ImpactReport
2022 - 2023

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Welcome
Dear IPO friends and colleagues,
We are excited to share with you the IPO Impact Report, a new publication thatlooks back on the achievements and activities of the past year.
As a broad-based industry association, IPO is uniquely positioned to advocate for anIP system that promotes innovation and the development of new technologies,
provide member services to educate and shape the IP bar, foster diverseengagement, and develop the next generation of leaders.
Karen CochranIn this publication, activities dedicated to influencing policy in the U.S. andIPO President
internationally and the partnerships that enabled us to educate a broader audience arehighlighted. We celebrate the members who volunteered their time to work on committees, develop new
resources for members, mentor their colleagues, and share best practices. IPO membership, a global communityof in-house and outside counsel, inventors, and patent agents from all industries and fields of technology, is
now more than 12,000 strong and making a difference in the future of the IP profession and the innovation
ecosystem.

We thank everyone who helped advance our mission in 2022, from the Board ofDirectors, to committee leaders, to our partners and sponsors and our members
who made time to engage with their colleagues and peers in the IPO community.
We look forward to seeing you in Boston, MA on September 10-12 at the IPO
Annual Meeting.
Karen Cochran, President
Jessica Landacre, Executive Director
Jessica Landacre,
IPO Executive Director

Report Highlights
Helped lead international harmonization activities including efforts to implement a global
assignment, expand e-signatures, and institute common definitions to frame AI policy discussions.
Filed 11 submissions with the USPTO responsive to requests for comments on topics including
artificial intelligence, patent and trademark fees, ensuring robust and reliable patent rights,
expanding opportunities to practice, patent subject matter eligibility guidance, and electronic
issuance of trademark registrations.
Filed three amicus briefs at U.S. Supreme Court in two trademark cases and one patent case.
Developed a partnership with WIPO to host a public virtual event “Exploring the Future ofInnovation Driven Growth and the Role of IP.”
Collaborated with USPTO and Department of Commerce on the Women Entrepreneur
Initiative (WE) to offer a pilot mentoring program.
Published New Toolkits and Resources: Diversity in Innovation Toolkit 2.0; Practical Guide toDiversity and Inclusion: Hiring and Retention; Diversity in the European Innovation
Industry and IP Profession; The Myth of Meritocracy in Law Firms and Corporate LegalDepartments; Chief IP Counsel in a Box Toolkit.

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Shaping the Future of IP

US Advocacy
IPO advocates for high-quality and enforceable intellectual property rights, and predictable legal systems
for all industries and technologies. In the U.S., IPO’s government relations program touches all branches ofthe federal government, including the U.S. Congress, the White House and executive branch agencies, andthe judiciary. IPO seeks to foster cross-industry collaboration on key policy issues to improve the IP systemand to focus on a wide range of IP rights and technologies.
Priority policy issues include ensuring fair, balanced, predictable, andefficient administration of USPTO post-grant proceedings; opposing
TRIPS modifications and advocating for evidence-based discussions
regarding these modifications and compulsory licensing measures;combatting the sale of counterfeit goods and misuse of brands;clarifying that the right to repair does not authorize infringement of IPrights; urging clarity in how secrecy of trade secrets and confidential
information can be maintained in light of proposals to ban non-competeclauses that could impact non-disclosure agreements; confronting IP
issues arising from rapidly evolving artificial intelligence technology,

Samantha Aguayo
IPO Deputy Exec. Director &Chief Policy Counsel

including inventorship, ownership, and sufficiency of disclosure; andfollowing case law developments and possible legislative action on
patent subject matter eligibility.

2022-2023 Accomplishments:
Helped to secure full funding for USPTO in FY2022.
Developed and communicated positions to help balance diverse industry
viewpoints concerning the Restoring the America Invents Act and PTAB
Reform Act.
Supported INFORM Consumers Act, which passed Congress inDecember 2022.
Filed 11 submissions with the USPTO responsive to requests forcomments on topics including artificial intelligence, patent andtrademark fees, ensuring robust and reliable patent rights, expanding
opportunities to practice, patent subject matter eligibility guidance, andelectronic issuance of trademark registrations.
Filed three amicus briefs at U.S. Supreme Court in two trademark casesand one patent case.
Filed comments with FTC regarding non-compete clause rule.

