Southern Border Conference

     Cindy utilizes her 30+ years of audit experience to assist clients in strengthening internal control programs to ensure U.S. Customs compliance. She works with clients to identify risks in import operations and develop compliance manuals and procedures. Cindy has prepared prior disclosure documentation and statistical samples using the same EZ-Quant software used by U.S. Customs, prepared transaction value reconciliations covering multiple types of value adjustments, prepared cost submissions and computed value reconciliations, and conducted comprehensive special trade program reviews in response to U.S. Customs inquiries. Her technical expertise of the U.S. Customs audit process has helped clients achieve favorable audit results.

     Before forming Deleon Trade, Cindy served as a Senior Auditor and Assistant Field Director of U.S. Customs and Border Protection’s Regulatory Audit Division in Chicago for 12 years. While working at U.S. Customs she conducted and supervised multiple focused assessment audits, quick response audits, fraud investigations, free trade agreement reviews, drawback audits, NAFTA audits (US, Canada, and Mexico), and prior disclosure reviews of Fortune 500 and midsize companies. In addition, she designed and led the mentoring and recruiting programs for the Chicago field office and conducted advanced training sessions on technical audit issues and special trade program audits. During her time at Customs, she was trained in Advanced Focused Assessments, Advanced Value, Quick Response Audits, Evaluating Internal Controls (a COSO/SOX based approach), Management Leadership, Advanced Fraud, and Advanced Statistical Sampling.
Education
B.S., Accounting, DePaul University, with High Honors
Awards & Honors
U.S. Customs Commissioner's Award, National Audit Planning Award, Automated Audit Documentation Award, Various Audit-Specific Awards

     George R. Tuttle, III is an attorney with the San Francisco Bay Area law firm of Tuttle Law.

The firm’s practice centers on international trade regulation and customs law. Our practice is global and includes matters originating both in and outside the United States. 
His practice, for the past 38 plus years, with emphasis is on Customs, international trade regulation, and export compliance matters for importers, exporters, brokers and forwarders. He has a wide range of experience in customs matters, including customs duties, tariff classification, value, marking, and penalty cases involving such diverse products as electronics, textiles, and food products. He also works with companies on “other agency” compliance issues, such as TSCA, FDA and FCC, related to imported products. He assists importers, brokers, and exporters develop and implement trade compliance programs, participates in Customs’ Importer Self Assessment (ISA) program, C-TPAT, and prepares for Focused Assessments and audits by CBP and other governmental agencies.
Mr. Tuttle is a contributing author for the ABA/Section on International Law publication: U.S. Customs: A Practitioner’s Guide to Principles, Processes, and Procedures, 2nd Ed (2016), Chapter 2 (Clearing Customs: importation, entry, and liquidation) and Chapter 9 (Customs Audits); and the publication: United States Export Controls, 7th Ed., (Law Journal Press), Chapter 11, Foreign Trade Regulations and the Automated Export System (AES).
Mr. Tuttle has been speaker on Customs and Export matters for various trade and education groups, including PAEI, WIT-NC, AAEI, ICPA, NCBFFA and various West Coast Customs Brokers associations on numerous occasions.
Mr. Tuttle is currently co-chair of the Customs Committee for the ABA’s Section on International Law.

Additional information about Mr. Tuttle can be found at www.tuttlelaw.com .

Vicky Wu, a rigorously capable and experienced Partner at our firm, has underscored her aptitude for trade compliance through her exceptional work on risk and trade compliance assessments. She has pioneered comprehensive risk and compliance assessments, leading to the development of all-encompassing compliance programs for major corporations.

Career Highlights
Encompassing a broad array of issues related to international trade compliance, Vicky's expertise gives her a formidable edge while dealing with import laws and export controls. She confidently represents firms before several key governmental agencies, such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Department of State’s Directorate of Defense and Trade Controls, Department of Commerce’s Bureau of Industry and Security, and Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Controls. Having spent a decade in the realm of trade compliance, Vicky’s significant accomplishments within the trade compliance sector span across various industries. These broad-ranging engagements have endowed her with a well-rounded perspective, enabling her to tackle unique challenges and offer industry-specific solutions. Her initiatives have not only helped businesses remain compliant but have also significantly reduced potential risk exposure.

