Washington (March 12, 2025) – The Board of Directors of the Washington International Trade Association (WITA) is pleased to announce that it has elected Nasim Fussell as the new Chair of WITA’s Board of Directors. Steve Lamar, the President and CEO of the American Apparel & Footwear Association, who served as WITA’s Board Chair since 2004, will continue to serve as a member of WITA’s Board of Directors.
“I am incredibly honored to step into the role of Chair of the WITA Board of Directors. Steve Lamar’s leadership has been instrumental in shaping WITA into a premier forum for trade dialogue and policy discussion,” said Nasim. “Steve has been a mentor and friend to so many of us in the trade community, generously sharing his insight and guidance over the years. I look forward to building on the strong foundation laid by Steve, and continuing to advance WITA’s mission to provide a neutral forum for the open and robust discussion of international trade policy.”
Nasim Fussell, WITA’s new Chair, is a Senior Vice President at Lot Sixteen, where she leads the firm’s trade practice. On Capitol Hill, Nasim served as the Chief International Trade Counsel for the Senate Finance Committee under Chairman Chuck Grassley and Deputy Chief International Trade Counsel under Chairman Hatch, as well as Trade Counsel to the House Ways and Means Committee, where she worked for Chairmen Brady, Ryan, and Camp.
“Our whole team is excited to work with Nasim, and we are confident that she will be a worthy successor to all those whose leadership helped build the organization,” said Kenneth Levinson, WITA’s Chief Executive Officer. “Steve has been a tremendous leader in three transformational phases of WITAs growth,” continued Ken. “Steve oversaw the institutional development of WITA in the 2000s; the rapid growth of WITA’s membership in the 2010s; and its transition to a global platform for trade education in the 2020s.”
“Nasim has been an incredibly valuable member of WITA’s Board of Directors, and her accession to the Chair is a fantastic development that helps power WITA into the future by tapping into the next generation of leadership,” said Steve Lamar, WITA’s former Chair. “I look forward to working with Nasim and the Board as we help Ken and his team continue WITA’s incredible evolution.”
In addition to her roles in the U.S. Congress, Nasim has also worked in the private sector as a law firm partner, in-house with two multinational companies, and a trade association. She started her career at the U.S. Department of Commerce. She holds an LLM in International & Comparative Law from George Washington Law School, a JD from the University of Baltimore School of Law, and a BA in History from the University of Michigan.