USTR Names Chief Textiles and Apparel Negotiator

The Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR) today announced that Katherine White will serve as USTR’s Chief Textiles and Apparel Negotiator. Ms. White previously served as International Trade Policy Advisor on the House Committee on Ways and Means.

Dr. Laurie-Ann Agama had been serving as the Acting Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Textiles,  The USTR did not designate Dr. Agama's new role.

“Strengthening America’s textile industry is a key priority for USTR,” said United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai. Ms. White is a skilled and strategic trade negotiator, and I look forward to continuing this work with her as we fight for a better deal for America’s textile manufacturers.”

USTR's Office of Textiles is responsible for international trade negotiations affecting textile and apparel products, at the multilateral, regional and bilateral levels, with a particular emphasis on opening foreign markets to U.S. domestic producers.

Katherine White, Chief Textiles and Apparel Negotiator
Katherine White is the Chief Textiles and Apparel Negotiator. Ms. White joins USTR from the House Ways and Means Committee in the United States Congress where she served as International Trade Policy Advisor. In this capacity, she advised Ranking Member Richard Neal (D-MA) and Democratic Members of the Committee on trade policy matters, shaped U.S. trade laws, and participated in the negotiation, implementation, and enforcement of U.S. trade agreements, including the United States-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA). She has worked closely with the textile and apparel industry during the development of trade legislation.

Ms. White joined the Committee in January 2018 from the International Trade Administration at the U.S. Department of Commerce where she began her career in public service as a Presidential Management Fellow. She has worked on international economic and foreign policy issues at the National Economic Council at the White House and think tanks in Washington, DC.

Ms. White earned a Master of Public Policy from Duke University and Bachelor of Arts degrees in Political Science and International Studies from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.