October 2023 NextGen Leaders Trade and Economics Delegation
October 23–27, 2023
The October 2023 Trade and Economics Delegation of the U.S.-ROK Next Generation Leaders Program (NextGen) included nine rising Asia policy professionals from diverse backgrounds comprising trade, energy, technology, and economic security. The delegation was led by Tami Overby (Albright Stonebridge Group), a member of the National Bureau of Asian Research’s Board of Advisors and former senior vice president at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and former president and CEO of the American Chamber of Commerce in Korea. Participants met with a variety of stakeholders in South Korea to discuss the U.S.-ROK trade relationship and South Korea’s domestic economic environment.
The delegation engaged in meetings and briefings with representatives from the ROK government, trade and industry groups, the private sector, and academia to gain an in-depth understanding of the Yoon Suk-yeol administration’s trade policies and the economic realities on the Korean Peninsula.
The program began with a meeting with Ambassador Ahn Ho-young, former ROK ambassador to the United States and vice minister of foreign affairs and trade, who is currently a member of NBR’s Board of Directors. He provided an overview of the Yoon administration’s foreign policy objectives and shared his thoughts on recent U.S.-ROK-Japan trilateral developments following the Camp David summit.
At the Office of the President, the delegates met with Ryu Ho-kwon, the deputy secretary to the president for economic security, who provided insight into South Korea’s economic security policies and priorities. During a meeting with the Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy, the participants gained a deeper understanding of South Korea’s trade policies from Yoon Chang-hyun, the director-general of the Trade Policy Coordination Bureau. In a briefing with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kim Jin-dong, the deputy minister for bilateral economic affairs, covered topics on U.S.-ROK bilateral trade relations and how they fit into South Korea’s broader Indo-Pacific strategy.
The delegation also learned about U.S.-ROK technology cooperation in various fields, including AI, space, and cybersecurity, at the Ministry of Science and ICT. Kim Seong-gyu, the director-general of the International Cooperation Bureau, gave a presentation on South Korea’s roadmap for advancing science and technology capacity.
In addition to engagements with South Korean officials, the delegates visited the U.S. Embassy for a country briefing from the U.S. ambassador to the Republic of Korea, Philip Goldberg.
NextGen delegates also met with numerous experts from industry and academia. The group met with Director Sunny Park and Senior Researcher Chung Hae-young from Korea International Trade Association (KITA), as well as Vice Chairman and CEO Kim Chang-beom from the Federation of Korean Industries (FKI). They presented ROK industry perspectives on bilateral trade and economic relations. The delegation met with representatives from major companies in South Korea as well, including SK Hynix, LG Chem, and Samsung Electronics, to learn about their approaches toward economic resilience and supply chain security.
During a dinner with the Taejae Future Consensus Institute, the participants talked about South Korea’s role as an important economic player in the current geopolitical environment. They also discussed pressing issues in the Indo-Pacific region in relation to South Korea, from economic security to newly emerging threats, during a dinner with academic experts.
The NextGen delegates also visited Busan, a major port city on the southern coast of Korea. They learned about its role as a major hub for the global shipping industry through a tour and a briefing with Lee Eung-hyuk, the international logistics director at the Busan Port Authority. Through additional meetings with the Busan Economic Promotion Agency and Busan City Hall, the delegation gained further knowledge about South Korea’s second most populous city. Finally, delegates gained a deeper understanding of Korean culture by touring the city’s vibrant shijangs—or markets—such as Jagalchi and Gukje, as well as Yondusan Park Tower.
DELEGATION
Participants’ titles and institutional affiliations as of the time of the delegation.
Abigail Dahlman
Research Analyst, Peterson Institute for International Economics
Abigail Dahlman is a Research Analyst and 2022–23 Eranda Rothschild Foundation Junior Fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE), where she researches China’s changing role in both U.S. and global trade. She is currently working alongside Anthony M. Solomon Senior Fellow Mary Lovely on a new research series titled “Supply Chains on the Move,” which focuses on supply chain diversification, resilience, and the shifting roles of third-party nations as the U.S.-China relationship evolves. Before joining PIIE, Ms. Dahlman served as a research assistant for the University of Denver’s Corporations and Human Rights Database project, where she documented instances of human rights violations perpetrated by corporations. She has also served as a summer analyst within the Goldman Sachs Asset Management Fixed Income Division, where she conducted research for both the Emerging Markets and Insurance Teams. Ms. Dahlman graduated summa cum laude from the University of Denver with a BS in mathematics and economics with minors in Chinese and physics. She also studied abroad at Peking University in Beijing and East China Normal University in Shanghai and participated in a year-long immersion program in Tainan, Taiwan. She is proficient in Mandarin Chinese.