Her role involves not only overseeing the regulatory compliance of businesses but also involves education and training of the workforce. With exceptional communication skills and a flair for making complex subjects graspable, Vicky often conducts training sessions to educate staff about trade compliance best practices. Her capacity to communicate effectively has ensured a deep-rooted understanding of trade compliance within the teams she has worked with, thus reinforcing adherence to regulations. Vicky has consistently demonstrated her leadership abilities, leading cross-functional teams towards trade compliance, and has been pivotal in institutionalizing processes that help organizations maintain compliance. She commands respect due to her unique skill set, hands-on approach, and the palpable impact has had on each organization's trade procedures. She has a proven ability to develop and implement strategic compliance goals, ensuring that organizations stay ahead amid constant regulatory changes.

Credentials
Vicky earned her LL.M in International Law from the University of Houston Law Center and attended law school at St. Mary’s University School of Law, where she served on the editorial board for the St. Mary’s Minority Law Review. Vicky received her B.A. from Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas. She speaks Mandarin Chinese and is licensed to practice before the Supreme Court of Texas and the United States Court of International Trade

     Coley Anderson, Director of Industry and Government Relations & Enterprise Solutions Specialist for Registrar Corp. 
Mrs. Anderson focuses on educating foreign governments, trade associations, and individual companies about U.S. Food and Drug Administration regulations since 2007.
In addition to English, she speaks fluent Spanish and has conducted dozens of seminars on U.S. FDA food regulations in Latin America, Australia, Asia and the United States.
Mrs. Anderson is based at Registrar Corp's headquarters in Hampton, Virginia.

Mirna J. Custis is the Director of Cosmetics and Medical Device Services at Registrar Corp, where she leads both divisions in supporting global clients with U.S. FDA and Health Canada regulatory compliance. She was appointed to this dual leadership role in 2025 after serving as Director of Cosmetic Services and previously as Medical Device Division Manager.

Since joining Registrar Corp in 2010, Mrs. Custis has held key roles across both sectors. She began her career assisting with FDA Prior Notices and later guided thousands of medical device companies through complex regulatory processes, including Registration, Device Listing, UDI, eMDR, Import Alerts (DWPE), and Health Canada licensing.

In 2023, she was named Director of Cosmetic Services, where she played a central role in helping over a thousand companies comply with the Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA). Her leadership now spans both divisions, ensuring clients receive expert guidance tailored to their industry needs.

Mrs. Custis holds an Associate Degree in Business Administration from Everest College and a Regulatory Affairs Certificate in Medical Devices from the Regulatory Affairs Professionals Society (RAPS).

     JAMES AMYX is a senior associate with Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., resident in the Houston office.

Mr. Amyx provides legal guidance to clients on a number of import-related matters, including tariff classification, valuation, country of origin and origin marking, requests for rulings and internal advice, and trade remedies. He also assists with compliance and enforcement issues, including developing and implementing import compliance procedures, submitting prior disclosures, and responding to CF-28s, CF-29s, and penalty and pre-penalty notices.

Mr. Amyx also advises clients on U.S. export control issues, including economic sanctions as well as restrictions maintained under the Export Administration Regulations and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations.

Prior to joining ST&R Mr. Amyx served for more than a decade with a Houston-based firm, most recently as a senior associate. He holds a J.D. from the University of Houston Law Center and a B.S. in economics from Texas A&M University. He is a member of the bar in Texas and an active member of the American Bar Association, the International Compliance Professionals Association, the Houston Customs Brokers & Freight Forwarders Association, and the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America.

Robert Stein is Vice President of Braumiller Consulting Group. He has over 36 years of experience in Customs brokerage, freight forwarding, and consulting. With a broad base of trade experience, Robert is an expert in import and export compliance, Foreign Trade Zones (FTZ) and bonded warehouses, duty drawback, HTS classification, Incoterms, and Free Trade Agreements.

