Today, the 10 countries of ASEAN—Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam—are the 4th largest export market for the United States, and the number one destination for U.S. foreign direct investment in Asia. Trade with ASEAN supports almost 550,000 American jobs.

How can the United States and ASEAN strengthen their trade and investment relations? What challenges do these allies face in the Asia-Pacific region?

Join us for a special discussion with the U.S. Ambassadors to Indonesia, Laos, and Thailand, about America’s engagement in Southeast Asia.

This event will be hosted by Asia Society Southern California, US-ASEAN Business Council, Pacific Council on International Policy, USC Marshall School IBEAR MBA Program, and USC U.S.-China Institute.

Speakers

Rena Bitter has served as U.S. Ambassador to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic since November 2016. Previously, she served as Consul General at the U.S. Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, and was the Director of the State Department Operations Center and Special Assistant to former Secretary of State Colin Powell. @USEmbassyVTE

Glyn T. Davies has served as U.S. Ambassador to the Kingdom of Thailand since August 2015. Previously, he served as the Special Representative of the U.S. Secretary of State for North Korea Policy and several other senior-level diplomatic assignments. He holds a B.S. from Georgetown University and an M.S. with distinction from the National War College. @GlynTDavies @USEmbassyBKK 

Joseph R. Donovan has served as U.S. Ambassador to Indonesia since November 2016. Previously, he served as Foreign Policy Advisor to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs at the Department of State. He holds a B.S.F.S. from Georgetown University and an M.A. from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. @USEmbassyJKT

Alexander C. Feldman has been the President & CEO of the US-ASEAN Business Council since 2009. He served in the Bush 41 and 43 Administrations and held the rank of U.S. Assistant Secretary of State while leading the Bureau of International Information Programs. He also was the senior adviser to the Undersecretary of Commerce for International Trade. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania. @Feld33 

Saori N. Katada (moderator) is an Associate Professor at School of International Relations at USC, specializing in trade, financial and monetary cooperation in East Asia, as well as Japanese foreign aid. She has written and co-authored several books and is currently working on a book about Japan’s foreign economic policy and East Asian regionalism, for which she received grants from the East-West Center, Japan Foundation and National Endowment for the Humanities. 

Introductory Remarks

Nina Hachigian serves as the first Deputy Mayor of International Affairs to the City of Los Angeles. Her office seeks to use and expand Los Angeles’ global ties to help bring jobs, economic opportunity, culture, visitors and a great Olympics to the city. From 2014 to 2017, Ambassador Hachigian served as the second U.S. Ambassador to ASEAN. @NinaHachigian

This event is part of "The U.S. Ambassadors' Tour," a US-ASEAN Business Council initiative aimed at forging economic and people-to-people connections between U.S. business, government, and academic leaders and ASEAN markets.

Organized in partnership with