Ambassador Susan C. Schwab, Class of 1976

Susan Schwab was appointed in 2006 to the Cabinet-level position of U.S. trade representative, serving as the presidents’ principal trade advisor, negotiator, and spokesperson on trade issues.  She earlier served as deputy U.S. trade representative, overseeing trade relations with Europe, Eurasia, the Middle East, and the Americas.  Before that she served as president of the University System of Maryland Foundation and earlier as dean of the university’s School of Public Policy.  Her previous government service included work as assistant secretary of commerce and director general of the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service, as legislative director for Senator John Danforth, as trade policy officer in the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, and as an agricultural trade negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative.  After graduating from Williams in 1976, she earned a master’s in development policy from Stanford University and a Ph.D. in public administration and international business from The George Washington University.