He has helped businesses with duty and tariff mitigation strategies including FTZ feasibility studies, FTZ and bonded warehouse implementation, duty drawback, and tariff engineering strategies.
Robert is an active podcaster and regular speaker in the trade community, participating in many live and web-based events throughout the year.
He is a licensed Customs broker, Certified Customs Specialist, Certified Export Specialist, NAFTZ Operator and User Committee member, and an active participant in the NEI.

After many years of filing papers, making copies, and underpaid teenaged labor, Kristi officially joined J.W. Allen & Co., Inc. in 2001 upon her graduation from the University of Holy Cross. Over the course of her career at JW Allen, Kristi developed extensive experience with importing and exporting products ranging from poultry, chemicals, and project cargo to wood products, textiles and apparel, and offshore vessel supplies. Today, Kristi is the Chief Operations Officer as well as a Licensed Customs Broker. Kristi also has the honor to serve as Vice President of the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America (NCBFAA).

Following in her father’s and CEO’s footsteps, Kristi strongly believes in both professional and civic involvement. Not knowing how to say “NO” along with a desire to promote and advocate for trade and transportation at the local, state, national, and international level, Kristi serves in leadership positions with various trade and economic develop organizations as well as government appointments. She is an unashamed trade nerd, yet her passion is promoting investment and advocating for the growth of trade in her home state of Louisiana.

J.W. Allen is a family-owned company and Kristi is very proud to be following in her father’s footsteps. Kristi is a third-generation freight forwarder and customs broker who was born and raised in New Orleans. She loves to travel the world, eat good food, and cheer on the New Orleans Saints. Kristi is the proud mother of her son, Christian, and her handsome Great Dane, Merlin.

With over 30 years of insurance industry experience, Kathleen Dorman is the AVP Regional Product Manager, Surety Bonds for Roanoke (Houston, TX), specializing in customs bonds. She joined the industry in 1985 as Bond Manager for Trade Insurance. Kathleen’s areas of responsibility included underwriting, marketing and customer support for local and national accounts in the area of customs bonds and professional liability insurance. Kathleen graduated from Texas A&M University with a business degree and is a licensed Property and Casualty agent in the State of Texas.

"The most satisfying aspect of my job comes from helping a customer. Customers entrust us with their business, and answering their questions and solving any problems that may arise is my personal responsibility and highest priority."

Federico (Kiko) C. Zuniga graduated in 1979 from Texas A&M University, where he earned a Bachelors of Business Administration Degree in Finance. After college, he worked at the Union National Bank of Laredo as a Bank Loan Officer in the International Department. In 1983 he joined his father and brother in F. Zuniga Inc. CHB and became a licensed broker and one third partner in 1984, He is currently a 50% owner of F. Zuniga Inc., He is also a 50% partner in Diamond Distribution Center in Laredo, Texas

Currently Federico Zuniga is in charge of Business Development for the Educational Institute at the NCBFAA (The National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America). Zuniga served as Executive Director of the NCBFAA Educational Institute from 2011 thru 2022, Zuniga served as Chairman of the NCBFAA from March of 2006 thru March of 2010. He now serves as a Senior Counselor for the Board. Before his Position as Chairman, Zuniga served the NCBFAA as President from March of 2002 till March 2006. Federico also served as Vice President and Treasurer of the NCBFAA. Zuniga participated on many committees within the organization such as, the Customs Committee (as a member, as well as Chair), Audit and Conference Committees. He has also chaired the NCBFAA PAC.

Zuniga is also a past Chairman of IFCBA (The International Federation of Customs Brokers Association) a position he held for four years. Prior to serving as Chairman of IFCBA, Federico served as a Managing Director for four years.

Prior to his involvement with the NCBFAA, Zuniga was the President of the Laredo Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association. He was also instrumental in the addition of a new region within the NCBFAA organization (region 8 encompassing the southern border of the United States) at which time he began his service on the Board of Directors of the NCBFAA.

Federico Zuniga served on the Department of Homeland Security COAC Committee, which has oversight on matters of International trade from 2004 thru 2008.

