Rosa Whitaker
Encyclopedia
Rosa Whitaker is the CEO and President of the Whitaker Group, a Washington, D.C.-based consultancy specializing in trade and investment in Africa.
She previously served as the first ever Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Africa in the administrations of Presidents George W. Bush
and Bill Clinton
.
In this capacity, she developed and implemented the African Growth and Opportunity Act
(AGOA) and other bilateral and multilateral trade policy initiatives towards Africa.
In 2010, Whitaker was named one of Foreign Policy's Top 100 Global Thinkers.
in Washington, D.C. and has completed studies in the United Kingdom and Italy as well as at the Foreign Service Institute
. She is often on the public speaking circuit and has lectured at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
and the National Defense University
. In April 2008, Whitaker married Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, overseer of Christian Action Faith Ministries Worldwide.
Rosa Whitaker was Senior Trade Policy Adviser to Congressman Charles Rangel, the current Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee.
In that position, she was one of the hands-on architects of AGOA and helped develop the Africa Trade and Investment Caucus in Congress.
She was responsible for advising Congressman Rangel on a broad range of issues related to the World Trade Organization
, Africa, China and global competitiveness.
According to the Los Angeles Times, the contacts she made while in this job helped establish the basis for her future career.
Beginning in 2006, Whitaker expanded TWG's sphere of interest to include health issues in Africa. Working with the Global Health Progress initiative, she seeks to develop partnerships between governments and the private sector with the goal of strengthening African health systems.
As the co-chair with the late Congressman Jack Kemp
of the AGOA Action Committee, Whitaker has remained at the forefront of efforts to strengthen AGOA and ensure its relevance in the ever changing landscape of world trade.
In 2008 Bennett College
named her a Woman with the Audacity to Excel, along with civil rights pioneer Dr. Dorothy Height
and three other African-American women leaders. In June 2009, Whitaker was given the Business Leadership Award by the Nigerian Higher Education Foundation.
Foreign Policy
(FP) Magazine, the premiere, award-winning magazine of global politics and economics, honored Whitaker as one of its Top 100 Global Thinkers of 2010. She was joined on the list by Microsoft founder Bill Gates
and investor Warren Buffett
, who shared a headline for their leadership in fighting global health and development challenges, World Bank Group
President Robert Zoellick
and former International Monetary Fund
head, Dominique Strauss-Kahn
, among others. Mo Ibrahim
, founder of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation
which awards prizes to African leaders for good governance, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia
and Judge Unity Dow
of Botswana
, advocate for women’s rights and the rights of indigenous peoples, represented additional African perspectives.
Rosa Whitaker is a member of the Executive Board of Mercy Ships
, a faith-based charity that has for the past 20 years operated hospital ships in developing nations. She serves on the Board of the Bethune-Du Bois Fund, a scholarship program for minority students created in honor of Mary McLeod Bethune
and W. E. B. Du Bois. She joined the Executive Board of the Center for International Private Enterprise
(CIPE) in 2010. She has served as vice chair of the U.S.-South Africa Business Council.
Whitaker is also a guest columnist for AllAfrica.com.
She previously served as the first ever Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Africa in the administrations of Presidents George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
and Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
.
In this capacity, she developed and implemented the African Growth and Opportunity Act
African Growth and Opportunity Act
In May 2000, the U.S. Congress approved legislation known as the African Growth and Opportunity Act, or AGOA . The purpose of this legislation was to assist the economies of sub-Saharan Africa and to improve economic relations between the United States and the region...
(AGOA) and other bilateral and multilateral trade policy initiatives towards Africa.
In 2010, Whitaker was named one of Foreign Policy's Top 100 Global Thinkers.
Background
Whitaker was born in Washington, D.C. and holds Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees from American UniversityAmerican University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
in Washington, D.C. and has completed studies in the United Kingdom and Italy as well as at the Foreign Service Institute
Foreign Service Institute
The Foreign Service Institute is the United States Federal Government's primary training institution for employees of the U.S. foreign affairs community, preparing American diplomats and other professionals to advance U.S. foreign affairs interests overseas and in Washington...
. She is often on the public speaking circuit and has lectured at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in...
and the National Defense University
National Defense University
The National Defense University is an institution of higher education funded by the United States Department of Defense, intended to facilitate high-level training, education, and the development of national security strategy. It is chartered by the Joint Chiefs of Staff, with Navy Vice Admiral...
