Gorka Meneses, PhD
Carolina
Summary
Experienced Supervisory Import Specialist with a strong background in trade enforcement and compliance. Managed teams to enhance border security through investigations and policy analysis. Expertise in intellectual property rights and collaboration, resulting in improved operational readiness and compliance culture.
Overview
8
8
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Supervisory Import Specialist
Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Customs and Border Protection
San Juan
04.2026 - Current
Forced Labor Coordinator
Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Customs and Border Protection
Jacksonville
10.2018 - 04.2026
- Transitioned from uniformed law enforcement officer to Forced Labor Coordinator, leveraging 9 years of experience in San Juan, PR, Edmonton Alberta, Canada, and Port Everglades, FL to manage forced labor exclusions, detentions, and complex UFLPA/WRO investigations.
- Protected the U.S. market and American businesses from unfair competition and malicious intent by supervising appraisals on detentions and import seizures of counterfeit and pirated goods, enforcing exclusion orders on patent-infringing and other IPR violative goods, and imposing trade protections of the intellectual property rights of American businesses while upholding American innovation and ingenuity.
- Improved border security and integrity of products on U.S. market by preventing entry of products made with forced labor, investigating suspicious products, acting upon allegations of forced labor in supply chains, appraising imported articles, and determining correct tariff classification while adhering to federal guidelines based on Court of International Trade cases and Customs and Border Patrol laws.
- Managed priority trade issues by enforcing Tariff Act provisions, regulations on merchandising value, quota limitations, and intellectual property protections, determining merchandise admissibility and making critical import-related decisions.
- Researched and planned several special operations by communicating and coordinating with other government agencies (e.g. Consumer Product Safety Commission, Food and Drug Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, and others), resulting in major seizures involving intellectual property rights violations and commercial trade enforcement actions.
- Developed efficient enforcement efforts on Anti-Dumping and Countervailing revenue evasion by analyzing trade import data to generate multi-million dollar 19 U.S.C. 1592 administrative penalty cases and criminal case referrals for import trade related violations (related to issues of undervaluation, transshipment, substitution and other import evasion schemes).
- Supervised 6-member enforcement team HCA remotely (Miami, FL, Savannah, GA, Boston, MA, Dallas Forth Worth, TX) and in person(Miami, FL) responsible for reviewing detentions and exclusions of the Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act (UFLPA) to establish a rebuttable presumption that the importation of any goods, wares, articles, and merchandise mined, produced, or manufactured wholly or in part in the Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of the People’s Republic of China, or produced by certain entities, is prohibited by Section 307 of the Tariff Act of 1930 and that such goods, wares, articles, and merchandise are not entitled to entry to the United States. Managed team of Import Specialists to enforce and protect U.S. customs and border, U.S. trade laws, and Federal revenue.
- Coordinated enforcement actions with Customs and Border Patrol components by developing investigative plans, ensuring transparent communication with agency officials, and fostering collaboration with legal staff across government departments.
TDY Instructor
Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Customs and Border Protection
North Charleston
02.2025 - 03.2025
- Delivered a range of specialized training modules that enhanced the knowledge and professional capabilities of CBP personnel across multiple disciplines in trade enforcement and compliance.
- As part of Regulatory Audit Basic Training (RABT) 2501, I instructed critical foundational lessons, including the Importation Process, Entry Process, and Professionalism. These sessions focused on educating new auditors on the lifecycle of goods entering the United States, the legal and procedural requirements for entry, and the importance of maintaining integrity, accountability, and professional conduct in regulatory environments.
- Facilitated instruction in Basic Import Specialist Training (BIST) 2502 on Prior Disclosures (PD), emphasizing self-reporting violations and penalty mitigation, while leading modules on Trade Preference Program – Tariff Shift to clarify eligibility under trade agreements. Guided sessions on Antiterrorism roles and Commercial Enforcement Analysis (CEAR), equipping trainees with strategies to identify and address trade violations.
- Delivered advanced training in Advanced Trade Fraud Course (ATFC) 2502 on The Enforcement Mindset and Detecting Violations, highlighting proactive analytical skills. Led case development instruction under 19 USC 1592(d), outlining the legal framework for fraud investigations and the process for preparing cases and measuring resolution effectiveness, ensuring participants could assess enforcement outcomes and compliance improvements.
