Abigail Hunter to Lead International Partnerships for SAFE Minerals Center


(April 26, 2023) Today, SAFE announced the addition of Abigail Hunter as Director of International Affairs and Partnerships, a new position within the SAFE Center for Critical Mineral Strategy. Previously, Hunter led federal government affairs for nearly three years as the senior attaché in Washington, D.C., for Quebec, Canada’s most mineral-rich province. There she advocated for more resilient and transparent North American supply chains for critical minerals and other strategic industrial materials.

The creation of the international affairs and partnerships position within the SAFE Minerals Center reflects a growing recognition that overcoming America’s critical mineral supply chain challenges requires bold new approaches to engaging allies and other like-minded nations.  Hunter’s hiring demonstrates a commitment to advancing the core recommendations of the Mineral Center’s inaugural report,  “A Global Race to the Top:  Using Transparency to Secure Critical Mineral Supply Chains,” which was launched at the 2023 SAFE Summit.   In this role she will sustain existing SAFE partnerships and develop new ones to reduce – in a sustainable and ethical way – the free world’s critical mineral dependencies on the People’s Republic of China and other Foreign Entities of Concern.

“Abigail brings immense international expertise to the Critical Minerals Center. We are thrilled to take advantage of her know-how to work productively with allies and likeminded countries to establish diverse, secure critical mineral and battery supply chains.” said Abigail Wulf, Vice President and Director of the SAFE Center for Critical Minerals Strategy.

Hunter’s association with SAFE began as a student fellow in October 2022, when she began providing writing and research support to the SAFE Center for Strategic Industrial Materials, leading to C-SIM’s seminal report on aluminum supply challenges published in February.

Before joining Quebec’s DC office in 2020, she led international programs for the U.S. National Governors Association, where her portfolio included trade negotiations and overseas missions, including governors’ trips to Mexico, Japan, Canada, and Australia.  Next month Hunter will complete a Masters in Sustainable Energy at the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies.  Her paper on North American grid connections was published by JHU’s Initiative for Sustainable Energy.

Additionally, Hunter manages diplomatic membership for the DC Chapter of the Association of Women in International Trade (WIIT) and has been named a climate youth leader by Canada’s National Observer.