Jennifer Knight

As the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Textiles, Consumer Goods, Materials Industries, Critical Minerals and Metals, Jennifer Knight oversees four offices, including the Office of Textiles and Apparel, the Office of Consumer Goods, the Office of Materials Industries, and the newly created Office of Critical Minerals and Metals within the International Trade Administration’s Industry and Analysis Unit.

Knight leads the work to advance the global competitiveness of the U.S. textile and manufacturing industries through the development and execution of international trade and investment policies and promotion strategies.

Through her strategic vision, passionate leadership, and management skills Knight combines her unique understanding of the traditional textile industry with her proven experience in manufacturing and e-commerce to achieve success.

Her previous experience includes leading startups, family-owned, and private equity-owned companies through growth, turnarounds, and ownership transitions as a former C-suite executive. She was previously the president and COO of American Woolen Company and a partner at Newport Board Group, a national professional services firm that provides executive level and Board of Directors advisory services to emerging growth companies. Knight was also founder and president of GetawayStyle, an e-commerce site offering content and product recommendations of Made in the USA, eco-friendly home furnishings to second and retirement homeowners.

Prior to that, Knight spent almost 15 years in the U.S. textile industry leading several companies through growth and turnaround situations. She has navigated challenges in the domestic manufacturing industry and international markets, including setting up operations in Central America and China.

She received a Bachelor of Arts in religious studies and women’s studies from Brown University and earned a Master of Business Administration from Columbia University. Outside of work, she is an avid gardener and hiker along with her wife, Chiqui Cartagena, who is a well-known expert on the U.S. Hispanic market.