- Applied subject matter expertise to enhance operational readiness of CBP personnel, fostering compliance culture and supporting national security through professional development of trade enforcement professionals.
Education
Ph.D. - Human Services
Albizu University
Miami, FL12-2024
M.A. - Criminal Justice
Interamerican University
San Juan, PRB.A. - Psychology
Interamerican University
San Juan, PRSkills
- Lesson plan creation
- Curriculum development
- Grading
- Teaching materials
- Training
- Advising
- Enforcement division
- International trade policies
- Border security
- Trade operations
- Forced labor
- Intellectual property rights
- Copyright
- Trademark
- Merchandise assessment
- Merchandise pricing
- Merchandise categorization
- International trade
- Import noncompliance
- Mass merchandising
- 1592 penalties
- Trade evasion issues
- Customs enforcement
- Homeland security
- Policy analysis
- Law interpretation
- Regulation management
- Directive delegation
- Data interpretation
- Investigation
- Merchandise tracing
- Data management
- Project management
- New hire training
- Team management
- Team coordination
- Employee evaluation
- Mentoring
- Leadership
- Planning
- Organization
- Problem solving
- Personnel management
- Company transitioning
- Team coordination
- Negotiation
- Interpersonal communication
- Oral presentation
- Written communication
- Communication technology
- Advanced technology
- Specialized tools
- Automated systems
- Databases
- Research materials
- Enforcement techniques
- Manuals
- Automated targeting system
- Import Cargo (IC)
- Cargo trend analysis
- Entry summary dashboard
- Mobile exam findings
- Import Targeting
- Intelligence framework
- SEACATS
- TAP 2000
- CARS
- ACE
- TECS
- Self-assessment program
- Microsoft Teams
- Microsoft Word
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Outlook
- SharePoint
Affiliations
Beta Beta Alpha Chapter-Tau Upsilon Alpha (TUA), 03/01/20 - present, National Organization for Human Services Honor Society awarded to doctoral students who demonstrate academic excellence and promote service to humanity.
Certification
- Advance Trade Fraud Training Course (ATFC) Class-2501, Department of Homeland Security, Customs & Border Protection, Trade and Cargo Academy, 01/01/25, North Charleston, SC
- Resume and Interview Development Training- Virtual RIDT course, Department of Homeland Security, Customs & Border Protection, OFO-EEOCD, 01/01/24
- Trade Enforcement Training Course (TETC) Class-1701, Department of Homeland Security, Customs & Border Protection, Advanced Training Center, 01/01/16, Harpers Ferry, WV
- Trade Preference Program Training Class-1602, Department of Homeland Security, Customs & Border Protection, Advanced Training Center, 01/01/16, Harpers Ferry, WV
- Counterfeit Identification Training for Ray-Ban and Oakley, Luxottica North America, 01/01/16, Miami, FL
- Intellectual Property Rights Violation Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security, Customs & Border Protection, Advanced Training Center, 01/01/16, Harpers Ferry, WV
- The Michael V. Gallaher Project-Train the Trainer, Department of Homeland Security, Customs & Border Protection, 01/01/15, Miami, FL
- Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Enforcement Training, Department of Homeland Security, Customs & Border Protection, 01/01/13
- Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), Canada Fish & Wildlife Service, 01/01/10, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
- Introduction to Presentation Skills (IPS), Department of Homeland Security, CBP, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), 01/01/08, Glynco, GA
- Weapons of Mass Effect (WME), Department of Homeland Security, CBP, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), 01/01/08, Charleston, SC
- Detecting Deceptive Responses (DDR), Department of Homeland Security, CBP, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), 01/01/08, Glynco, GA
- INTERDICT RADACAD, Department of Homeland Security, CBP, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center HAMMER BASE, 01/01/08, Richland, WA
- Hazardous Material Coordinators Training (HAZMAD), Department of Homeland Security, CBP, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC), 01/01/08, Charleston, SC
- National Roundtable Discussion on Public Safety, National Governors Association Center for Best Practice, 01/01/00, Naples, FL
- National Seminar on Terrorism and Explosives, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (ATF) and Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), 01/01/00, San Juan, PR
- Analytical Investigative Techniques I, Multi-Jurisdictional Counter-Drug Task Force, 01/01/99, St. Petersburg, FL
