The U.S. Department of Commerce’s United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) welcomes new members for the Patent Public Advisory Committee (PPAC) and the Trademark Public Advisory Committee (TPAC).
New PPAC members
The USPTO welcomes two new members to the Patent Public Advisory Committee:
- Jeremiah Chan
- Tracy-Gene Durkin
Mr. Chan is the Associate General Counsel and Director, Head of Patents at Facebook. Ms. Durkin is the practice leader of the Mechanical & Design Practice Group at the law firm of Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox P.L.L.C.
In addition to the new members, the USPTO is pleased to announce that Julie Mar-Spinola, the former PPAC Vice Chair, will serve as PPAC Chair, and Jennifer Camacho will serve as PPAC Vice Chair. There are five other returning PPAC members: Steven Caltrider, Bernard Cassidy, Mark Goodson, Dan Lang, and Jeff Sears. Finally, the USPTO thanks Marylee Jenkins, former PPAC chair, and Bernie Knight, former PPAC member, who have completed their terms, for their years of outstanding service to the committee, the USPTO, and the public.
PPAC public sessions for 2020 have been scheduled for February 6, May 7, August 13, and November 19. View the PPAC member biographies on the PPAC members biographical page.
New TPAC members
The USPTO welcomes three new members to the Trademark Public Advisory Committee:
- Dinisa Hardley Folmar
- Jennifer L. Kovalcik
- Susan M. Natland
Ms. Folmar is the Head of Intellectual Property at The Hershey Company. Ms. Kovalcik serves as Vice President Technology & Intellectual Property Counsel for Community Health Systems. Ms. Natland is a Partner and Co-Chair of the Trademark and Brand Protection Group at Knobbe Martens.
In addition to the new members, the USPTO is pleased to announce that Elizabeth Roth Escobar, the former Vice Chair, will serve as TPAC Chair, and Christopher Kelly will serve as TPAC Vice Chair. There are four other returning TPAC members: Anne Gilson LaLonde, Donna A. Tobin, Stephanie Bald, and Kelly Walton. Finally, the USPTO thanks Bill Barber, former TPAC Chair, and Ilene Tannen and Brian Winterfeldt, former TPAC members, who have completed their terms, for their years of outstanding service to the committee, the USPTO, and the public.
TPAC public sessions for 2020 have been scheduled for February 7, April 17, July 24, and October 30. You can view the TPAC member biographies on the TPAC members page.
The Public Advisory Committees for the USPTO were created through the Patent and Trademark Office Efficiency Act statute in the American Inventors Protection Act of 1999 to advise the Secretary of Commerce and the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO on the management of patent and trademark operations. The Public Advisory Committees review the policies, goals, performance, budget, and user fees of the patent and trademark operations, respectively, and advise the director on these matters. Each committee has nine voting members who are appointed by, and serve at the pleasure of, the Secretary of Commerce. Each member serves a three-year term.
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