LOCASCIO
Christine

• 1. Career

Career

Christine A. LoCascio joined the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States (DISCUS) in 2001 and is now responsible for coordinating and implementing the Council’s federal, state and international trade public policy objectives. In this role, Christine advocates in support of DISCUS priorities, such as securing a permanent extension of Craft Beverage Modernization and Tax Reform Act of 2017, an end to the imposition of retaliatory tariffs on U.S. spirits exports, and improved market access for distilled spirits at the state level. In addition, Christine oversees the Distilled Spirits Council’s participation in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Market Access Program (MAP) to ensure compliance with relevant USDA regulations.

She has led successful lobbying efforts on behalf of DISCUS and in the U.S. business coalitions supporting passage of the Free Trade Agreements (FTAs) with Korea, Colombia, Panama, Australia, Chile and Singapore, and other trade legislation, including the WTO accessions of Vietnam, Russia and China and Trade Promotion Authority.

Since February 2008, Christine has served as an advisor on the Agricultural Technical Committee for Trade (ATAC) in Processed Foods, which provides technical advice on U.S. agricultural trade issues to the Secretary of Agriculture and the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). She also currently serves as Chair of the U.S. Department of Commerce and USTR’s Industry Trade Advisory Committee for Consumer Goods (ITAC 4). She is a member of the Washington International Trade Association (WITA) and currently serves as a Board Member of the WITA Foundation. She is also a member of the Executive Committee of the U.S. Agricultural Export Development Council and of Women in International Trade (WIIT). She previously served as a Member of the WIIT Board of Directors.

Christine received her B.A. in History and Italian Language and Literature from Washington University in St. Louis and her M.A. in International Relations from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (SAIS). She is a current member of the Johns Hopkins SAIS Women’s Alumni Network (SWAN).

Christine’s favorite drink? “Hard to choose! I guess my three favorite cocktails are: Manhattan; Mojito and Gin and Tonic.”

Something you should know about Christine? “Since I am originally from St. Louis, MO, I am of course a big baseball (Cardinals) and ice hockey (Blues) fan. That said, and since I am married to someone from the DC area, I also root for the Nats and the Caps. But, I will always be true to my hometown!”