand

CEO

Broadreach Group

Chris LeGrand has more than 30 years of experience across 40+ countries, spanning private sector healthcare and life sciences industries, public health, and international health, leading organizations at the convergence of positive social impact and sustainable business results. He currently serves as CEO of BroadReach Group, a South Africa-based social enterprise that helps healthcare organizations to deliver better outcomes, improved resource efficiency, cost savings, enhanced organizational performance, and sustainable health systems. Prior to BroadReach, he served as president of DAI Global Health and before that as CEO of Futures Group. He serves on multiple boards in global healthcare, is a frequent speaker and has been awarded multiple business leadership honors. LeGrand also recently authored a book entitled ‘The Complete Business Leader: A Framework for Impact in Work and Life'. He believes in the possibility of science and technology for good, democratization of knowledge as a great equalizer, and global human-to-human connection as the path to peace.

Drew Quinn

Executive, Head of International Trade, Policy and Advocacy

GE Health Care

Drew Quinn is Head of International Trade, Policy and Advocacy at GE HealthCare, working at the company’s Government Affairs and Policy office in Washington DC. Drew works closely with GE Healthcare business segments and teams around the world to help anticipate, shape and respond to government policies that affect the company’s ability to maximize its global trade, investment and supply chain activities to bring its healthcare products to patients around the world. Drew brings with him a wealth of experience and expertise in international trade, tariff, economic, market access and tax policies, and leads the business in identifying global risks and opportunities that can impact GE HealthCare.

Drew joined GE HealthCare in 2022 from GE (Corporate), where he served as Director of Global Trade Policy, focused largely on trade, tariff, export control, sanctions and geopolitical policy issues for all GE businesses. Drew joined GE in 2018 after a career in the U.S. government. He served at the White House as Special Assistant to the President for Trade and Investment Policy (2017); and as National Security Council Director for Asia-Pacific Economic Affairs (2010-12). He worked as a trade negotiator at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) in a variety of capacities, serving as the U.S. Deputy Chief Negotiator for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement (2012-2016), U.S. global steel negotiator (2017-18), and Counselor for Korean Trade Affairs (2004-05). Prior to joining USTR, he served as a State Department diplomat, including in leadership positions at the U.S. Embassies in Japan, Korea, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, and in Thailand. He also worked in Congress as a legislative assistant for trade and foreign policy for Senator Jay Rockefeller of West Virginia, supporting the Senator’s work on the Senate Foreign Relations, Finance and Intelligence Committees. Drew received his BA from Dartmouth, and did graduate study at the US Army War College in Carlisle, PA.

Melissa Nelson

General Counsel and Corporate Secretary

SanMar Corporation

Melissa Nelson serves as General Counsel and Corporate Secretary for SanMar Corporation, the nation’s premier supplier of wholesale imprintable apparel and accessories in the promotional products and advertising specialty industry.

Founded in 1971, SanMar is based in Issaquah, Washington, with nine distribution centers serving over 65,000 customers nationwide and apparel from more than 30 celebrated brands. SanMar designs, sources, imports, and markets private label brands including Port Authority, Port & Company, District, Sport-Tek, Mercer+Mettle, Volunteer Knitwear, Allmade, and CornerStone.

Under Melissa’s leadership, the Legal and Compliance team manages SanMar’s regulatory and legal needs, including brand protection, regulatory affairs, and compliance spanning sustainability, social responsibility, product safety, and customs for global sourcing. SanMar’s accreditations and advocacy work including top-level status with the Fair Labor Association (FLA), membership in the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC), Tier III status with the Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT), an emissions reduction target approved by the Science Based Targets initiative, and continued industry leadership by publicly publishing its Better Buying™ Purchasing Practices Company Report are overseen by her team to proactively measure and manage environmental stewardship, working conditions, and supplier relations.

Jas Bedi

Chair

KEPSA

Jas is a textile graduate (1984) and has attended numerous executive business courses in Harvard Business School, IMD and IIM. His business acumen has been recognized by Government of Kenya whereby HE President Mwai Kibaki decorated Jas with a medal, Moran of the Burning Spear (MBS) in 2012. Further in 2016 Jas was nominated a finalist in the Africa CEO forum awards and subsequently awarded Sikh CEO of the year. Thereafter in 2017, HE President Uhuru Kenyatta decorated Jas with a medal, Elder of the Burning Spear (EBS). Additionally in 2023, Jas was awarded a ‘Doctor of Philosophy Honoris Causa' by Desh Bhagat University, India in the field of expansion of export market. Jas is currently the - Chairman of Kenya Export Promotion and Branding Agency (KEPROBA). - Chairman of Kenya Private Sector Alliance (KEPSA). - Vice Chairman of East African Business Council (EABC). - Managing Director of Bedi Investments Limited (BIL). - Executive Director of Fine Spinners Uganda Limited (FSUL). - Member of Young Presidents Organization (YPO). - Member of the UNDP African Influencers for Development Super Group - Board Member of Industrial & Commercial Development Corporation (ICDC)

Florizelle Liser

President & CEO

Corporate Council on Africa

British Robinson

Coordinator

Prosper Africa

Ms. British A. Robinson serves as the Coordinator for Prosper Africa, a Presidential, national security initiative aimed at strengthening the strategic and economic partnership between the U.S. and countries throughout Africa by creating new jobs, diversifying global supply chains, and investing in the continent’s infrastructure and digital transformation.

By catalyzing two-way trade and investment flows, Robinson and her Prosper Africa team support deal-sourcing to vetting, bringing on new limited partners, and creating new tools to help de-risk transactions. She collaborates closely with the White House National Security Council and the 17 participating U.S. federal agencies, including USAID, the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Department of Commerce, to forge true partnerships with businesses, investors and government leaders to tackle challenges like climate change, energy transition, poverty and food insecurity.

Robinson is a visionary leader, with decades of experience in retail banking, private wealth management, corporate social responsibility, global public health, education, and government policy. She launched her career at Citibank, where Robinson spearheaded global, public-private alliances and facilitated corporate collaborations with the world’s leading organizations.