News

WASHINGTON – The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) today announced the membership of its 2023-2024 Advisory and Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committees. Former U.S. Senator Heidi Heitkamp will serve as Chair of EXIM’s Advisory Committee and Jude Kearney, Managing Partner at ASAFO & Co. law firm, will serve as Chair of the Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee.

“I am so pleased to welcome the new Advisory Committee members as they begin their terms with the Bank,” said EXIM President and Chair Reta Jo Lewis. “I am particularly pleased to have the continued support of Senator Heitkamp as Chair of the committee. As EXIM continues to advance its mission, we rely on the expertise of the Advisory Committee and look forward to the committee’s continued support.”

The Advisory Committee provides guidance to EXIM on its policies and programs as it fulfills its mission to provide competitive financing to support American jobs through exports. The committee includes 17 representatives from a variety of backgrounds ranging from agriculture, environment, production, and commerce to finance, labor, services and the textile industry. The committee meets quarterly and is mandated by Congress under EXIM’s charter. The chair and members of the committee are appointed to one-year terms.

“I am pleased that EXIM has made great strides in advancing our mandate to increase our presence in sub-Saharan Africa,” said Chair Lewis. “It is due in no small part to the work of the members of our Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee. I am happy to welcome Jude Kearney as Chair of the committee and look forward to working with all of our new members during the coming year.”

Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee members advise EXIM on the development and implementation of policies and programs designed to support EXIM’s engagement in sub-Saharan Africa and boost U.S. exports and American jobs. The committee is comprised of 11 members with representation from a variety of fields including trade, commerce, banking, finance and small business. The committee meets semi-annually and is mandated by Congress under EXIM’s charter. The chair and members are appointed to one-year terms.

Members of the EXIM 2023-2024 Advisory Committee:

Chair:

Heidi Heitkamp
Founder, One Country Project
Former United States Senator
Representing: Agriculture and State Government

Members:

Kevin Anderson
Secretary
Maryland Department of Commerce
Representing: State Government

Sara Boettiger
Independent Advisor
Representing: Agriculture and Commerce

Mike Espy
President
Mike Espy PLLC
U.S. Department of Agriculture
Representing: Agriculture

Alonzo Fulgham
Executive Vice President
VIATEQ
Representing: Commerce and Small Business

Bridget Gainer
Global Head of Public Affairs and Co-Lead of Climate Strategy
Aon
Representing: Finance

Mauricio Gonzalez
Head of Export Finance, North America
BNP Paribas
Representing: Finance

Hon. Denny Heck
Lieutenant Governor
State of Washington
Representing: State Government

Roy Houseman
Legislative Director
United Steelworkers
Representing: Labor

Christine Kamil
Managing Director
JPMorgan Chase
Representing: Finance

Maria Korsnick
President and CEO
Nuclear Energy Institute
Representing: Environment

Mindy Lubber
CEO and President
Ceres
Representing: Environment

Lisa-Marie Monsanto
Partner
Rimon, P.C.
Representing: Services

Venkee Sharma
Executive Chairman
Aquatech
Representing: Production and Small Business

Dr. Joshua Walker
President and CEO
Japan Society
Representing: Commerce

David White
Director of Strategic Resources
International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers
Representing: Labor

Members of the 2023-2024 Sub-Saharan Africa Advisory Committee:

Chair
Jude Kearney
Managing Partner
ASAFO & Co.
Representing: Trade/Commerce

Members
Faheen Allibhoy
Managing Director and Head of J.P. Morgan Development Finance Institution
JPMorgan Chase
Representing: Banking/Finance

Isaac Kwaku Fokuo, Jr.
CEO
Botho Emerging Market
Representing: Banking/Finance

Kristin Hedger
Senior Vice President
Killdeer Mountain Manufacturing
Representing: Small Business

Uzodinma Iweala
CEO
The Africa Center
Representing: Trade/Commerce

Florie Liser
President & CEO
Corporate Council on Africa
Representing: Trade/Commerce

Ndidi Okonkwo Nwuneli
Co-Founder and Executive Chair
Sahel Consulting Agriculture & Nutrition
Founder, LEAP Africa
Representing: Trade/Commerce

Amb. Harry Thomas, Jr.
Senior Fellow
Yale University’s Jackson School of Global Affairs
Representing: Trade/Commerce

Rev. Matthew Watley
CEO
Black Idea Coalition
Chair
Kingdom Global Community Development Corporation
Representing: Small Business

Wellington Webb
President and Founder
Webb Group International
Former Mayor
Denver, CO
Representing: Trade/Commerce

Ezana Woldegeorgise
Principal Investment Officer
African Development Bank
Representing: Banking/Finance

ABOUT EXIM:

The Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) is the nation’s official export credit agency with the mission of supporting American jobs by facilitating U.S. exports. To advance American competitiveness and assist U.S. businesses as they compete for global sales, EXIM offers financing including export credit insurance, working capital guarantees, loan guarantees, and direct loans. As an independent federal agency, EXIM contributes to U.S. economic growth by supporting tens of thousands of jobs in exporting businesses and their supply chains across the United States. Since 1992, EXIM has generated more than $9 billion for the U.S. Treasury for repayment of U.S. debt. Learn more at www.exim.gov.