Highlight: DOC’s “Spotlight on Commerce” Series Features EDA Women that are Making a Difference

EDA’s female employees play a vital role in leading economic development all over the country. Our team has a diverse variety of backgrounds, and their personal and professional experiences help shape creativity in conducting economic development.

In celebration of National Women’s History Month, read about some of the impacts our women are making on American communities:

Irette Y. Patterson, Program Analyst for the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms Program

Irette is a Program Analyst for the Trade Adjustment Assistance for Firms program (TAAF). The program assists firms that have been negatively impacted by foreign trade. Irette is responsible for reviewing documentation from firms petitioning for technical assistance through the program to ensure they qualify for the program. She also provides technical assistance to grantees, reviewing progress reports, processing payment requests, assisting in the writing of the program’s Annual Report to Congress, submitting notices to the Federal Register, and making sure the policy manual for the program is up-to-date.

Read more about Irette’s story on the DOC Spotlight page from March 22.

Emily Miller, Policy Advisor for Strategic Initiatives, Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship

Emily brings a wealth of hands-on entrepreneurial experience to the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (OIE). While on deployment in the U.S. Army in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Emily led an engineering platoon in Basra, Iraq, building infrastructure for the local populace and our military allies such as roads, airfields, and other off-base projects. During her second tour, Emily joined Cultural Support Teams, allowing them to interact with Afghan women and children. Adding women to the formerly all-male team enable the U.S. Special Operations team to overcome cultural obstacles, and gather information on terrorist activities in local communities. During her two deployments to Afghanistan supporting 75th Ranger Regiment, Emily came face-to-face with the economic hardships encountered by the Afghan people.

Read more about Emily’s story on the DOC Spotlight page from March 27.

Jessica Falk, Area Director for the Austin Regional Office

Jessica is one of the Area Directors with the Austin regional team and she oversees the grant portfolio for the states of Oklahoma, New Mexico and Northwest Texas. It was always Jessica’s goal to work with economically distressed communities and help improve their quality of life, but it was a long, winding path to the EDA.

Jessica began her career as an AmeriCorps VISTA member in an elementary school in Wisconsin, helping bridge the reading gap between the affluent children and their counterparts living in poor, underserved, communities. During that year, she saw how well-meaning policies failed to account for the reality on the ground. From there, Jessica attended law school to gain a better understanding of law, policy and its interpretations.

Read more about Jessica’s story from the DOC Spotlight page from March 29.