Heather Hurlburt will step down as the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative's chief of staff, effective Jan. 26, and Jamila Thompson, a senior adviser to USTR Katherine Tai, becomes acting chief of staff. “I have worked with Jamila Thompson for ten years, dating back to our time as colleagues in the U.S. House of Representatives. She has been a trusted [adviser] throughout my time as United States Trade Representative," Tai said in the announcement.

Customs attorney and former CBP official Sandra Bell previously with DLA Piper, joined Rimon PC as a partner, she announced on LinkedIn. Bell advises clients on regulations related to customs tariffs and import issues.

McLarty Associates co-founder Nelson Cunningham has been nominated to replace Jayme White as deputy U.S. trade representative. White was responsible for negotiations in the Western Hemisphere, Europe and the Middle East, and also had some labor and environmental issues in his portfolio.

Roop Bhatti, former International Trade Commission chief of staff, has joined trade law firm Cassidy Levy as a partner, the firm announced in an email. She worked at the ITC for nearly five years, also serving as counsel to Commissioner Jason Kearns and an attorney adviser.

Greta Peisch is departing her job as general counsel in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and USTR Katherine Tai announced Juan Millan will serve as acting general counsel. The general counsel position must be Senate-confirmed.

Ian Saunders began his job as the new secretary general of the World Customs Organization, the organization said Jan. 3. Nominated by CBP, Saunders was elected to the position in June (see 2306260031). He was previously a deputy assistant secretary at the Commerce Department’s International Trade Administration.

Chandri Navarro, former partner at Hogan Lovells, joined Baker McKenzie as senior counsel in the North America International Commercial and Trade Practice in Washington, D.C., the firm announced. Navarro, who worked at Hogan Lovells for over 20 years, is a Customs and International Trade Bar Association board member and an American Bar Foundation fellow.

The Federal Maritime Commission hired David Eng as the agency's new secretary. Eng, who most recently worked as a branch chief at the Departmental Appeals Board of the Department of Health and Human Services, will process Shipping Act complaints and communications submitted to the FMC, maintain records of meetings, and conduct other clerical activities on behalf of the commission.

USDA promoted Michael Watson to administrator of the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, the agency said in a news release Dec. 20. Watson had been associate administrator since 2018, and served as acting administrator on “several occasions,” USDA said. The agency also named Georgette Furukawa chief of staff for the Agricultural Marketing Service. Furukawa previously was an adviser to the White House chief of staff's Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander team.

Christa Brzozowski is now DHS assistant secretary for trade and economic security, she said during the Dec. 13 meeting of the Commercial Customs Operations Advisory Committee. Brzozowski, previously senior manager of public policy at Amazon, had prior to that spent time at CBP and DHS, most recently as DHS deputy assistant secretary for foreign investment and trade policy.