. In April 2008, Whitaker married Archbishop Nicholas Duncan-Williams, overseer of Christian Action Faith Ministries Worldwide.
Diplomacy
As a career diplomat, Whitaker served in Africa and the State Department's Office of International Energy Policy. She served as the Executive Director of the Washington, D.C. Office of International Business, initiating projects to support Africa’s business development.Senior Trade Adviser
Before joining the US Office of the Trade Representative in the Executive Office of the President of the United States where she worked closely with current World Bank President Robert B. Zoellick and Ambassador Josette Sheeran, current Executive Director of the World Food Program.Rosa Whitaker was Senior Trade Policy Adviser to Congressman Charles Rangel, the current Chairman of the U.S. House of Representatives Ways and Means Committee.
In that position, she was one of the hands-on architects of AGOA and helped develop the Africa Trade and Investment Caucus in Congress.
She was responsible for advising Congressman Rangel on a broad range of issues related to the World Trade Organization
World Trade Organization
The World Trade Organization is an organization that intends to supervise and liberalize international trade. The organization officially commenced on January 1, 1995 under the Marrakech Agreement, replacing the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade , which commenced in 1948...
, Africa, China and global competitiveness.
United States Trade Representative
Whitaker started the United States Trade Representative's Office of African Affairs and was the lead U.S. negotiator for trade agreements with African countries. Under her leadership, the U.S. was credited with a string of initiatives to enhance American trade, investment and economic cooperation with African countries.According to the Los Angeles Times, the contacts she made while in this job helped establish the basis for her future career.
The Whitaker Group
After leaving USTR in 2003, Whitaker launched the Whitaker Group (TWG), a consultancy focused on bringing trade and investment to Africa and assisting African countries to maximize tangible trade and investment gains from AGOA and related initiatives. Since its launch, TWG has represented several African countries including Uganda, Ghana, Lesotho, Cote d'Ivoire and Nigeria and has worked with numerous others on a host of trade, investment and health issues. The consultancy also works with a number of US corporations with business interests in Africa. In late 2008, TWG opened an office in Accra, Ghana.Beginning in 2006, Whitaker expanded TWG's sphere of interest to include health issues in Africa. Working with the Global Health Progress initiative, she seeks to develop partnerships between governments and the private sector with the goal of strengthening African health systems.
As the co-chair with the late Congressman Jack Kemp
Jack Kemp
Jack French Kemp was an American politician and a collegiate and professional football player. A Republican, he served as Housing Secretary in the administration of President George H. W. Bush from 1989 to 1993, having previously served nine terms as a congressman for Western New York's 31st...
of the AGOA Action Committee, Whitaker has remained at the forefront of efforts to strengthen AGOA and ensure its relevance in the ever changing landscape of world trade.
Awards and professional affiliations
Whitaker has received numerous honors, including the 2001 Africa-America Institute Award for Promoting U.S.-Africa Trade Relations and the Annual Achievement Award from the U.S. Association of Importers of Textiles and Apparel in 2000. In 2002, she was named Woman of the Year in International Trade by the Association of Women in International Trade and, in 2003, was inducted into the Hall of Fame for Trade by the Consumers for World Trade.In 2008 Bennett College
Bennett College
Bennett College is a four-year liberal arts women's college in Greensboro, North Carolina. Founded in 1873, this historically black institution began as a normal school to provide education to newly emancipated slaves. It became a women's college in 1926 and currently serves roughly 780...
named her a Woman with the Audacity to Excel, along with civil rights pioneer Dr. Dorothy Height
Dorothy Height
Dorothy Irene Height was an American administrator, educator, and social activist. She was the president of the National Council of Negro Women for forty years, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1994, and the Congressional Gold Medal in 2004.-Early life:Height was born in...
and three other African-American women leaders. In June 2009, Whitaker was given the Business Leadership Award by the Nigerian Higher Education Foundation.
Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy
Foreign Policy is a bimonthly American magazine founded in 1970 by Samuel P. Huntington and Warren Demian Manshel.Originally, the magazine was a quarterly...
