John Austerman has left his role as a division chief with the State Department’s Bureau of Political-Military Affairs to join defense technology company Shield AI as its director of global export strategy, he announced on LinkedIn. Austerman worked as a division chief since October 2024 and previously worked at the Pentagon (see 2410040046).
Taylor Budowich, a former White House aide in the second Trump administration, has been appointed to a two-year term on the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission, starting Jan. 1. Leland Miller, an expert on China’s economy, and Jonathan Stivers, a former Democratic congressional aide, were reappointed to two-year terms on the panel.
DOJ official Alicia Cook has been named acting chief of the Counterterrorism Section of the agency's National Security Division, she announced on LinkedIn. Cook had served as deputy chief since February.
Caleb Orr has been sworn in as the State Department's new assistant secretary for the Bureau of Economic, Energy, and Business Affairs, the agency announced this week on LinkedIn. Orr will lead the agency's efforts to "promote opportunities for American companies, ensure secure supply chains, and leverage economic tools to advance U.S. interests." He previously served as senior adviser to Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau and as an aide to then-Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla.
Michael Kuiken, former national security adviser to Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., has been reappointed to a two-year-term on the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission. The term begins Jan. 1.
Benjamin Hawk has left his position as acting chief of DOJ's Counterintelligence and Export Control Section, he announced on LinkedIn last week. He had been serving in the role since March 2022.
The Senate on Dec. 18 confirmed the nomination of Julie Callahan to serve as chief agricultural negotiator in the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, and approved Jeffrey Goettman to be deputy USTR for Africa, the Western Hemisphere, Europe, the Middle East, Environment, Labor and Industrial Competitiveness.
The Senate confirmed the nomination of Laura DiBella late Dec. 18 to fill a vacancy on the Federal Maritime Commission. The Senate Commerce Committee approved DiBella’s nomination in November (see 2511190051). A second FMC nominee, Robert Harvey, awaits consideration by the committee.
The Senate late Dec. 18 confirmed the nomination of Christopher Pilkerton to be the Treasury Department’s assistant secretary for investment security, overseeing the Committee on Foreign Investment in the U.S. The Senate also approved Jonathan Burke to be Treasury’s assistant secretary for terrorist financing. The Senate Banking Committee approved both nominations in late September (see 2509300036).
Claire O'Neill McCleskey and Claire Grunewald, two former sanctions officials with the Office of Foreign Assets Control, have launched sanctions consulting firm Clarity Compliance Consulting, they announced on LinkedIn. O'Neill McCleskey previously served as head of OFAC's compliance division before leaving in October, and Grunewald was an OFAC sanctions compliance officer before leaving in September.