Pathways To Opportunity: Careers in International Trade, Textiles, Fashion, and Apparel
The WITA Academy Pathways to Opportunity program consists of a series of career pathways sessions hosted by trade professionals from the Washington D.C. policy community. The curriculum, divided between the public and private sector, highlights different roles and career paths that are available in Washington D.C. and around the world.
Students will gain insight from trade professionals, pose questions to policymakers, and learn about exciting career opportunities in international affairs, political science, business, and trade. Students come away with an understanding of the trade policy-making community, the role of its key players, and the opportunities for internships and careers available to them.
This online event is free and open to ALL students. Hosted in partnership with the University of Delaware.
Registration is free for students and faculty – must use university email to register.
Agenda
All times US/Eastern
2:15 PM ET: Welcome and Introduction
TBD…
2:20 PM: Pathways and Backgrounds
TBD…
2:50 PM: “A Day in the Life” at JCPenney
TBD…
3:25 PM: Q&A / Student Interaction
TBD…
3:40 PM: Closing Remarks
TBD…
JCPenney Featured Speakers:
Amanda Blackman, Director of Planning and Allocation
Michelle Erwin, Sourcing Manager
Hunter Green, Senior Manager of International Transportation
Angela Hofmann, VP, Government Affairs
Wayne Milano, SVP, Global Sourcing and Product Development
Aqsa Tasleem, Senior Manager of Fabric & Sustainability
Katie Thurman, Senior Pre-Production Manager
Brandi Wallace, Senior Design Director
Brian Wolfrum, Director of Trade Compliance
Aaron Worley, Senior Buyer
Speaker Biographies
Amanda Blackman graduated from Texas A&M University in 2004 with a degree in Economics. She currently serves as the Planning & Allocation Director for Men’s & Junior’s Apparel at JCtey, where she oversees inventory management and strategic planning to optimize product availability. Before joining JCPenney, Amanda gained valuable experience at Pier 1 Imports and Michaels, holding various positions in buying, planning, allocation, and corporate planning. Her diverse background in retail and financial planning has equipped her with the skills to drive success in her current role.
Michele Erwin graduated from FIT in 1996 with a degree in fashion buying and merchandising, and another in fabric production management.
Michele started her career working as a receptionist at fabric company. Michele quickly pivoted from fabric focused positions with the desire to work on finished product. She has moved between roles in Product Development and Sourcing working on every product category across women’s, men’s, and kids over the last 30 years for many recognizable brands such as Ralph Lauren, Calvin Klein and now JCPenney.
Angela Marshall Hofmann has served for over 2o years, as a trusted advisor to members of the U.S. Congress and Executive Branch as well as to CEOs and senior executives in complex. multi-national organizations.
Angela currently serves as the head of Government Affairs for JCPenney, a 120-year-old national retailer with operations in 49 states and Puerto Rico. In this position she oversees the company’s local, state, federal and international government relations. She additionally leads the privately held organization’s sustainability and corporate responsibility initiatives.
Angela began her career with the Honorable Senator Max Baucus in 1989 as a congressional liaison in the State of Montana. After receiving her Juris Doctorate from the University of Montana in 1997, she served as legislative counsel for agriculture and trade in Washington, D.C. and later as International Trade Counsel on U.S. Senate Finance Committee.
In 2002, Angela joined Walmart Stores, Inc. leading trade policy in the Washington Office. She later moved to headquarters in Bentonville, Arkansas and served in a number of executive roles including as Vice President, International Corporate Affairs, at Walmart Stores, Inc. where she led the company’s external engagement in 40+ retail, ecommerce and sourcing countries around the world. She also launched innovative public-private chain capacity building projects focused on transparency, building safety, agricultural development and women’s economic empowerment in Latin America, Asia and Africa.
Angela is a staunch advocate for women’s empowerment and continues to be active in the Organization of Women in International Trade (“OWIT”) a voluntary, non-profit association of professionals interested in international trade. She’s been a lifelong member of WITA and also serves on the Board of Advisors for both the Arkansas and Montana World Trade Centers.
Rob Kaba plunged directly into the work force after High School, starting his career with JC Penney at 19 years old back in 2003.
Rob started his career at the Manchester, CT Store Support Center as an hourly employee working in the Shipping department on 2nd shift. He was able to work his way up through the ranks and was given opportunities to be a group lead, then a temporary Supervisor and finally breaking into management as a full time Operations Supervisor in 2012. Using his deep knowledge of our base processes gained from working at the hourly level for so long allowed him to excel in his Supervisory roles and provided him the opportunity to join the Domestic Transportation team as a Senior Specialist in 2017. In this role he served as the Store Liaison for the Manchester facility while coordinating the store delivery schedules, maintaining carrier relationships and serving as the main point of contact for all bookkeeping on financial and KPI metrics for the Field Transportation team. In 2022 Rob was presented with an opportunity to join the Supply Chain Support teams at the JC Penney Home Office in Plano, TX as a Manager. He accepted the position and made the move to Texas where he has been working since. Rob is now with the International Transportation team managing our 3rd party logistics facility in South Gate, California with plans to continue his 22 year long journey with JC Penney.
The best coaching/advice I’ve been given is to know your audience. Everyone gives and receives information in their own ways. Effectively getting your point across to large groups of people, often by e-mail, requires carefully constructed communication that guides everyone to the same conclusions without relying on buzzwords or obscure abbreviations.