Catherine Eng
Public Policy Manager, Meta
Catherine is a Public Policy Manager at Meta (Facebook), where her team works with the U.S. executive branch to identify alignment between industry interests and U.S. foreign policy priorities. Her portfolio primarily focuses on the intersection of foreign policy and technology and the implications for the future of the internet. Prior to joining Meta, Ms. Eng served as a China policy analyst at Google Jigsaw, where she took the lead in guiding the East Asia research agenda, including assessing business insights and providing expertise on global policy and security within the context of U.S.-China relations. She also spent a few years as the chief of staff to former national security advisor Stephen J. Hadley at Rice, Hadley, Gates and Manuel LLC, an international strategic consulting firm. In this role, she supported Mr. Hadley on client initiatives as well as in his advocacy for improved multilateral relations. Previously, Ms. Eng served in a number of other public sector roles in Congress.
Marika Heller
Associate Director of International Policy & Government, Bristol Myers Squibb
Marika Heller is the Associate Director of International Policy and Government Affairs for China and the Asia Cluster at Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS). In her current role, she tracks international regulatory policy in her regions, and represents BMS in meetings with government officials, trade associations, and key opinion leaders and at multilateral events such as APEC. Ms. Heller works with local BMS teams to support policy research and engage key stakeholders in Korea, China, Southeast Asia, and other Asian markets. She additionally guides prioritization and provides thought leadership at trade associations, including PhRMA, USCBC, BIO, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Heller has been in the international policy space for approximately fifteen years. She joined BMS from the international consulting firm Albright Stonebridge Group, where she served as a director in the China practice. Through this position and other consulting roles at firms such as Crumpton Group and the Asia Group, she has been instrumental in the effective management and execution of government relations strategies for multinational companies.
Cole McFaul
Research Analyst, Center for Security and Emerging Technology
Cole McFaul is a Research Analyst at the Center for Security and Emerging Technology (CSET), where he focuses on emerging technology issues in the Asia-Pacific and China’s science and technology ecosystem. Prior to joining CSET, Mr. McFaul researched the political economy of China’s international engagement strategies at the Center for Strategic and International Studies and the Shorenstein Asia-Pacific Research Center at Stanford University. He holds a BA in political science and an MA in East Asian studies, both from Stanford University.
Japhet Quitzon
Research Associate, Center for Strategic and International Studies
Japhet Quitzon is a Research Associate with the Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). His research interests include disinformation as it affects democratic institutions, Philippine and Cambodian national politics, the intersection of trade and digital privacy, and the evolving role of the Philippines in Indo-Pacific security. Mr. Quitzon’s work has been featured by the Diplomat, Asia Global Online, and Cambridge University Press, and he is a young leader with the Pacific Forum. Before joining CSIS, he was a research assistant with Sophal Ear at Occidental College. He received his bachelor’s degree in international relations with a minor in East Asian studies from Connecticut College.
Daniel Rechtschaffen
Political and Regulatory Risk Analyst, Control Risks
Daniel Rechtschaffen is a Political and Regulatory Risk Analyst for North America for Control Risks, a global specialist risk consultancy. He recently joined the firm’s Washington, D.C., office after spending ten years in China, where he covered Greater China and Northeast for the company. His specialties include geopolitics, investment restrictions, sanctions, and export controls, as well as the evolving global economic, political, regulatory structures driving a shifting risk environment for companies. Before joining Control Risks, Mr. Rechtschaffen worked in government relations for the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, where he managed relations with the U.S. government, the chamber’s policy and advocacy papers, and its California initiative. He was one of the founding editors of Sixth Tone, a Shanghai-based news agency, and his articles have appeared in a range of publications, including Slate, Forbes, the Diplomat, and Quartz. Mr. Rechtschaffen has a master’s degree in China studies from the University of Washington and a bachelor’s degree in history from Concordia University. He is fluent in English and Chinese.
Taylore Roth
National Security Specialist, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)
Taylore Roth is a National Security Specialist at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory. Her research at the lab focuses on the nexus between critical technology supply chains, technology competitiveness, international trade, and nonproliferation. Ms. Roth is also involved in international capacity-building work concerning global innovation, research security, and export controls. Prior to joining PNNL, she was a policy analyst for economics and trade with the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, where her research focused on the national security implications of clean energy technology competition between the United States and China, as well as Chinese foreign economic diplomacy in developing countries. Ms. Roth also has experience in international development and capacity building through her work at the U.S. Trade and Development Agency, where she supported infrastructure projects and trainings for Indo-Pacific delegations in the energy, telecommunications, and agribusiness sectors. She holds a master’s degree in international economics and Asian studies from Johns Hopkins SAIS-Nanjing as well as a bachelor’s degree in political science with minors in economics and Chinese from Temple University.
