CONTACT

The Trade Development Alliance is located in downtown Seattle in the Rainier Tower Building. Here is how you can get in touch with us.

General inquiries

Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle
1301 Fifth Ave., Suite 1500
Seattle, WA 98101 USA

Phone: 1-(206)-389-7301
Email: [email protected]

Staff

Sam Kaplan

President
Sam Kaplan became president of the Trade Development Alliance in June 2011. Prior to the Trade Alliance, Sam worked as a legislative assistant handling foreign affairs and trade issues for now retired U.S. Representative John Miller. Sam’s most recent screenplay, Please Hold, won Best Comedy Script in the Indie Short Film Competition.

Responsibilities: Guides strategic organizational planning, manages staff and operations, International Study Mission lead, International Regions Benchmarking Consortium lead
Speaks: English (native), German (elementary)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-(206)-389-7306

Samantha Paxton

Programs Coordinator
Samantha Paxton graduated from the University of Washington and pursued graduate work in Russian and Central Asian Studies at the University of Texas, Austin. Prior to the Trade Alliance she worked in international development. She serves on the board of the Foundation for International Understanding through Students and the Seattle Tashkent Sister Cities Association.

Responsibilities: Programs; inbound delegation assistance; FDI Working Group lead
Speaks: English (native), French (limited working), Spanish (limited working)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-(206)-389-7319

Tamara Thorhallsson

Special Projects and Communications Coordinator
Tamara Thorhallsson graduated from the University of Washington with a degree in Political Science and a minor in International Studies. Prior to joining the Trade Alliance, she interned in the Office of International Relations and Protocols at the University of Washington. Tamara grew up in Hawaii and has dual citizenship with Iceland.

Responsibilities: Communications, International Leadership Missions
Speaks: English (native) Icelandic (limited working)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-(206)-389-7301

Dana Rubin

Inbound and Outbound Manager
Dana received her B.A. from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Anthropology and Spanish, and her M.A. in International Education from the School for International Training in Brattleboro, VT. She worked for over a decade in international higher education, specifically in the development of study abroad programs for university students. Many of those years were spent at Northwestern University as the Assistant Director of Study Abroad and following that, at the University of Washington as Regional Lead for European Programs & Exchanges. Dana has lived and worked in many countries around the world including Australia, Mexico, Italy and Spain but has been a resident of Seattle for the past six years. The opportunity to combine her education, passions, and experiences on the job is what she loves most about working with TDA.

Responsibilities: Inbound Delegation Visits & Outbound Business Missions
Speaks: English (native) Spanish (fluent) Italian (working knowledge) Hebrew (introductory)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-(206)-389-7289

Lilly Liu

Member Relations
Lilly holds a MBA and a BA in International Relations. Prior joining TDA, she had worked in international business for both Chinese and American companies and international trade finance for Bank of America.

Responsibilities: Membership, Member Relations
Speaks: Chinese (native) English (fluent)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-(206)-389-7227

Jess Frain

Communications & Administrative Specialist
Jess graduated from Montclair State University with a degree in Psychology (Family & Child Studies). She has just recently completed a certificate in Web Design. Prior to the Trade Development Alliance she worked at FareStart/Catalyst Kitchens where she administrated their CRM database and designed their communications.

Responsibilities: Website/Database, Board Liaison, Graphic Design
Speaks: English (native) Spanish (elementary)
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 1-(206)-389-7307

Map & Directions

View Larger Map  |  Get Directions  |  View Bird’s Eye

From I-5 Northbound

  • Take the Seneca St. exit #165.
  • At the end of the ramp turn right at the stop light onto 6th Avenue.
  • Travel two blocks north to Union Street.
  • At Union Street, turn left and go to 5th Avenue.
  • Turn left at 5th Avenue.
  • The Trade Alliance is co-located with the Seattle Metro Chamber in the Rainier Tower. The Rainier Tower is at the corner of 5th Avenue and University Street.
  • From the lobby, please take one of the elevators in the south bank (marked 12-24). The office is on the 15th floor.

From I-5 Southbound

  • Take the Union Street exit #165B.
  • Once off the ramp, you will be at 7th Avenue and Union Street.
  • Travel two blocks west to 5th Avenue and turn left.
  • The Trade Alliance is co-located with the Seattle Metro Chamber in the Rainier Tower. The Rainier Tower is at the corner of 5th Avenue and University Street.
  • From the lobby, take one of the elevators in the north bank (marked 12-24). The office is on the 15th floor.