In addition to his role with F. Zuniga Inc., The Laredo Brokers and Forwarders Association, NCBFAA, and IFCBA Federico Zuniga has been and continues to be involved in many trade related as well as civic related organization. A few of the organizations he is involved with are the following:

• Past board member of The Laredo Development Foundation.
• Past board member of The Boys & Girls Club of Laredo.
• Past National Advisory Board member of BBVA Compass (Banco Bilboa Vizcaya Argentaria)/Compass. A bank with US$69 billion in assets and primarily located in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, New Mexico, and Texas

Dennis McKenzie is the Deputy Executive Director, Cargo & Conveyance Security (CCS) within the Office of Field Operations (OFO), U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP). He was promoted to that position on June 22, 2015. CCS is responsible for all the cargo release functions at the ports of entry throughout the United States. Providing daily oversight over six divisions that form the backbone of CBP's cargo processes. These 6 divisions: Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT), Trade Operations Division (TOD), Fines Penalties & Forfeitures (FPF), Manifest and Conveyance Security (MCS), Cargo Security and Control (CSC) and the Cargo Innovation are complex in nature blending both enforcement and facilitation.

Prior to this assignment, Mr. McKenzie had been the Director, Fines, Penalties and Forfeitures Division, within OFO since October 2003. As the Director, he was responsible for oversight and policy initiation of all aspects of the Fines, Penalties and Forfeiture process to ensure proper management control and accountability of all seized property and penalties enforced by the law enforcement officers of CBP and ICE. Mr. McKenzie was charged with providing oversight, reviewing national policies and procedures and coordinating policy changes and issuances across all disciplines within CBP with regard to the seized property program.

In addition, Mr. McKenzie served as the Director, Seized Property Systems within the Office of the Commissioner, of the U.S. Customs Service from August 2000 until September 2003. As the Director, Mr. McKenzie chaired the Commissioner's Seized Narcotics/Property Task Force. The taskforce monitored all aspects of the Customs seized property program, developed strategies on major policy issues, and made recommendations to the Executive Oversight Board for Seized Property.

Mr. Bradford Slutsky, is currently serving as Director, Cargo Security and Control Division (CSCD) within Cargo and Conveyance Security (CCS) at OFO Headquarters, Washington, D.C. since November of 2022. Prior to this position he was most recently the Director of the CBP Watch, a centralized office in CBP for information coordination and emergency management also in Washington D.C. Mr. Slutsky moved to the Washington D.C. area in 2015, where he served at the CBP National Targeting Center Cargo Division as a Chief Watch Commander. In this role he was responsible for targeting application development and deployments and risk segmentation procedures. Prior to arriving the D.C. area, Mr. Slutsky held various management positions in the Port of New York/Newark where he also stood up an Outreach program to enhance stakeholder engagement and collaboration.

Mr. Slutsky holds a Master of Arts degree in Human Resources Training and Development (Police Graduate Studies) from Seton Hall University, New Jersey, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Criminal Justice with a Business minor from Stockton University, New Jersey.

Fernando A. Thome assumed his current position as the El Paso Field Office’s Assistant Director, Field Operations for Trade (ADFO-Trade) in March 2022. In this capacity, ADFO Thome plans and implements Trade enforcement and compliance strategies, operations, and evaluations to support achievement of senior leader strategic objectives. While in his current position, ADFO Thome has also performed several critical detail assignments, to include a recent three-month collateral detail as the El Paso Field Office’s Assistant Director, Field Operations for Mission Support, in which capacity he provided critical senior level leadership for the Mission Support Office and its 29 team members at a time of significant leadership transition and functional realignments; and a full-time detail assignment of five months as the Chief of Staff for the Region 6 Lead Field Coordinator operations group, in which capacity he guided and directed staff in support of interagency migration response operations.

Mr. Thome began his career with U.S. Customs and Border Protection at the Port of El Paso in September 2003 as a U.S. Customs & Border Protection Officer. He was promoted to Supervisory CBP Officer where he oversaw the Port of El Paso's tactical unit; the Anti­ Terrorism Contraband Enforcement Team (A-TCET).

