Julia K. Hughes

Julia K. Hughes "is the President of International Development Systems, Inc., which has a proven international reputation as the resource for companies, trade associations and countries when they need the latest information regarding trade statistics and government regulation of textile and apparel products. Additionally, Ms. Hughes serves as Vice President, International Trade and Government Relations for the United States Association of Textiles and Apparel (USA-ITA), where she leads the development of new strategies to liberalize trade in textiles and apparel. Prior to joining IDS, Ms. Hughes was Divisional Vice President of Government Relations for the Associated Merchandising Corporation (AMC), the largest retail merchandising, marketing and consulting organization in the world.

"Since 1982, Ms. Hughes has represented the interests of textile and apparel importers on quota and textile issues to government officials, both in the United States and overseas. She has testified before Congress and the Executive Branch on textile trade issues. Ms. Hughes is also recognized as an expert in textile and apparel issues and is a frequent speaker at international conferences, including the Apparel Sourcing Show, Foreign Service Institute, Foreign Trade Association, National Association of Manufacturers, USIA's Worldnet, the International Textiles and Clothing Bureau, Society for International Development and others.

"Ms. Hughes also served as the first President of the International Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT) and is one of the founders of the Washington Chapter of Women in International Trade (WIIT), receiving the Outstanding Woman in International Trade award in 1992. Ms. Hughes' other affiliations include Member and Officer of the Cotton Board and Cotton Board Executive Committee as well as Member of the Capitol Forum. Ms. Hughes has an M.A. in International Studies from the Johns Hopkins' School of Advanced International Studies and a B.S. in Foreign Service from Georgetown University." 

She is also a director of CIPE.