Policy Briefing Series: US-China Trade War: Impact on WA State

Joining WSCRC for this session of the Policy Briefing Series is Lori Otto Punke, President of the Washington Council on International Trade. Lori leads advocacy efforts to increase Washington’s international competitiveness and oversees the management and growth of WCIT. She is also the founder and principal of LOP Strategies, where she helps clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to small businesses and associations on public affairs, policy and communication.

Lori previously held a variety of senior public affairs positions at Starbucks Coffee Company and Microsoft Corporation, and has served as a senior policy advisor to U.S. Senate leadership. She has a proven track record in advocacy and expertise in trade, technology, intellectual property rights protections, and transportation policy. Lori earned her her B.A. from George Washington University and studied international relations and political science in London and Madrid.

Moderator

Spencer Cohen brings five years of public sector experience as a research analyst and senior policy advisor, and an extensive academic background in economic geography. He has extensive experience in industry and market analysis, regional economic development policy, and issues related to international trade and foreign direct investment. As the senior policy advisor for the Washington Economic Development Commission, he was responsible for evaluating state economic development programs and investments and determining ways to both optimize the state’s economic development system and improve how programs measure their impact.

Spencer specializes in economic analysis, including the use of input-output models to assess industry economic impacts. He is fluent in Mandarin Chinese, has lived and studied in China, and brings a wealth of knowledge on China-related economic and political issues, both in China and as they relate to the Pacific Northwest.