During his time with A-TCET, he was responsible for collaborating with interagency assets, along with interagency law enforcement partners to address short notice or quickly developing high-risk enforcement situations. After his assignment to A-TCET, and in recognition of his leadership abilities, Mr. Thome earned the promotion to Chief Supervisory CBP Officer at the Port of El Paso where he provided a higher­ level oversight to all aspects of Port operational and administrative functions. This was a result of his ability to process high volumes of information while leveraging his ability to provide guidance/direction in a quick-paced environment. He was assigned as the operational lead for the El Paso Field Office’s Operation Center; a center for reporting, checks and balance for all Ports of Entry within the jurisdiction of the Director, Field Operations. Mr. Thome' s other assignments within the El Paso Field Office include, Acting Port Director for the Port of Albuquerque, NM, Border Security Coordinator and as Port Director for the Area Port of Santa Teresa, NM.

Armando Goncalvez is the Assistant Director, Trade and Cargo Security, for the Tucson Field Office (TFO). ADFO Goncalvez oversees all trade, agricultural, compliance, enforcement, and facilitation activities at six land border ports and two international airports within the TFO’s area of operations.

ADFO Goncalvez supports international trade and tourism, overseeing numerous CBP trusted traveler/trader programs such as Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism, Secure Electronic Network for Traveler’s Rapid Inspection, Free and Secure Trade and Unified Cargo Processing. The development and growth of these programs reenforces the stability of the United States’s domestic economy, protects national security, and enhances the ability of officers on the field to take enforcement action swiftly and efficiently. The impact of these programs and ADFO Goncalvez’s leadership is more pronounced than ever with current trade policy goals.

ADFO Goncalvez began his federal career with the legacy Immigration and Naturalization Service in 1988. He transferred to the legacy U.S. Customs Service in 1991, serving as an inspector in Hidalgo, Texas. In 1995, ADFO Goncalvez became involved with the U.S. Customs Industry Partnership Programs, serving as a team leader supporting the Americas Counter Narcotics Smuggling Initiative. He helped to develop the Land Border Carrier Initiative Program and the Business Anti-Smuggling Coalition programs, before transferring to the TFO in 2003.

In total, ADFO Goncalvez has over 37 years of government service, of which more than half has been in support of international trade and tourism initiatives.

In April 2020, he was selected as Assistant Director Field Operations - Trade for the Laredo Field Office and ensures that all eight ports of entry process trade commercial transactions in a consistent and efficient manner. The Laredo Field Office processes the largest volume of commercial cargo along the U.S. – Mexico border.

Mr. Armando Taboada Jr. has over 38 years of federal government service and began his career with the U.S. Customs Service at the Port of Laredo, Texas as a U.S. Customs Coop Inspector in January 1987 and ultimately as a U.S. Customs Inspector in August 1988.

In May 1992, he joined the Import Specialist section in Laredo, Texas and gained vital experience on trade compliance and enforcement programs and was promoted to Supervisory Import Specialist in May 2002 and detailed to work alongside Homeland Security Investigations.

In September 2016, Mr. Taboada was selected as Center Director for the Machinery Center of Excellence and Expertise (CEE). As the CEE Director, he supervised a highly diverse staff of 200 CBP professionals located across the nation at over 40 ports of entry in a virtual environment and responsible for 73,000 importer accounts.

Mr. Taboada is a graduate of Laredo State University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice in May 1988 and graduated Summa Cum Laude. In 2013, 2016, and 2019, Mr. Taboada received the Commissioners Unit Citation Award for the development of the Essential Elements of Information for the Priority Intelligence Requirements, implementation of the Automated Commercial Environment (ACE) Program, and Commissioner’s Annual Award. Finally, in July 2023, he was temporarily assigned to Customs Headquarters in Washington DC where he served as Trade Operations Director under Cargo Conveyance and Security.

Mr. Juan J. Porras has served as the Director for the Machinery Center of Excellence and Expertise since November 2018.  As the Center Director, he supervises a highly diverse staff of 217 CBP Trade professionals to include Import Specialists, Entry Officers, Operation Specialists, and National Account Managers who are located across the nation at over 40 Ports of Entry and are responsible for all trade processes within the Machinery industry. 

