Trade Mission to Central America Including the Opportunities in Central America Business Conference

Timothy Cannon has been with the Department of Commerce since 2003. Prior to joining the Commercial Service, Tim was a Marine at the barracks in Washington, D.C. where he served as a Presidential Honor Guard. After the Marines he worked as a Personal Protection Officer. He then pursued a career in sales with Gallo Winery, Miller Brewing, and Red Bull. After the beverage business, Tim accepted a position with an aerospace company and while attending the Paris and Australian Airshows, Tim utilized the services of the Commercial Service. He was impressed with their assistance and decided to return to the service of the government as a Commercial Officer himself. Since then, Tim has served in Fargo, North Dakota on a domestic tour, Russia, Vietnam, and Saudi Arabia and will be in Panama for the next four years.  

U.S. Embassy in El Salvador.  Prior to coming to El Salvador, he was Principal Commercial Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Mexico City. 

Mr. Duckworth’s Foreign Service career includes assignments to U.S. embassies and consulates in Russia, Ukraine, Ethiopia, Kenya, Korea, Poland, Mexico and El Salvador. 

Prior to joining the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service, Mr. Duckworth proudly served as a Democracy and Governance Advisor and Program Officer for the U.S. Agency for International Development. 

Mr. Duckworth, a native of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, holds a B.A. in Political Science from the George Washington University, Washington, D.C. and a Master’s degree in Public and International Affairs from the University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.  He speaks fluent Russian, Ukrainian, Polish and Spanish. 

Reinaldo Garcia currently serves as Senior Commercial Officer at the U.S. Embassy in Tegucigalpa, Honduras. He manages an office of three trade professionals assisting U.S. companies with market access and trade promotion in Honduras and helping Honduran companies invest in the United States.  His previous assignment was with the Multilateral & Strategic Initiatives Team, Office of Western Hemisphere, in Washington, D.C., covering critical minerals, border security technology & passport technology, climate/clean tech, and distribution and logistics (supply chains) portfolios.  Reinaldo also served as the Deputy Director of the SelectUSA Investment Services Team. Prior to that, he served in Guangzhou, China from 2018-2021.  Before joining the U.S. & Foreign Commercial Service, Reinaldo worked as the General Counsel for Latin America for a major U.S. real estate company. He holds a JD, a BA in Political Science, and postgraduate studies in international economic and trade law.  

Aaron Franke, an Economics-coned Foreign Service Officer, joined the U.S. Embassy in Belmopan, Belize, in June 2025. As the acting Economic and ESTH (Environment, Science, Technology, and Health) Officer, he oversees a diverse portfolio of economic issues between the United States and Belize. His responsibilities include promoting policies that foster economic growth and reporting on key areas such as cyberspace and digital policy, trade, energy, sanctions, and aviation. On the commercial front, he works closely with the U.S. Commercial Service and Export Assistance Centers to support U.S. businesses and advance American exports in Belize.

Prior to his current role, Aaron served as Vice Consul at the U.S. Consulate General in Guangzhou, China. Before joining the Foreign Service, he worked as a Presidential Management Fellow and Program Manager in the Small Business Administration’s Office of International Trade, where he focused on export assistance and grant programming for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises. He also spent two years as a Peace Corps volunteer in Chongqing, China, teaching business English and promoting cross-cultural exchange.

A native of Toronto, Ohio, Aaron holds a BA in Diplomacy and International Relations from Seton Hall University and an MS in Global Governance, Politics, and Security from American University.

Ricardo Espinoza Benvenutto has served as a Commercial Specialist with the United States Embassy in Paraguay since 2015. In this role, he has contributed to fostering economic and commercial ties between the United States and Paraguay. Prior to this position, he worked as a Cultural Assistant for the United States Embassy from 2002 to 2015, where he played a key role in promoting cultural diplomacy and mutual understanding.

Ricardo’s professional experience spans several decades and diverse fields. From 1997 to 2002, he served as the Marketing Manager for the largest shopping center in Asunción, where he oversaw strategic marketing initiatives and customer engagement. Earlier in his career, he worked as a Cultural Assistant for the United States Information Service from 1991 to 1996, furthering cultural exchange programs. Additionally, Ricardo held the position of Director of the English Department at Campo Alto School in Asunción, demonstrating his commitment to education and language development.

Born in Chiclayo, Peru, Ricardo has been a permanent resident of Paraguay since 1988. He earned a Baccalaureate degree in International Relations from the Universidad Autónoma de Centro América in San José, Costa Rica, and a Licenciatura in English Language from the Universidad Nacional de Asunción in Paraguay. His academic achievements reflect his dedication to fostering international relations and linguistic proficiency.

