On August 8, 2023, in Seattle, we heard an inspiring discussion from female leaders in trade on women, trade, and the economy. Panelists included Wendy Cutler, Vice President at the Asia Society Policy Institute (ASPI); Kristin Ang, Port of Tacoma Commissioner; Sherry Carbary, President of Boeing China; Dorothy Dwoskin, a trade expert and former trade negotiator; and Claire O’Donnell, Director for the Selling Partner Empowerment, Communities and Trust organization at Amazon, to discuss women and the economy. Dr. Rebecca Sta Maria, Executive Director of the APEC Secretariat, provided opening remarks.

The discussion took place during the third APEC Senior Official and Ministerial Meetings (SOM3) in Seattle; the Women and Economy Forum has been one of APEC’s key programs since 2010. Dr. Rebecca Sta Maria highlighted in her opening remarks APEC’s work on the inclusion of women and other under-represented groups, and APEC as a platform for diverse voices to be heard.

Reflecting upon their lived experiences and career trajectory, the panelists shared their stories on how they have tried to make progress on gender issues in the workforce. They discussed challenges in areas where women are not well represented and provided advice on how to overcome these challenges and to advance in their careers. The panelists also shared their cross-cultural perspectives on gender disparity. They agree that more work on advocacy and mentorship, including raising awareness among young girls about career and economic opportunities in trade, need to be done to support women’s participation in the economy.