Executive Biographies

Learn more about the USPTO leadership by reading members' biographies.

Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Michelle K. Lee

Michelle K. Lee

Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

As the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Michelle K. Lee provides leadership…

Portrait of Russell Slifer

Russell Slifer

Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

As Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office, Russell Slifer provides strategic…

Photo Portrait of Vikrum Aiyer

Vikrum D. Aiyer

Chief of Staff

Vikrum D. Aiyer is Chief of Staff of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in the U.S. Department of Commerce. Arriving from the White House, Aiyer previously served as…

Andrew Hirshfeld portrait

Drew Hirshfeld

Commissioner for Patents

Drew Hirshfeld is Commissioner for Patents for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He was appointed to this position in July 2015. As Commissioner for Patents, Mr.…

Mary Boney Denison

Mary Boney Denison

Commissioner for Trademarks

Mary Boney Denison is the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Commissioner for Trademarks. Ms. Denison oversees all aspects of the USPTO’s Trademarks…

Shira Perlmutter

Shira Perlmutter

Chief Policy Officer and Director for International Affairs

Shira Perlmutter is the Chief Policy Officer and Director for International Affairs at the USPTO. In that position, Ms. Perlmutter serves as a policy advisor to the…

Frederick Steckler

Frederick Steckler

Chief Administrative Officer

Fred Steckler is the Chief Administrative Officer for the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). He is responsible for the delivery of all administrative service…

Patrick Ross portrait

Patrick Ross

Chief Communications Officer

Patrick Ross is the Chief Communications Officer of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). He is responsible for the development and implementation of…

Anthony P. Scardino

Anthony P. Scardino

Chief Financial Officer

Anthony P. Scardino is the Chief Financial Officer (CFO) for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). He serves as principal advisor to the USPTO Director…

John Owens II

John Owens II

Chief Information Officer

John B Owens, II was appointed Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the USPTO in December, 2008.  As the CIO, Mr. Owens is the principal advisor to the USPTO on the…

Sarah Harris

Sarah Harris

General Counsel

As USPTO's General Counsel, Sarah Harris is the principal legal advisor to the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO. She…

Bismarck Myrick

Bismarck Myrick

Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity

Bismarck Myrick became the Director of the Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity (formerly: the Office Civil Rights) at the U.S. Patent and Trademark…

David Ruschke portrait

David P. Ruschke

Chief Judge for the Patent Trial and Appeal Board

David P. Ruschke is Chief Judge for the Patent and Trial Appeal Board (PTAB). He was appointed to the position in May 2016. As Chief Judge, Dr. Ruschke leads the PTAB…

Portrait of Gerard Rogers

Gerard F. Rogers

Chief Administrative Trademark Judge

Gerard Rogers is the Chief Administrative Trademark Judge of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB). He was appointed to the position in November 2010 after serving…

Kelley

Nathan Kelley

Deputy General Counsel for Intellectual Property Law and Solicitor

Nathan Kelley became the Deputy General Counsel for Intellectual Property Law and Solicitor in November 2013 and was reappointed to that position in May 2016 after…

John Cabeca portrait

John Cabeca

Director of the Silicon Valley United States Patent and Trademark Office

As the Director of the Silicon Valley United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), John Cabeca carries out the strategic direction of the Under Secretary of…

Molly Kocialski portrait

Molly Kocialski

Director of the Rocky Mountain Regional United States Patent and Trademark Office

As the Director of the Rocky Mountain Regional United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), since January 2016, Mollybeth (Molly) Kocialski carries out the…

Official Photo Portrait of Dr. Crystal Sheppard

Christal Sheppard

Director of the Elijah J. McCoy Midwest Regional United States Patent and Trademark Office

Dr. Christal Sheppard joined the USPTO in 2015 as Director of the Midwest Regional USPTO in Detroit.  Prior to joining the USPTO she was an assistant professor of law…

Hope Shimabuku portrait

Hope Shimabuku

Director of the Texas Regional United States Patent and Trademark Office

As the Director of the Texas Regional United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), Hope Shimabuku carries out the strategic direction of the Under Secretary of…