Mr. Leo Clavijo is a Regional Director for the Export-Import Bank of the United States. His territory includes Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, and Washington, D.C.

He joined EXIM in February 2023, bringing with him decades of global manufacturing sector experience in finance, operations, and sales roles.  While in the private sector, he gained firsthand knowledge how EXIM can be leveraged as a strategic tool to increase sales, improve cash flow, and access to capital.

Leo earned a B.A. in Business Administration from Saint Anselm College in Manchester, New Hampshire and an MBA from Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts. He is fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

Christian Abate is a technology executive with over 20 years of experience leading digital transformation and cybersecurity initiatives across both public and private sectors. With academic credentials in Systems Engineering and Business Administration with a specialization in Finance, Christian brings a unique ability to align technical innovation with strategic business outcomes.

Throughout his career, Christian has worked closely with organizations across diverse industries throughout the LATAM region, helping them navigate complex technological landscapes and implement resilient, scalable solutions. His leadership roles as General Manager and IT Director have been marked by a consistent focus on operational excellence, agility, and cross-functional alignment.

At Dell Technologies, Christian has distinguished himself as an expert in data center architecture and enterprise technology integration. His current focus is cybersecurity, where he leads efforts to embed advanced security frameworks into enterprise environments. He has hands-on experience managing cybersecurity incidents and guiding organizations through threat mitigation and recovery processes.

Christian specializes in designing and implementing cyber resilience strategies tailored to the unique risk profiles of each organization. His approach enables businesses to anticipate threats, respond effectively, and foster a culture of proactive security. By integrating cybersecurity into the core of technology architecture, he empowers organizations to maintain continuity and safeguard their operations in an increasingly complex threat landscape.

Christian’s deep regional expertise, multidisciplinary vision, and practical experience position him as a trusted advisor in secure digital transformation across Latin America

Luis H. is a Partner in the firm’s Energy, Telecomunication and Public Procurement department.

Luis H. has over 15 years of experience in Administrative Law, telecommunications, public transportation, public procurement, and energy, with a particular focus in Panama. His extensive background includes working with energy generation, transmission, and distribution companies in various capacities.

Additionally, he has been involved in the construction and development of both public and private infrastructure, collaborating with insurance companies, state entities, telecommunications companies, railway operators and public transportation providers, among others.

Asan expert in regulatory matters, Luis H. specializes inAdministrative Law, public procurement, Public-Private Partnerships, telecommunications, public transportation, and energy in Panama.

Matt Schwab is a Country Manager for Latin America and the Caribbean at the U.S. Trade and Development Agency (USTDA). In this capacity, he is responsible for the business development, project preparation and evaluation, and supervision of the agency’s priority sectors of transportation, healthcare, telecommunications, and energy in Mexico and Central America.

Prior to joining USTDA, Mr. Schwab served as a Director in KPMG’s Infrastructure and Climate Advisory practice, where he led projects across the energy, telecommunications, and transportation spaces. He previously worked for the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC), The Scowcroft Group, energy developers in Mexico and Brazil, and Partners Global, an international development NGO.

Mr. Schwab holds a Master of Business Administration and a Master of Science in Foreign Service from Georgetown University, along with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations from the University of Pennsylvania. He speaks Spanish and Portuguese.

Jean Pierre de Roux is the Commercial Director of Tropical Energies Corporation (TRENCO), a Panamanian conglomerate with more than 60 years of experience in the commercialization of gas, water and renewable energies in Panama. In his 12 years with the Group, Jean Pierre has also held roles as Corporate Director for New Business and Innovation (2015-2022) and Marketing Manager of PetroPort, S.A. (2011-2015).

Previously, Jean Pierre served at the Embassy of Panama in Washington, D.C., as Commercial Attaché (2008-2009), Commercial Counselor (2009-2010) and Deputy Chief of Mission, 2010-2011. Currently, he is a member of the Board of Directors and Vice President of the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM) of Panama (2022-2023).

Jean Pierre earned his BA in Economics from Duke University (2002-2006) and his MA in Philosophy and International Studies from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies (2009-2011). And in 2019, he graduated with High Distinction from the Executive MBA at INCAE Business School. He is currently a Member of the National Committee of INCAE in Panama.

