Laura Gimenez, Acting Senior Commercial Officer, U.S. Commercial Service Romania at U.S. Embassy Bucharest & EMPOWER HER Chair for Global Markets/Europe/Eurasia When women succeed, economies succeed. In the United States, there are over 12 million women-owned businesses, employing over 10 million workers and generating $2.1 trillion in total sales! However, women-owned businesses do not engage ..read more

David De Falco is the ITA Deputy Assistant Secretary for Europe and Eurasia. Natig Bakhishov is the U.S.-Azerbaijan Chamber of Commerce Executive Director. In November, nearly 200 nations will convene in Baku, Azerbaijan, for the 29th United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP29). Global leaders in government and business are coming together to forge agreements and ..read more

Jose Burgos is the Statewide Director of the U.S. Commercial Service Export Assistance Center in San Juan, Puerto Rico.  June is Caribbean American Heritage Month! This annual observance honors Americans with Caribbean roots who have made an incredible impact on our nation’s history, culture, and traditions. As Statewide Director of the U.S. Commercial Service Export Assistance Center in San Juan, Puerto Rico, as well as a resident with heritage ties to the Caribbean, I am fortunate to share perspectives with you about the vibrancy and diversity of this region that I call home. During thi ..read more

Herrick Ross is the ITA Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility & Employee Engagement Officer  On June 19th, communities across the United States will come together in celebration of Juneteenth National Independence Day. Juneteenth marks the historic day in 1865 when Union Army troops marched into Galveston, Texas, to free the final enslaved Black Americans. As we celebrate the anniversary of the end of slavery and those who fought for liberty in the United States, Juneteenth also affords us all the opportunity to recommit ourselves to continue the fight for freedom, opportunit ..read more

Tyrik McKeiver is ITA’s Director of Public Affairs June is Pride Month in the United States! This annual occasion celebrates the vibrancy and progress that lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, and intersex (LGBTQI+) persons have made throughout our history. It is also an important opportunity to honor their sacrifices and reaffirm our support for the LGBTQI+ community and allies on our shared quest to create a more equal, accepting, and inclusive world. The month of June is significant in LGBTQI+ history in the United States for many reasons. On June 28, 1969, the roots of America’s modern LG ..read more

Kendee Yamaguchi is the Deputy Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Field.  May is Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage (AANHPI) Heritage Month. This is a time to celebrate and recognize the diversity and vibrancy of a community that has made remarkable achievements and invaluable contributions.     While there is so much to celebrate this month, it is just as important to take this time to recognize the various hardships that AANHPI communities have overcome. For me, it was my own family’s experience of being sent to an internment camp during Wor ..read more

Today marks 28 years since the plane carrying Secretary of Commerce Ronald H. Brown and 34 others crashed, and all aboard perished while on the way to Dubrovnik, Croatia for a trade mission. True to ITA’s goal of uplifting U.S. businesses and our international partners, they sought to promote commercial opportunities for both the United States and a newly independent Croatia. We vow not to forget the victims, 11 of whom were Commerce officials, including five of our own from ITA.  It is an important day for the international trade community to reflect and remember the colleagues who we l ..read more

Jennifer Knight is ITA’s Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles, Consumer Goods, Materials Industries, Critical Minerals and Metals  Women’s History Month is a time to honor the legacies of women who came before us and look forward to the possibilities for women and girls. At the International Trade Administration (ITA), we believe that investing in young women means investing in a future where women can lead without limitation. We also believe in committing ourselves to diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility not only through words, but also through actions. This starts with add ..read more

Don Townsend is ITA’s Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Consulate in Almaty, Kazakhstan In just a few months, the International Trade Administration (ITA) will lead the U.S. Government’s largest annual trade mission across Europe and Eurasia aimed to build partnerships and facilitate deals with international buyers and distributors. Trade Winds Europe/Eurasia will have mission stops in six countries and feature a diverse range of U.S. businesses representing a variety of different industries—from clean technologies to defense to retail—for tailored matchmaking meetings, networking opportun ..read more

Christopher Wilken is ITA’s Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Copenhagen This is the fifth post in a blog series about the different markets that will be featured during Trade Winds Europe/Eurasia. In less than 100 days, the International Trade Administration will lead the U.S. Government’s largest annual trade mission, Trade Winds, to six markets across Europe and Eurasia. Numerous innovative U.S. businesses representing a variety of industries participating in Trade Winds Europe/Eurasia will engage in tailored meetings and networking opportunities with foreign buyers, distribu ..read more