Aspen Strategy Group

Susan C. Schwab

Professor of Public Policy, University of Maryland
Strategic Advisor, Mayer Brown, LLP

Program:
Aspen Strategy Group

Biography

Susan C. Schwab is Professor of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, and a strategic advisor to the law firm of Mayer Brown, LLP.  Ambassador Schwab served as United States Trade Representative (2006-09), and as Deputy USTR from 2005-06.  As USTR, she concluded free trade agreements with Peru, Colombia, Panama and South Korea and helped achieve Congressional approval of FTAs with Peru, Bahrain and Oman.  Ambassador Schwab endeavored to close the WTO Doha Round and launched the initial Trans Pacific Partnership trade negotiations.  She was able to settle a two-decade long dispute with Canada over softwood lumber; initiated and resolved multiple trade disputes with China and others; and concluded the United States’ bilateral WTO accession agreement with Russia, as well as seeing the admission to the WTO of Vietnam and Ukraine.  Ambassador Schwab previously served as dean of the School of Public Policy at the University of Maryland, president of the University System of Maryland Foundation, director of corporate business development for Motorola, Inc., assistant secretary of commerce and director-general of the US & Foreign Commercial Service, chief economist and legislative director for Senator John C. Danforth (R-MO), trade policy officer at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, and agricultural trade negotiator at the Office of the USTR.  Ambassador Schwab serves on the boards of FedEx, Caterpillar, Boeing, the U.S. Air Force Academy and the Signature Theatre, as well as on the board of advisors of Miller Buckfire.  She holds a B.A. from Williams College, a master’s from Stanford University, and a Ph.D. from The George Washington University.  She is a member of the Aspen Strategy Group.