In addition to his professional career, Jean Pierre has been involved in corporate social responsibility, philanthropy, and volunteer work. As a member of the Activo 20-30 Club of Panama and treasurer of the Activo 20-30 Foundation, he dedicated time and effort to advancing the well-being of children and youth with physical disabilities in Panama (2007-2020). Currently, Jean Pierre is a Member of the Board of Directors and the President-Elect of the New Generation Movement Foundation, a social community organization that focuses on comprehensive prevention for children and adolescents in situations of vulnerability to violence, drugs and gangs, through social, cultural and sports activities (2015-2023).

Doriana is the District Sales Manager for Panama as part of the Colombia & Central America Region and she is based in Panama.  She currently manages the Sales and Marketing affairs of the country that involves the Retail and Commercial Business P&L.  In addition, she is responsible of facilitating broader enterprise level initiatives and serve as a contact for governments and media in Panama, representing the company on local policy issues along with PGPA.  

Doriana joined Chevron as a Refinery Process Engineer in October of 1999.  In her tenure with the company, she has held different positions within the Downstream Organization, including Retail Business Consultant, Planning Specialist, and Pricing Team Lead.  Doriana’s most recent role was as Marketing Support Manager for Colombia & Central America by taking care of all the areas that provides support to the Sales Business in the region. She received her Bachelor Degree in Chemical Engineering from the Florida Institute of Technology in 1997, and the degree of Master of Business Administration from the Universidad Latina de Panama in 2001.

Mr. Perez is a seasoned executive in supply chain business development with a rich background spanning over two decades. His expertise lies in crafting regional distribution solutions and optimizing operations for global corporations. With an unwavering commitment to fostering the growth of companies in Latin America, he pioneers innovative logistics strategies to expedite market access, enhance safety, and improve overall efficiency. His strategic approach involves aligning logistics processes seamlessly with business objectives. 

Demonstrating proficiency across diverse areas, Mr. Perez excels in regional warehousing, fulfillment, and distribution services, offering inventive logistics solutions, value-added services, light assembly, light manufacturing,  business development, management, government affairs, trade consulting, and business advisory. Education is part of his pillars, he collaborates with well known US Universities in the Supply Chain field.

As the Founding Partner and Chief  Commercial Officer of IPL Group, a leading logistics solutions integrator, he specializes in establishing regional distribution operations and facilitating seamless business activities. IPL Group excels in warehousing, value-added services, order fulfillment, order management, light  assembly, and light manufacturing, all aimed at supporting customer sales and marketing strategies throughout the Latin American region.

Mr. Perez's career boasts a track record of active involvement in over 200 regional distribution projects for prominent enterprise accounts, solidifying his reputation as a driving force in the industry.

Justin Seibert is founder and President of Direct Online Marketing, a Premier Google Partner and Inc. 5000 fastest growing company. DOM has helped clients on every populated continent grow their businesses through digital advertising and marketing since 2006.  Justin has three times been named a top 25 most influential expert in search for speaking at conferences throughout the world.  He serves on the WV District Export Council, has been recognized by the WV Small Business Administration as Exporter of the Year, and received the Export Achievement Certificate from the U.S. Department of Commerce.   Connect on LinkedIn to talk digital marketing or exporting!

Katherine Villalobos serves as a Director for Political Risk Insurance at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation (DFC).   With over a decade of experience in insurance risk management and underwriting, she is responsible for underwriting political risk insurance transactions across all sectors and regions at DFC. Prior to joining DFC, she spent 12 years at Zurich Insurance engaged in both underwriting and portfolio management for the political risk and credit insurance and cyber teams. Before joining Zurich Insurance, she worked on issues pertaining to the Russia and Eurasia regions at the Atlantic Council, a prominent international affairs think tank based in Washington, DC. She holds a M.A. in Russian and Eurasian Studies from the European University at St. Petersburg and a B.A. in International Studies and Political Science from Miami University of Ohio.

Based in D.C., Silvia joined Department of Commerce’s Advocacy Center in October 2022 as the Regional Manager covering Canada, Mexico, Central America, Colombia, Ecuador and Bolivia.

Silvia worked for the Foreign Commercial Service at the U.S. Embassy in Argentina, providing advocacy and business development services to U.S. and Latin American stakeholders for over 13 years. Her achievements include assisting US companies with a registered total of $170 million in exports and investments over a one-year period.

Silvia has extensive experience in business development in information technology, telecommunications, media/broadcasting, and security industries, coupled with solid experience in public-private initiatives. She has also served as a Consultant to the Inter-American Development Bank in the U.S. for several years.

Silvia has a Master’s Degree in International Business from Ecole Nationale des Ponts et Chaussées (ParisTech) and has a post graduate degree in Law of Telecommunications from the University of Buenos Aires Law School.