During a recent trip to Los Angeles, Secretary Pritzker participated in two armchair discussions about the role the Department of Commerce plays in advancing American leadership around the globe.

First, Secretary Pritzker spoke at the UCLA Anderson School of Management, where she sat down with Judy Olian, the school’s dean, as part of the Dean’s Distinguished Speakers Series. In front of an audience of more than 400 students, faculty, staff, and alumni, she answered questions about the skills gap, America’s manufacturing resurgence, the corporate tax rate, the U.S-China relationship and immigration.

She also spoke about her personal experience as Commerce Secretary and how her MBA degree has helped her throughout her career.

Later that day, Secretary Pritzker discussed commercial diplomacy with Terry Duffy, Executive Chairman and President of the CME Group, at the Milken Institute’s Global Conference 2015. The Milken Institute is a nonprofit, nonpartisan think tank determined to increase global prosperity by advancing collaborative solutions that widen access to capital, create jobs and improve health.

Secretary Pritzker talked about how the U.S. must embrace a multi-dimensional approach to global leadership that utilizes commerce as an essential tool to meet policy goals. She also highlighted ways that business leaders can leverage their knowledge and on-the-ground relationships to advance common U.S. interests abroad.