Steve Winkates is the Director of Program Management for the East Asia Region at USTDA, based in Beijing, China. He is responsible for managing USTDA’s activities in China and Mongolia, directing business development efforts, coordinating with relevant stakeholders in both the region and the United States, and marketing USTDA services to potential partners in both countries.

Prior to this position, Mr. Winkates worked in Beijing for a consulting firm which specialized in developing transportation infrastructure projects. He also previously served as a Country Manager at USTDA, covering China and Southeast Asia during his tenure, and as a Policy Analyst at the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Mr. Winkates holds a Master of Public Policy from Georgetown University and a Bachelor of Arts from Rhodes College.

William Zarit, based in Beijing, helps Chinese companies navigate the U.S. investment market, and provides U.S. companies advice on working in the Chinese commercial environment.

Until recently William was Minister for Commercial Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Beijing, overseeing the U.S. Department of Commerce’s trade promotion and trade policy activities in its operations in Beijing, Chengdu, Guangzhou, Shanghai, and Shenyang. William is one of only two serving Foreign Commercial Service officers worldwide to have attained the rank of Career Minister, which earned him the lifetime “Honorable” honorific.

Prior to his posting to Beijing, William was Deputy Assistant Secretary, International Operations, for the U.S. Commercial Service, overseeing Commercial Sections in U.S. Embassies and Consulates worldwide. The U.S. Commercial Service is the federal government’s front line trade agency, promoting both U.S. exports and foreign investment into the U.S., and protecting U.S. commercial interests overseas. Prior to that he served as the U.S. Commercial Service’s Regional Director for East Asia/Pacific.