Monica Whaley
Executive Director
National Center for APEC
Monica Whaley was named Executive Director of the National Center for APEC in November of 2002, after having served as the Center's Deputy Director since its founding in 1994. The mission of the National Center for APEC is to generate and stimulate U.S. support for and participation in the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) organization with the objective of liberalizing trade and investment in the region.
Working in close cooperation with the U.S. Coordinator for APEC and other U.S. Government agencies, the Center encourages and facilitates broadly based U.S. private sector involvement in the activities of APEC, its Working Groups and other APEC-related bodies. The Center serves as the secretariat for the three U.S. members of the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC); in that role, the Center distributes information, solicits advice and input to the US ABAC members, and serves in a support capacity to the US members at ABAC meetings.
Prior to assuming her responsibilities at the National Center for APEC, Monica was the Acting President of the Washington Council on International Trade (WCIT) and its "sister" organization, the International Trade Education Foundation, and its Program Director from 1988-1994. The WCIT served as the coordinating organization for the US hosting of the 1993 APEC Meetings, including the Leaders Meeting on Blake Island, the Ministerial session, Senior Officials meetings and a business roundtable. Before joining the staff of the WCIT, she worked in the Trade Development Division of the Canadian Consulate General in Seattle from 1983 to 1988. Monica holds Bachelor's degrees in Political Science and French from the University of Santa Clara, and studied in France at the Institut d'Etudes Politiques (Sciences Pô).
She is the standing co-chair of the U.S.-APEC Business Coalition, and is a member of the Pacific Council on International Policy, the Community Development Roundtable of Washington State, serves on the Advisory Boards of both the Seattle World Affairs Council and the Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle, among other activities in support of children's charities, school and community groups. Monica is a Northwest native and lives in the Seattle area with her husband Tom and their two children.
