Vanessa Stiffler-Claus
Director, International Affairs, John Deere
Vanessa Stiffler-Claus is Director, International Affairs for John Deere. In this capacity, she directs the company’s political engagement and advocacy in all regions outside of the United States. In addition, she leads John Deere’s Global Public Affairs Council, and manages the company’s international trade and regulatory policy and business-government development issues in global markets. Prior to this role, Vanessa was Manager, Federal Affairs, responsible for U.S. legislative and regulatory advocacy related to energy and environmental issues. Vanessa recently returned to Washington, DC, following a three-year assignment in Deere's European Headquarters in Mannheim, Germany. She was an active leader in industry efforts to address trade challenges and opportunities between the U.S. and EU, and with Russia and the CIS, as well as in promoting awareness of the opportunities presented by precision agriculture.
Prior to joining John Deere in 2007, she served as legislative counsel with CH2M HILL, an engineering-design-construction firm, focusing on water and environmental policy issues.
She earned a Juris Doctor in environmental law from the University of Maryland, and attended graduate school at the University of Mannheim (Germany) and the American University focusing on international policy.