Author: Mitchell Silk

Mitchell Silk is former Assistant Secretary for International Markets and Development at the U.S. Department of the Treasury (2017-2020), and was the first Hassidic Jew to ever serve in a Presidentially nominated and Senate-confirmed role. At Treasury, Mitch advanced U.S. interests on financial stability, trade, development, and regulatory issues, while promoting growth, particularly through global energy and infrastructure financing agreements. Mitch led the major effort to craft a major new trade agreement with China. He designed a large inter-agency initiative through which the United States helped dozens of Latin American and Asian countries unleash value in their energy and infrastructure sectors. He also built and implemented the $94 billion program (under the CARES Act) to assist American aviation during the pandemic, saving more than 700,000 American jobs. Mitch is a regular speaker on infrastructure and energy throughout the world, and a leader in the orthodox Jewish community. He has served in many leadership roles in Jewish organizations around the world, and is currently active in pro bono legal work for Jewish families and organizations in the US. Mitch is fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese Chinese, although his favorite language is Yiddish, and a connoisseur of the fine art of food diplomacy. Mitch lives in Brooklyn, New York. He and his wife, Yocheved Rivka, are the proud parents of eight children and seven grandchildren.