Leadership
As a member-driven non-profit, USAEDC is governed by a Board of Directors composed of one representative from each of the cooperator member organizations.
USAEDC is managed by the Executive Director who leads the operations, strategic direction, and implementation of its programs. The Executive Director serves as the primary liaison between members; the U.S. Department of Agriculture and other U.S. agencies; and international stakeholders, to advance USAEDC’s market development interests.
Executive Committee
USAEDC is led by an Executive Committee of twelve Board members. Each elected non-officer member of the Executive Committee serves for a term of three (3) years and may be considered for election to a second, consecutive three (3) year term.
| Greg Tyler | Chair | USA Poultry & Egg Export Council |
| Karen Horan | Vice Chair | National Confectioners Association |
| Jeff Correa | Secretary/Treasurer | Pear Bureau Northwest |
| Jim Sutter | Immediate Past Chair | U.S. Soybean Export Council |
| Lorena Alfaro | Executive Director | U.S. Agricultural Export Development Council |
| Rose Braden | Executive Board Member | Softwood Export Council |
| Rebecca Bratter | Executive Board Member | U.S. Dry Bean Council |
| Honore Comfort | Executive Board Member | Wine Institute |
| Pam Graviet | Executive Board Member | California Walnut Commission |
| Dan Halstrom | Executive Board Member | U.S. Meat Export Federation |
| Kent Swisher | Executive Board Member | North American Renderers Association |
| Bernadette Wiltz | Executive Board Member | Southern United States Trade Association |
| Donn Zea | Executive Board Member | California Prune Board |
Executive Director
Lorena Alfaro has served as Executive Director of the U.S. Agricultural Export Development Council since 2018. Prior to joining USAEDC, she held a consulting practice assisting clients with their international trade policy and market access issues. She also served as a Washington Representative for the American Soybean Association and as Director in the Office of International Issues and Trade for the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States.
Before moving to Washington, DC, Ms. Alfaro worked in Chicago for a community economic development non-profit. In her role as a member of the senior leadership team, she led the organization’s strategic planning process and developed the organization’s first 5-year advocacy, media and fund-raising plans. Building coalitions with private and public sectors, she launched successful campaigns to expand private-sector investments and government funding geared for commercial revitalization projects.
Ms. Alfaro holds a Master of Arts degree from Georgetown University’s School of Foreign Service and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from Lake Forest College, Illinois.