Young Professionals Panel
Date: December 17th, 2025
Time: 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm
Location: Posner Center for International Development: 1031 33rd St, Denver, CO 80205
About the Event
To what extent do Colorado’s industries contribute to global trade? How is Colorado affected by the constantly changing trade policy landscape? Who are Colorado’s biggest trade partners?
Please join us for a panel discussion with trade policy practitioners, academics, and experts as we explore answers and broaden our collective understanding of geopolitics, international trade policy, and domestic trade happening within the United States.
Our Panelists
Dr. Sasha Breger-Bush, Associate Professor at the University of Colorado Denver
Christian Thomas, Senior Manager of Diplomacy at OEDIT
Sandi Moilanen, Vice President of Operations at World Trade Center – Denver
Kate Rayer, Vice President of Regulatory Services at Green Worldwide Shipping
Agenda of Event
6:00 pm ~ Cocktails, food and networking
7:00 pm ~ Panel starts
7:40 pm ~ Audience questions
8:00 pm ~ Ending Announcements by DCFR
Dr. Sasha Breger-Bush is an international political economist, associate professor at the University of Colorado Denver School of Public Affairs, and current Chair of the CU Denver Faculty Assembly. Sasha’s research deals with distributions of wealth, power, and risk in the global economy, with special attention to food and agricultural systems, international development, trade and finance, global drug markets, and higher education institutions.
Sasha is the author of numerous books and articles focused on a variety of topics from global politics, the War in Ukraine, food deserts in Denver, globalization, and finance. Sasha is also an expert in teaching and learning, including student-centered learning, metacognition, experimental course design, and community-oriented pedagogy, and is the recipient of the 2022 CU Denver Excellence in Teaching Award.
Christian Thomas is the Senior Diplomacy Manager for the Global Development Division in the state of Colorado’s Office of Economic Development & International Trade (OEDIT). His role focuses on leveraging government relations with U.S. and foreign government counterparts and elevating Colorado’s profile for strategic markets to drive investment, including serving as the foreign affairs liaison for Governor Jared Polis. He has a background in international business and public policy.
He’s from Littleton, Colorado, has a bachelor’s degree in International Affairs from CU Boulder and a master’s degree in Public Policy from the Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver. Christian speaks Spanish and Portuguese. In his freetime, he loves to see live music, snowboarding, flyfishing, and traveling.
Sandi Moilanen is the Vice President of Operations of the World Trade Center Denver, where she oversees the daily operations and programs of the organization, develops and implements strategic initiatives and looks for new areas of growth. Prior to joining the WTC, Sandi was the Director of the Colorado International Trade Office, part of the State of Colorado’s Office of Economic Development, where she managed the export promotion and foreign investment attraction activities for the State.
Before her public sector service, Sandi managed international transactions and overseas production planning for apparel manufacturer London Fog-Pacific Trail. She has experience as a Customs Broker and an international logistics agent. Sandi earned a Masters of Business Administration and a Masters of Science in International Affairs degrees from the University of Colorado at Denver. She has a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Puget Sound in Foreign Languages and International Affairs.
Kate Rayer is an accomplished trade compliance leader with over 20 years of experience in global supply chain and logistics. As Vice President of Regulatory Services at Green Worldwide, she serves as a subject matter expert in regulatory compliance, trade remedy measures, and international supply chain strategy. She is dedicated to helping clients minimize regulatory risk and costs while optimizing supply chain performance.
A respected speaker and thought leader on trade compliance and global trade policy, Kate is in high demand for her insights and expertise. In 2025 alone, she has presented at ten events to regional, national, and international audiences, including panels organized by the National Association of Foreign-Trade Zones, the World Trade Center, and the Chamber of Commerce. Her presentations deliver actionable guidance on new tariffs and trade policies, address compliance challenges, and equip businesses to stay ahead of the curve.
*Please visit our Global Affairs Speaker Dinners page to learn about our policies.