Alexandra Whittaker, a trade counsel on the House Ways and Means Committee, is being promoted to chief trade counsel, with the departure of Katherine Tai, the U.S. trade representative nominee. Before joining Ways and Means in 2019, Whittaker worked at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative in both Washington and Geneva. She graduated from Spelman College and the Howard University School of Law.

Jenner & Block hired Rachel Alpert, previously with Latham & Watkins, as a partner, the firm said in a news release. Alpert also previously worked in the State Department Office of the Legal Adviser. Her work “supports organizations in the oil and gas, communications, travel, and other industries on legal issues involving export controls and US sanctions laws and regulations under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), Export Administration Regulations (EAR), and Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) regulations,” Jenner & Block said.

American Association of Exporters and Importers CEO Marianne Rowden will step down effective March 31 “to pursue new opportunities,” AAEI Board of Governors Chairperson Susie Hoeger said in a Jan. 5 message. “The Board has named a committee to lead the search for the next leader of AAEI, and hopes to make the transition as smooth as possible,” Hoeger said.