Hillman, a Democrat of Indiana, was nominated by President Clinton for the statutory term that will expire on December 16, 2006.

Hillman served as General Counsel for the United States Trade Representative (USTR) from 1995-1997, where she was responsible for a wide variety of trade matters, including all U.S. government submissions in dispute settlement cases pending before either the World Trade Organization or North American Free Trade Agreement panels as well as all legal work done in connection with trade negotiations. Prior to that position, she served as Chief Textile Negotiator with the Rank of Ambassador for the USTR. Before joining the USTR, she was the Legislative Director and Counsel to U.S. Senator Terry Sanford of North Carolina. She began her professional career as an attorney in the Washington firm of Patton, Boggs & Blow.

Hillman is originally from South Bend, Indiana. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science and a Master of Arts degree in higher education administration from Duke University; she received her J.D. from Harvard Law School. She resides in Washington, DC, with her husband, Mitchell Berger, and two sons.