Evan Vowell
Academic Programs Coordinator, University of Michigan Nam Center for Korean Studies
Evan Vowell is Academic Programs Coordinator at the University of Michigan Nam Center for Korean Studies. In this role, he serves as administrator of the Big Ten Academic Alliance Korean Studies e-School consortium, which shares Korean area studies courses across the fourteen member institutions of the Big Ten. Mr. Vowell also manages the U.S. Department of Education East Asia National Resource Center Title VI Grant, which supports public, K-12, and community college outreach along with foreign language support. In addition, he organizes a number of special events and programs, including the Perspectives on Contemporary Korea conference series, the annual NEKST graduate student conference, and “Summer in Michigan,” which brings 30 international students and young professionals from Gyeonggi Province to the University of Michigan for an intensive four-week language and cultural immersion program. Mr. Vowell received a BA in political science and international studies and a Master of Management from the Stephen M. Ross School of Business, both at the University of Michigan.
Dylan Welch
Analyst, German Marshall Fund
Dylan Welch is the China technology analyst at the Alliance for Securing Democracy (ASD) at the German Marshall Fund. As a member of the technology and geopolitics team, he works on exposing and contesting China’s global technology influence, including from AI and digital infrastructure competition. Mr. Welch was most recently at the Albright Stonebridge Group, where he interned with its China practice and focused on critical and emerging technology matters. He completed his master’s in public policy at the Harvard Kennedy School, with a thesis on U.S.-China technology competition in space that was prepared in consultation with the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy. Earlier in his career, Mr. Welch developed teaching curricula in Wuhan, China, and served as a budget analyst for the New York City Office of Management and Budget. He also holds a bachelor’s degree in international relations from New York University and received the State Department’s Critical Language Scholarship in advanced Chinese.
Tami Overby
Senior Advisor, Albright Stonebridge Group
Tami Overby is a Senior Advisor in the East Asia and Pacific practice of Dentons Global Advisors–Albright Stonebridge Group. She is also a member of the Board of Advisors at the National Bureau of Asian Research. Her background includes over twenty years living and working in Seoul. When she returned to the United States, she led the U.S. Chamber of Commerce’s Asia Practice. While there, she led the chamber’s advocacy on bilateral and multilateral agreements such as the Trans-Pacific Partnership FTA, APEC, and the KORUS FTA. Most recently, Ms. Overby spent four years with McLarty Associates. In April 2022, she became president of Asia Pathfinders, a boutique consulting firm specializing in U.S.-Asia economic affairs. A graduate of the University of Arkansas with a BS in business administration and management, Ms. Overby sits on the board of the Korea Society, is a member of the Korean Economic Institute’s Advisory Council, and serves as a trustee of the U.S.-Asia Institute. She was also president of the U.S.-Korea Business Council and president of AMCHAM Korea.
Doug Strub
Director, The National Bureau of Asian Research
Doug Strub is Director of the Center for Innovation, Trade, and Strategy at the National Bureau of Asian Research. He manages and supports research for projects focusing on Indo-Pacific trade, technology, and data governance issues. Prior to joining NBR, Mr. Strub spent five years in China working for the American Chamber of Commerce in Shanghai, writing reports for the World Bank in Beijing, and studying Mandarin in Guilin and Wuhan. He received his MA in international affairs from the George Washington University’s Elliott School of International Affairs.
Ruth Kim
Program Advisor, The National Bureau of Asian Research
Ruth Kim lends her expertise as a Seoul-based Program Advisor for National Bureau of Asian Research. She facilitates engagements for NBR’s U.S.-ROK Next Generation Leaders Program and serves as Seoul’s community leader for the Korean Diaspora Worldwide Network, an NGO that brings the Korean diaspora community together from all over the world. Ms. Kim also runs KoreanTourguide.com, a Seoul-based travel agency specializing in customized cultural excursions. Previously, she was selected as a fellow from the Asan Foundation to work at Pyxera Global in Washington, D.C. She also worked as a Vision Trip specialist for Compassion Korea. Ms. Kim obtained her BA in architecture and urban design from Handong Global University.
Yu Na Kim
Intern, The National Bureau of Asian Research
Yu Na Kim is an intern at the National Bureau of Asian Research, contributing to the U.S.-ROK Next Generation Leaders Program. Previously, she was involved with the 2023 Global Youth Summit hosted by the Korea Ministry of Gender Equality and Family. She also served as an intern at the 2023 Global Engagement and Empowerment Forum, organized by Yonsei University’s Institute of Global Engagement and Empowerment Ban-Ki Moon Centre. Having spent eighteen years in Qingdao, China, Ms. Kim is fluent in Chinese, English, and Korean. Currently, she is pursuing a degree in communications at Yonsei University.
