President Joe Biden has appointed a Nigerian-born lawyer, Enoh Titilayo Ebong, as the Acting Director of the United States Trade and Development Agency (USTDA).
Ebong is now the fourth Nigerian- Americans to be appointed by the Biden administration, following the appointments of Adewale Adeyemo as the Deputy Secretary of the Treasury Department; Funmi Olorunnipa Badejo as White House Counsel; and Osaremen Okolo as a member of the President’s COVID-19 Response Team.
As the USTDA Acting Director, Ebong is expected to lead the agency to partner with the US private sector to develop sustainable infrastructure and foster economic growth in emerging economies, while supporting US jobs through the export of US goods and services.
From 2004 to 2019, Ebong had served in various capacities, such as the USTDA General Counsel; Deputy Director; and Chief Operating Officer.
“It is an honor to return to USTDA. The opportunity to lead the agency comes at a critical moment when the world is turning to the United States for leadership on clean energy and climate-smart infrastructure, as well as safe and secure ICT solutions.
“The agency is one of the most effective, targeted and proven tools within the US government. I’ve long believed in USTDA’s mission and program, which are fully aligned with the President’s vision of strengthening our economy and addressing climate as an essential component of American foreign policy and national security,” said Ebong during her swearing-in ceremony.
Prior to her return to the USTDA, Ebong served as the Head of Strategic Partnerships at the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream, where she drove the development of strategic partnerships to expand access to education, health, financial empowerment and entrepreneurship.
Before joining USTDA in 2004, Ebong practiced law at Boston office of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris and Popeo, P.C., representing public and private companies in public offerings, financing transactions, mergers and acquisitions, and corporate governance issues.
Ebong earned a Juris Doctor from University of Michigan Law School, a Master of Arts in Communication from Annenberg School for Communication at University of Pennsylvania, and a Master of Arts in History, with Honors, from University of Edinburgh, Scotland. She is a member of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Bar.
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