Leon Skarshinski is the Senior Commercial Officer (SCO) for the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service (FCS) at the U.S. Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine. In this role, he leads all trade promotion, commercial diplomacy, advocacy and U.S. investment initiatives including those with a relevant military/defense related nexus. Previous tours include serving as SCO in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and as D/SCO in Lima, Peru, overseeing all industry sector initiatives and service provision. Prior, he served in Beijing, China and the Trade Compliance Center of the U.S. Department of Commerce (2004 – 2006).
From 2007-2015 he served as a consultant, implementing development projects throughout the globe. He spent three years embedded in the Botswana Ministry of Trade, serving as a Senior Trade Advisor, involved in trade negotiations, policy development and private sector dialogue. In Nigeria, he managed a $4 million trade facilitation program. Subsequent assignments brought him further throughout Africa, Asia, Europe and Haiti, implementing projects for the World Bank, DFID and USAID.
In the 90’s Leon had a former “life” with a major advertising agency and an international performing troupe. While in Ukraine, he looks forward to playing a leading role in building U.S. prosperity by strengthening trade ties between the United States and Ukraine.