Lesley Oldham graduated from Centre College in 2000 with a BA in Fine Arts, specializing in pastels and glassblowing. She began her career at Skechers USA as a Materials Assistant, quickly advancing to oversee all leather development and production. Her passion for the footwear industry led her to expand her expertise across product development roles in women’s, men’s, and kids’ footwear. Over the years, Lesley has contributed her skills to brands such as Skechers, Sears, Ralph Lauren, and Cole Haan. She now brings her extensive experience to JCPenney, continuing her impact in the industry.
Catherine Piercey is a Sourcing Director for Catalyst focusing on the knit and activewear across JCPenney Private Brands. Entering her 11th year at JCPenney, Catherine has sourced across multi categories across the company. Catherine is the Co -Chair of JCPenney Women’ Empowerment and Networking Group, focusing on creating connections and a space for women to reflect on their own goals as they drive to enhance their careers, personal lives, and communities. Before joining JCPenney, Catherine worked in Diamond Sourcing for Zale and Fashion Jewelry for Fossil Group. During her university studies Catherine held internships at Walmart, located in Bentonville, Arkansas within Home Produce Development and Macy’s South located in Atlanta Georgia, within Retail Sales Management.
Cathrine holds an MS in Merchandising from North Texas University and a BS in Textiles and Apparel Management from The University of Missouri – Columbia. Catherine spent a semester aboard at the American InterContinental University in London, England focusing on fashion development. Catherine is a native Texan, born and raised in the Dallas area and where she currently lives with her husband. Beyond her career, Catherine and her husband share a passion for travel and adventure. Weather it’s the beach or the mountains, she is always up for the next thrill, and constantly planning their next big adventure.
Passionate about the fashion industry, Catherine thrives on building strong relationships and driving forward- thinking, strategic partnerships that benefit both the company and global suppliers. She believes in collaboration, innovation, and fostering long-term connections that create value across the supply chain.
Aqsa Tasleem graduated from Textile Institute of Pakistan with a BBA degree in Textile Marketing & Management. In 2010 she started working as a Sourcing Manager for surgical gowns and patient apparel at Standard Textile in Cincinnati Ohio. The role really honed her technical expertise where she worked on barrier performances like FR yarns, ultrasonic welding, PE/PP laminations and ensuring product meets strict testing criteria to absorb liquid splashes, water vapor mist, and dust produced during surgery.
Aqsa then transitioned to a product development role in NY with Bedgear where she focused on sleep solutions engineered with fabrics that are moisture-wicking, thermoregulating and maximize airflow. Additionally, she oversaw multifaceted projects like establishing a global Product Development team and executing a GTM strategy for a new baby gear. To further her education, she also enrolled into an evening MBA program and currently holds a dual MBA in Finance and General Management from Stony Brook University.
Finally putting down her roots in Texas, Aqsa started a family in Dallas while working for JC Penney. She’s extensively involved in developing fabrics that meet JCP quality standards while ensuring alignment to the global sourcing strategy and sustainability initiatives. She also provides seasonal fabric direction and market intelligence to her cross functional teams.
Brandi Wallace is a proud alumna of Spelman College, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. After interning at NASA and the CDC, she followed her passion for fashion by studying at Parsons School of Design in New York City.
Brandi has been with JCPenney for over 16 years, holding various leadership positions in Product Development & Design across Kids and Women’s categories. As the Senior Design Director of Kids Private Brands, she oversees the design vision for all children’s brands, from baby to big kid, including Okie Dokie, Thereabouts, and Xersion. She is committed to creating stylish, functional, and inclusive apparel that resonates with families nationwide.
In addition to her role in design, Brandi is deeply involved in corporate diversity and community initiatives. She has served as the Co-Chair of Mosaic for the past three years, helping drive JCPenney’s diversity and inclusion efforts. She also helps lead the Hope & Wonder Creative Coalition, where she collaborates with nonprofits to design collections that directly benefit their causes. Additionally, she plays a key role in the HBCU Challenge, highlighting and supporting emerging talent from Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Outside of work, Brandi is a wife and mother to very active 7-year-old twins. A dedicated member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated, Brandi actively supports advocacy, social action, and initiatives that uplift communities.
Brian Wolfrum is the Director of Trade Compliance at Catalyst Brands. In this role, Brian is responsible for overseeing customs and regulatory compliance, cost savings programs, participation in customs programs, and trade advocacy. This includes classification, valuation, country of origin determination, audit and recordkeeping, CTPAT-Security and CTPAT-Trade Compliance programs, compliance with partner government agencies, first sale, free trade agreements, tariff engineering, and exports. He brings a wealth of experience and knowledge from over 20 years in global customs and transportation in various sectors, including manufacturing, retail, and construction. Brian is a licensed customs broker, earning his license in 2006. He is also very active with industry organizations, sitting on the customs committees of USFIA, RILA, and NRF.
Aaron Worley is a Senior Buyer at JCPenney in Women’s apparel. He is responsible for managing a $300M business and delivering upon company sales, profit, and inventory turn goals. He has held several positions at JCPenney in Merchandising, Planning, and Allocation. He has worked in multiple different areas buying for Men’s, Women’s and Children’s apparel.
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