LEOCADIA I. ZAK ASSUMES DUTIES AS ACTING USTDA DIRECTOR

WASHINGTON, D.C. – (January 16, 2009) – Leocadia I. Zak assumed the duties of Acting Director of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA) on January 20, 2009. She was named Deputy Director of USTDA in 2006 and previously served as General Counsel after her arrival at the agency in 2000. She also served as Acting Director of the agency from April 30, 2007 through March 16, 2008.

Prior to joining USTDA, Ms. Zak was a partner in the Washington, D.C. and Boston offices of Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky and Popeo, P.C. practicing in the areas of corporate, municipal and international finance. She served as counsel in connection with a variety of project finance transactions for energy, transportation, health care, telecommunications and tourism projects. In private practice, Ms. Zak focused her attention on innovative financing programs involving U.S. government agency financings for international projects, as well as financings by other bilateral and multilateral agencies.

Ms. Zak is an Adjunct Professor of Law and has taught "International Project Finance" at the Boston University School of Law, Morin Center for Banking and Financial Law Studies and at the Georgetown University Law Center.

Ms. Zak received her B.A. from Mount Holyoke College and her J.D. from Northeastern University School of Law.

The U.S. Trade and Development Agency advances economic development and U.S. commercial interests in developing and middle-income countries. The agency funds various forms of technical assistance, early investment analysis, training, orientation visits and business workshops that support the development of a modern infrastructure and a fair, open trading environment. USTDA's strategic use of foreign assistance funds to support sound investment policy and decision-making in host countries creates an enabling environment for trade, investment and sustainable economic development. In carrying out its mission, USTDA gives emphasis to economic sectors that may benefit from U.S. exports of goods and services.

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