Press Release

Senior Fellow and Director of Congressional Affairs Reta Jo Lewis Nominated to Serve as President and Chair of the Export-Import Bank of the United States

September 14, 2021
2 min read

The German Marshall Fund of the United States congratulates Reta Jo Lewis, senior fellow and director of congressional affairs, on her nomination by President Biden to serve as president and chair of the Export-Import Bank of the United States.

“Reta Jo has demonstrated exemplary leadership at GMF, not just in engaging Congress on transatlantic issues but in many other important ways as well,” said GMF Acting President Ian Lesser. “From advancing policy thinking on subnational diplomacy to bringing diverse voices into the transatlantic conversation, Reta Jo has had a profound impact on GMF’s community on both sides of the Atlantic.”

Among her signature accomplishments since joining GMF in 2015, Lewis has

  • Engaged Congress through briefings and discussions, arranging testimony from GMF experts, and managing legislative exchange with European counterparts.
  • Established major convening series, including the Women of Color in National Security annual gathering and the Stakeholder Influence on Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity transatlantic dialogue series.
  • Enhanced diplomacy at the state and local levels through policy recommendations on subnational diplomacy and engaging state, city, and other subnational leaders in GMF activities.

A number of GMF leaders and experts have been nominated for or assumed high-level roles in the Biden administration, including former President Karen Donfried, nominee for Assistant Secretary of State for Europe and Eurasia, Derek Chollet, who now serves as counselor to the State Department, Laura Rosenberger, who now serves as senior director for China on the National Security Council, and Julianne Smith, who has been nominated as U.S. ambassador to NATO.