(FP) Magazine, the premiere, award-winning magazine of global politics and economics, honored Whitaker as one of its Top 100 Global Thinkers of 2010. She was joined on the list by Microsoft founder Bill Gates
Bill Gates
William Henry "Bill" Gates III is an American business magnate, investor, philanthropist, and author. Gates is the former CEO and current chairman of Microsoft, the software company he founded with Paul Allen...
and investor Warren Buffett
Warren Buffett
Warren Edward Buffett is an American business magnate, investor, and philanthropist. He is widely regarded as one of the most successful investors in the world. Often introduced as "legendary investor, Warren Buffett", he is the primary shareholder, chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway. He is...
, who shared a headline for their leadership in fighting global health and development challenges, World Bank Group
World Bank Group
The World Bank Group is a family of five international organizations that makes leveraged loans, generally to poor countries.The Bank came into formal existence on 27 December 1945 following international ratification of the Bretton Woods agreements, which emerged from the United Nations Monetary...
President Robert Zoellick
Robert Zoellick
Robert Bruce Zoellick is the eleventh president of the World Bank, a position he has held since July 1, 2007. He was previously a managing director of Goldman Sachs, United States Deputy Secretary of State and U.S. Trade Representative, from February 7, 2001 until February 22, 2005.President...
and former International Monetary Fund
International Monetary Fund
The International Monetary Fund is an organization of 187 countries, working to foster global monetary cooperation, secure financial stability, facilitate international trade, promote high employment and sustainable economic growth, and reduce poverty around the world...
head, Dominique Strauss-Kahn
Dominique Strauss-Kahn
Dominique Gaston André Strauss-Kahn , often referred to in the media, and by himself, as DSK, is a French economist, lawyer, politician, and member of the French Socialist Party...
, among others. Mo Ibrahim
Mo Ibrahim
Dr. Mohamed "Mo" Ibrahim is a Sudanese mobile communications entrepreneur and billionaire. He worked for several other telecommunications companies before founding Celtel, which when sold had over 24 million mobile phone subscribers in 14 African countries...
, founder of the Mo Ibrahim Foundation
Mo Ibrahim Foundation
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation was launched in October 2006 to support good governance and great leadership in Africa.It was founded by Dr.Mo Ibrahim, a Sudanese philanthropist and businessman who founded telecommunications company Celtel International in 1998....
which awards prizes to African leaders for good governance, President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf of Liberia
Liberia
Liberia , officially the Republic of Liberia, is a country in West Africa. It is bordered by Sierra Leone on the west, Guinea on the north and Côte d'Ivoire on the east. Liberia's coastline is composed of mostly mangrove forests while the more sparsely populated inland consists of forests that open...
and Judge Unity Dow
Unity Dow
Unity Dow is a judge, human rights activist, and writer from Botswana. She came from a rural background that tended toward traditional values of the African kind...
of Botswana
Botswana
Botswana, officially the Republic of Botswana , is a landlocked country located in Southern Africa. The citizens are referred to as "Batswana" . Formerly the British protectorate of Bechuanaland, Botswana adopted its new name after becoming independent within the Commonwealth on 30 September 1966...
, advocate for women’s rights and the rights of indigenous peoples, represented additional African perspectives.
Rosa Whitaker is a member of the Executive Board of Mercy Ships
Mercy Ships
Mercy Ships is an international charity that was founded in 1978 by Don and Deyon Stephens. Mercy Ships currently operates the largest non-governmental hospital ship in the world, providing free health care, community development projects, community health education, mental health programs,...
, a faith-based charity that has for the past 20 years operated hospital ships in developing nations. She serves on the Board of the Bethune-Du Bois Fund, a scholarship program for minority students created in honor of Mary McLeod Bethune
Mary McLeod Bethune
Mary Jane McLeod Bethune was an American educator and civil rights leader best known for starting a school for African American students in Daytona Beach, Florida, that eventually became Bethune-Cookman University and for being an advisor to President Franklin D...
and W. E. B. Du Bois. She joined the Executive Board of the Center for International Private Enterprise
Center for International Private Enterprise
The Center for International Private Enterprise is one of the four core institutes of the National Endowment for Democracy and a non-profit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.- About :...
(CIPE) in 2010. She has served as vice chair of the U.S.-South Africa Business Council.
Whitaker is also a guest columnist for AllAfrica.com.