Team — PoliteDraft

The PoliteDraft team consists of licensed customs brokers, international trade compliance specialists, and trade data analysts. We are committed to making US tariff data accessible, searchable, and actionable for businesses of all sizes. PoliteDraft is not a licensed customs broker or legal advisor.

Catherine M. Torres — Founder & Lead Analyst

Licensed Customs Broker, International Trade Compliance Specialist

Catherine founded PoliteDraft after 12 years of experience in customs brokerage and trade compliance, including nearly a decade at a leading Washington, DC customs brokerage firm. She holds an active customs broker license issued by U.S. Customs and Border Protection and has advised hundreds of companies on HTS classification, tariff optimization, and trade compliance strategy. Catherine oversees all editorial content and data accuracy at PoliteDraft, ensuring every tariff rate and trade compliance note is verified against official USITC sources and current CBP rulings.

David Chen — Senior Data Analyst

International Trade Researcher

David brings over 8 years of experience in international trade research and data analysis. He previously worked as a trade policy analyst at a major industry association, where he tracked Section 301 tariff developments, anti-dumping and countervailing duty orders, and FTA implementation. At PoliteDraft, David manages the data aggregation pipeline, monitors Federal Register tariff actions, and ensures our 35,536-row USITC database is parsed accurately and updated promptly when new revisions are published.

Maria Rodriguez — Regulatory Affairs Specialist

Compliance Specialist

Maria has 10 years of experience in import compliance and regulatory affairs, including roles at a Fortune 500 importer and a customs compliance consulting firm. She specializes in CBP entry compliance, C-TPAT program requirements, and forced labor supply chain due diligence under the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA). Maria reviews PoliteDraft's chapter-specific trade compliance notes and ensures our editorial content accurately reflects current CBP enforcement priorities and regulatory requirements.

James Wilson — Technical Review Specialist

HTS Classification Expert

James is a former CBP import specialist with 9 years of experience in HTS classification at the National Commodity Specialist Division. He has issued hundreds of binding ruling decisions across Chapters 84, 85, and 90 — the most classification-intensive chapters in the HTS. At PoliteDraft, James conducts technical review of classification guides, verifies complex GRI interpretation notes, and contributes to our chapter-specific FAQ content. His expertise ensures that our classification guidance aligns with CBP's current interpretive positions.