- Total Quality Management, The Government of Puerto Rico, 01/01/96, San Juan, PR
Core Competencies
remote/online learning, classroom management, lecturing, lesson plan creation, curriculum development, grading, teaching materials, training aids, training, advising, enforcement division, international trade policies, border security, trade operations, forced labor, intellectual property rights, copyright, trademark, merchandise (appraisal, valuation, classification), imports/exports, import violations, consumer products, mass merchandising, forced labor, 1592 penalties, Anti-Dumping and Countervailing revenue evasion issues, U.S. customs and border protection, homeland security, policy analysis, law interpretation, regulation management, directive delegation, data analysis, investigation, merchandise tracing (e.g. purchase orders, point of sales, bill of sales, etc.), data processing, project management, new hire training, group management/coordination, performance evaluation, coaching, leadership, planning, organization, problem solving, professionalism, personnel (payroll, medical, benefits, timecards, scheduling, employee wellness checks), company transitioning, team coordination, negotiation, interpersonal, oral presentation, written, telecommunication, advanced computer and technology, job-specific equipment, automated systems/databases, research materials, enforcement techniques, manuals, English (fluent), Spanish (fluent), Italian (reading, conversational fluency)
Software Skills
Automated Targeting System (ATS), Import Cargo (IC), ATS Cargo Trend Analysis (CTA), ATS Entry Summary Dashboard, ATS Mobile Exam Findings, Import Targeting, Analytical Framework for Intelligence (AFI), SEACATS, TAP 2000, CARS, ACE, TECS, Importer Self-Assessment (ISA), Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Word/Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint, Outlook, SharePoint
Veterans Preference
Yes
Federal Experience
Yes
Clearance
Secret Clearance, Department of Homeland Security, 08/01/07, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Awards
- The Commercial Enforcement Analysis and Response (CEAR) Team, 07/01/13, Cash award from Miami APD.
- 8 Hour Time Off Award, 2013, Awarded for significant contributions with PTI of Health and Safety, assessing $3.2 million on liquidated damages.
- The Director’s Award, 10/01/12, Presented to the trainee who best practiced and represented the values honored by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
- Employee of the Month, 02/01/10, Granted by Port Director Adam Rottman for exemplary work.
- Employee of the Month, 10/01/10, Granted by Port Director Adam Rottman for exemplary work.
- Commissioner’s Unit Citation, 06/01/06, Awarded for outstanding professionalism and high-quality work performance.
Training
- Import Specialist (BIST-1204), Department of Homeland Security, U.S. Customs & Border Protection Office OF Fields Operations, 10/01/12, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) - Charleston, SC
- Immigration Inspector, U.S. Department of Justice, 09/01/03 - 11/01/03, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) - Glynco, GA
- U.S. Customs & Border Protection Officer, Department of Homeland Security, 09/01/05, Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) - Glynco, GA
- U.S. Army Primary Leadership Development Course, U.S. Army, 01/01/00, Fort Allen - Juana Diaz, PR
- U.S. Army Advanced Individual Training (AIT), Honor Graduate, U.S. Army, 01/01/99, Fort Jackson - Columbia, SC
- U.S. Army Basic Training, U.S. Army, 01/01/98, Fort Jackson - Columbia, SC
Presentations
- Human Trafficking and Criminalization: A Qualitative Research Study on the Current Training for First Responders of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Virtual Symposium Poster Presentation - 5th Annual South Florida Student Research Symposium, Albizu University, Miami, FL, 06/12/21
- It’s time to Speak About Human Trafficking, Virtual Symposium Presentation, Annual Teach-A-Rama Gamma Omicron Chapter NSPDC, Inc. Albizu University, Miami, FL, 11/14/20
Personal Information
Citizenship: US Citizen
Timeline
Supervisory Import Specialist
Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Customs and Border Protection
04.2026 - Current
TDY Instructor
Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Customs and Border Protection
02.2025 - 03.2025
Forced Labor Coordinator
Department of Homeland Security/U.S. Customs and Border Protection
10.2018 - 04.2026
Ph.D. - Human Services
Albizu University
M.A. - Criminal Justice
Interamerican University
B.A. - Psychology
Interamerican University