The Machinery Center of Excellence and Expertise serves as a single point of processing for importers of commodities related to the machinery industry.  For FY2024 the Machinery Center had oversight of over 70,000 importer accounts, processed close to 40 million entry lines with an entered value of $365 billion, and collected $12 billion in duties.   The objective of the Center is twofold – 1) Advance National & Economic Security and 2) Pursue Fair & Legitimate Trade. This is accomplished on a national scope through an account basis with an emphasis in Enforcement, Engagement and Experience.

Mr. Porras previously served as the Assistant Center Director for the Machinery Center from January 2017 to November 2018 where he directed the Validation and Compliance Branch. He supervised 19 center teams and emphasized enforcement in trade, engagement with ports and trade stakeholders, and the continuing education of Machinery Center personnel.

Mr. Porras began his CBP career with the US Customs Service as an Import Specialist at the Port of Laredo in January 1996. In 2003, Mr. Porras was promoted to Import Specialist Team Leader and was assigned to the Import Specialist Enforcement Team (ISET). In 2007, Mr. Porras was selected as a Supervisory Import Specialist to oversee the ISET. During his tenure with ISET as both a Team Leader and a Supervisor, Mr. Porras directed and coordinated enforcement actions for commercial violations discovered at the ports of entry within the Laredo Field Office. These enforcement actions included pursuit of penalties and seizures of violative merchandise as well as commercial fraud investigations. Mr. Porras made the transition to the Machinery Center in October of 2014 as a Supervisory Import Specialist.

Mr. Porras is a graduate of Texas A&M University at College Station, Texas where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree and a Master of Science degree in Agricultural Economics with emphasis in International Trade. He is married to Sheri Porras and has two children, Caitlyn and Justin.

Neto Roser began his career in the customs broker industry in the family business in 1974… He became a licensed broker in 1977. He started his own business in 1986 and was the first Customs Broker in the Laredo Customs District and second broker along the Southern Border to be approved for Automated Broker Interface (ABI) the same year. He merged his company with his partner, John F Cowen in 1997 to form Roser and J Cowen Logistical Services Ltd… He has been Past President (8 terms) of the Brownsville Licensed Brokers Association. He is a Past Vice President of the Texas Brokers Conference Association… He is a Past Director of the National Customs Brokers Forwarders Association of America representing Area 8 (Southern Border). He is currently on the NCBFAA Customs Committee representing Area 8 and on the Trade Support Network (TSN) Committee, Business Resumption Sub Committee, the Multi Modal Manifest Sub Committee, National Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (CTPAT) Sub Committee and National Nominating Committee… He was selected to participate in three Special Customs Operations Advisory Committee (COAC) Work Groups on the Role of the Broker, Revenue Modernization and on the Work Outages Group….
Currently he is on the COAC In Bond Group, COAC FTZ/Bonded Warehouse Group, NCBFAA TIB Group, and NCBFAA Vetting Group…
He also runs an underground group called the Border Broker Brothers (the BBB’s), which assists Southern Border Brokers on common issues within their areas.

Neto and his wife, Gail, reside in Harlingen Texas. Meghan Roser has returned from Indiana to work with Roser & J Cowen Logistical Services Ltd in their Hidalgo office. He and Gail are grandparents to Mason James and Colton Thomas Wheeler… He and Meghan graduated from Saint Joseph’s College in Rensselaer Indiana ’74, Meghan class of ’05…
He retired after 20 years coaching the Junior Varsity Boys and Junior Varsity Girls Basketball at Saint Joseph Academy (alma mater) in Brownsville…
He is currently back playing on the tennis circuit...

LAWRENCE HANSON is Of Counsel for Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A., resident in the Houston office, where he specializes in international trade and import and export regulations.

Mr. Hanson assists clients in the handling of penalty and liquidated damages claims; the detention, seizure, and forfeiture of merchandise; and audits, civil and criminal investigations, and similar actions taken by federal agencies that regulate imports and exports. He also assists with federal import and export licensing, permit, and registration requirements. He conducts privileged internal compliance reviews for importers, exporters, and other international trade participants, and he offers his experience and judgment toward the development of international trade-related compliance programs.

