Bart Thanhauser currently serves as the Deputy Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific. In this role, he develops and implements U.S. trade policy towards countries in Southeast Asia and the Pacific, including efforts to strengthen critical mineral and clean energy supply chains in the region. Bart has worked on trade policy and trade enforcement matters at USTR for nearly a decade. Prior to his current position, Bart served as Senior Policy Advisor to the Deputy U.S. Trade Representative, where he advised on matters relating to trade with Asia, Africa, supply chains, digital trade, and industrial competitiveness. During his tenure, he helped oversee the successful negotiation of a critical minerals agreement with Japan, as well as the launching of bilateral trade negotiations with Taiwan and Kenya. Bart holds an undergraduate degree from Cornell University and a graduate degree from Johns Hopkins SAIS, and began his career as Peace Corps volunteer in Indonesia.