Franklin L. Lavin

Frank Lavin is an American diplomat, international business advisor, author, and public speaker who served as the White House Political Director from 1987 to 1989, United States Ambassador to Singapore from 2001 to 2005, and as Under Secretary for International Trade in the U.S. Department of Commerce from 2005 to 2007. Lavin held senior roles in the Reagan, George H. W. Bush, and George W. Bush administrations, focusing on foreign policy, trade policy, and White House operations. In the private sector, he has held leadership positions in corporate banking and e-commerce. Lavin is a frequent commentator on trade, U.S. foreign policy, and U.S. politics.

Lavin earned a B.S. from the School of Foreign Service at Georgetown University; a M.S. in Chinese Language and History from Georgetown University; an M.A. in International Relations and International Economics from the School of Advanced International Studies at the Johns Hopkins University; and an M.B.A. in Finance at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.