CSIS Economic Security and Technology Department Names Angela Paolini Ellard as Non-Resident Senior Adviser

CSIS Economic Security and Technology Department Names Angela Paolini Ellard as Non-Resident Senior Adviser

Photo: CSIS

Press Release - December 15, 2025

WASHINGTON, DC - December 15, 2025 - The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) today announced that Angela Paolini Ellard has been appointed as non-resident senior adviser with the CSIS Economic Security and Technology (EST) Department.

Ellard, who most recently served as deputy director general of the World Trade Organization (WTO), is a globally renowned expert in both trade and international economic policy with nearly four decades of experience resolving trade barriers, negotiating outcomes, and building coalitions across the political spectrum. She brings exceptionalinsight into the evolving architecture of international trade-enriching the EST Department's mission to shape economic security policy in a rapidly shifting global landscape.

"Angela brings unparalleled experience from nearly four decades as a pillar of American trade policy-on Capitol Hill and in the international community. As trade, technology, and national security converge, her expertise building bipartisan coalitions and navigating multilateral institutions is exactly what we need to advance U.S. and allied economic security," said Navin Girishankar, president of the CSIS EST Department.

During her tenure at WTO, Ellard was a key member of WTO's senior leadership team, responsible for high-level negotiations, dispute settlement and reform, trade remedies, and market access. Ellard also oversaw the organization's budget and financial operations, providing transparency and accountability as well as sound fiscal management.

"CSIS has long been known for the rigor and substance of its work and its ability to inform and inspire decisionmakers," said Ellard. "I look forward to collaborating on its research, educational, and policy agenda and solutions-oriented engagements, particularly on trade policy, economic security, and the role of multilateral organizations like the World Trade Organization."

Prior to joining WTO, Ellard led a distinguished 26-year career as majority and minority chief trade counsel in the U.S. Congress. She achieved significant bipartisan trade policy outcomes with congressional leaders across five presidential administrations, including trade agreement negotiation and implementation, development programs, and U.S. trade and customs laws.

Before serving on Capitol Hill, Ellard practiced law at two major U.S. law firms with a focus on trade litigation, policy, and legislation. She earned her JD from the Tulane University School of Law and received her MA from Tulane University and BA from Newcomb College of Tulane University.

CSIS's Economic Security and Technology Department is a center of excellence for strategic insights and policy solutions for the United States and its partners to promote economic dynamism and sustain technological advantages essential to their growth, security, and global influence.

For media inquiries, please contact Sofia Chavez at [email protected].