Mr. Hanson has more than 38 years of experience in international trade law, including more than 20 years running his own firm. Earlier in his career he served as assistant regional counsel for the U.S. Customs Service (now U.S. Customs and Border Protection), where he provided legal advice to Customs personnel including port directors, import specialists, inspectors, special agents, and fines, penalties, and forfeiture officers. He was also involved in the handling of civil and criminal investigations, audits, and other administrative actions; was cross-designated as a special assistant U.S. attorney representing Customs in U.S. federal district court; and conducted internal training programs for Customs personnel, including the customs law course at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center.

Since 1993 Mr. Hanson has been a member of the faculty at the University of Houston Law Center, where he teaches law school courses in U.S. import regulation and U.S. export controls. He has also lectured on international trade legal issues at other colleges and universities, governmental organizations, and public seminars as well as privately for corporate and trade organizations for almost 30 years.

Mr. Hanson is licensed to practice law in the states of Illinois and Texas and is admitted to practice in the Southern District of Texas, the Northern District of Illinois, the Court of International Trade, the Fifth and Seventh Circuit Courts of Appeals, and the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit. He holds a J.D. from Chicago-Kent College of Law, Illinois Institute of Technology, as well as a B.A. in political science and economics from Northern Illinois University.

Mr. Hanson is currently a member of various American Bar Association working committees that relate to customs, import and export regulation, and international trade; has served as vice chair and then chair of the ABA Customs Committee; and co-chaired the Court of International Trade Bar Association’s Customs Committee. He also serves as U.S. counsel to the International Compliance Professionals Association. His other leadership experience in the field includes leading the Customs and International Trade and International Law sections of the State Bar of Texas as well as the U.S.-Mexico Bar Association and its Customs Committee.

Mr. Hanson is also an active participant in other professional organizations, including the International Compliance Professionals Association, the American Institute for International Steel, the American Association of Exporters and Importers, the American Petroleum Institute, and the National Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association of America

Joseph “Jay” Acayan is a Partner at Roberts & Kehagiaras LLP with over 25 years of experience in international trade law and customs compliance. Based in Houston, Texas, Jay advises clients on import and export compliance, regulatory enforcement, and supply chain security. Jay is also Customs Counsel for the Laredo Licensed U.S. Customs Brokers Association.

A graduate of Rice University (B.A. 1987) and the University of Houston Law Center (J.D. 1993), Scott began working for Robert Givens in 1988 and together they formed Givens & Johnston, PLLC, which continues a Houston U.S. international trade law practice that dates to 1974. G&J’s attorneys assist clients at the administrative level before federal agencies including Customs and Border Protection (“CBP”), International Trade Administration (“ITA”), Bureau of Industry and Security (“BIS”), Directorate Defense Trade Controls (“DDTC”), and others, respecting a wide variety of civil importation and exportation trade issues. G&J also provides subject matter support to criminal counsel representing clients with potential criminal exposure stemming from U.S. international trade law enforcement issues. Scott has written or contributed to legal articles on U.S. international trade regulation topics and regularly speaks to trade organizations and other groups on these topics

Matías Gallegos is a customs and international trade attorney based in Houston, Texas. Fluent in Spanish and originally from Santiago, Chile, he advises clients on complex matters before U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS), the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls (DDTC), the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), and other trade-related agencies. His work spans tariff classification, valuation, country of origin determinations, drawback claims, prior disclosures, antidumping/countervailing duty (AD/CVD) issues, and penalty mitigation.

On the export side, Matías counsels clients on the Export Administration Regulations (EAR), International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), and U.S. economic sanctions programs, with experience handling deemed exports and the transfer of controlled unclassified information. He also supports companies in developing compliance programs, conducting internal reviews, and providing training on export licensing, sanctions screening, technical data handling, and anti-bribery/anti-corruption (ABAC).

Matías is recognized for his creative business-oriented approaches, bringing a mosaic perspective to compliance that balances regulatory requirements with practical commercial outcomes. He earned his J.D. from South Texas College of Law Houston, where he served on the editorial board of CURRENTS: Journal of International Economic Law and received academic pertaining to International Law and International Corporate Compliance. He is licensed to practice law in the State of Texas and the District of Columbia.