Start Date: 11/30/2022 6:00 PM EST
End Date: 11/30/2022 8:00 PM EST
Venue Name: Quebec Government Office in Washington
Organization Name:
WIIT
Contact:
All politics is local, and so is trade! While federal governments lead many aspects of trade policy, state and local governments play an important role in developing global trading relationships, attracting foreign direct investment, and creating favorable business environments.
To spotlight subnational governments’ important contribution to economic development, GATT DC and WIIT are hosting an in-person networking opportunity and discussion with representatives from US state-level governments and the Canadian province of Québec.
Panelists:
- Stephanie Agee, Vice President, International Trade, Export Virginia
- Jean-François Hould, Director, Québec Government Office in Washington
Moderated by Andy Karellas, Executive Director at the State International Development Organizations (SIDO) and Director of International Affairs at the Council of State Governments (CSG)
Bios:
Stephanie Agee serves as Senior Vice President of International Trade and Chief Administrative Officer at the Virginia Economic Development Partnership.
In these roles she provides leadership and oversight of programs designed to support Virginia companies in growing their international sales and oversees the agency’s human resource, information technology, and fiscal and support services. Before starting this role in July 2022, Agee served as Vice President of International Trade since January 2020. Prior to this, she led marketing and development activities at the Virginia Department of Agriculture, developing and implementing innovative domestic and international marketing programs and economic development strategies designed to enhance the profitability of Virginia agribusinesses.
Previously Agee served in multiple positions in VEDP’s International Trade Division, where she worked with Virginia companies to develop and implement international sales strategies, identify and access target export markets, and provide counsel on specific international business issues. Agee also worked for the U.S. Government Accountability Office where she analyzed international trade and security assistance programs.
Jean-François Hould began his mandate as director of the Québec Office in Washington, D.C., his third assignment in the United States, in July 2020. Mr. Hould is responsible for bilateral relations between Québec and the United States federal government.
This strategic role in the American capital adds to his many successes in advocating for Québec’s economic and political interests in the United States. He recently served as Québec’s delegate in Chicago, where he was responsible for strengthening political and economic relations between Québec and the American Midwest. He was notably involved in the Great Lakes and bilateral trade matters from 2017 to 2019. He also served as cultural attaché in New York City from 2011 to 2014, where he promoted Québec’s artistic industries in the Mid Atlantic.
Mr. Hould has many years of experience working for the Québec government since 2001. He has held several political positions in ministerial offices, including deputy chief of staff and political advisor to Québec’s ministre de la Culture and chief of staff to the
ministre des Relations internationales et de la Francophonie.
Jean-François Hould graduated from the Université de Montréal in 2003 and went on to study at Université Laval and HEC Montréal.
Andy Karellas serves as the Executive Director of the State International Development Organizations (SIDO) and the Director of International Affairs at The Council of State Governments (CSG).
Prior to joining SIDO, Andy served as a senior staffer with the House Small Business Committee, where he focused on international trade issues. He was instrumental in the passing of the State Trade Expansion Program (STEP) and Federal-State Trade Coordination Act.Prior to joining SIDO, Andy held positions in the private sector, U.S. Congress and U.S. Department of Commerce.
A native of Missouri, Andy received his bachelor’s degree in international business from Webster University and his master’s degree in international commerce and policy from George Mason University.