www.ipo.org

Shaping the Future of IP

International
Advocacy
IPO advocates in the US and around the world on behalf of members to judicial, legislative, andadministrative bodies for predictable legal systems that are responsive, cost-effective, and efficient.
IPO advocates for harmonization of IP laws and procedures through its
participation in the Industry Trilateral and IP5 Industry (which address
harmonization of patent laws and procedures) and in stakeholder
meetings, such as those with the ID5 and TM5 (which address industrial
design and trademark issues). Through its committees, IPO also monitors
international developments in IP, prepares comment letters to be filed
around the world, holds meetings with government officials andstakeholder groups here and abroad, organizes webinars on trending
topics, and submits comments for consideration by the U.S. Trade
Representative as part of the Special 301 Report process. It also regularly

Tom Valente
Senior Director for Global
Affairs

participates in meetings at the World Intellectual Property Organization.

2022-2023 Accomplishments:
Opposed modifications to TRIPS and held meetings with US
Government officials to articulate position.
Helped lead international harmonization activities
including efforts to implement a global assignment, expand
e-signatures, and institute common definitions to frame AI
policy discussions.
Held European Practice Committee Conference and Virtual
Innovation Dialogue with China.
Submitted comments to USTR on IP issues around theIPO meets with Japan Intellectual Property
Association (JIPA) in Washington, DCglobe.
Weighed-in on compulsory licensing issues in different
jurisdictions.
Filed comments in, for example, China and Europe.
Held joint event with WIPO on IP and Innovation.

www.ipo.org

Shaping the Future of IP

Meetings & Events
IPO offers a variety of in-person and virtual education and networking
opportunities throughout the year where IP professionals from aroundthe world come together to discuss strategies, trends, and best practices.
Continuing legal education (CLE) course content is available on topics
including patents, trademarks, copyrights, industrial designs, tradesecrets, artificial intelligence, ethics, diversity and inclusion, professional
development, and corporate IP management and operations.
Megan Griggs
Director of Meetings & Events

IP Chat Channel™ - IPO’s online
education resource. Live and ondemand webinars are free for all IPO
members. IPO hosted 26 webinars in2022 and 14 in the first half of 2023.
IPOwners Spring Summit™ - The annual one-day conference isdesigned to allow all legal professionals to understanddevelopments relevant to, and the needs of, in-house IP counsel intoday’s business environment.
IPO Annual Meeting – The annual three-day meeting offers a mix
of 25+ educational programs and workshops, committee meetings,networking opportunities, exhibits, and more.

Mark your calendar for the 2024
IPOwners Spring Summit™ inWashington, DC on March 7

www.ipo.org

Shaping the Future of IP

Committee Conferences
IPO committees are active in hosting meetings and events around theworld along with webinars that can be viewed from anywhere.
European Practice Committee Conference - held its
annual conference in 2022 in Munich, Germany
with 60 attendees. Mark your calendar for October
20, 2023 in The Hague for the next meeting.
Asian Practice Committee - hosted several virtual
Innovation Dialogue Meetings with China in 2022.
2023 meetings will be announced soon.
Corporate IP Management Committee - held two
virtual roundtables in 2022. One on “IP Work
Trends Post COVID-19” and the other on “KeyPerformance Indicators (KPIs) for Effective
Corporate IP Management and Operations.”
Leadership Development Committee - hosted awebinar on “Flexible & Effective Leadership
Strategies” in 2022 and a social networking eventwith small group discussions on topics such as selfawareness, self-management, social awareness,and relationship management.
Industrial Designs Committee - co-organized
USPTO’s annual Design Day. The event was held
virtually in 2022 and in-person at the USPTO in2023.
Diversity & Inclusion Committee - Hosted two
webinars on the Myth of Meritocracy in 2022 and2023.

www.ipo.org

European Practice Committee LeadersAdvancing Diversity
Equity & Inclusion
IPO is dedicated to creating a more inclusive innovation ecosystem and developing the next
generation of diverse leaders. IPO committees, such as the Women in IP Committee, Diversity
Equity and Inclusion Committee, Leadership Committee, Patent Agent Committee, andCorporate IP Management Committee, among others, have developed outstanding resources
for organizations and individuals to make a difference.

2022-2023 Education and Resources:
Diversity inInnovation Toolkit
Practical Guide toDiversity & Inclusionin the Legal
Profession: Hiring &Retention

Diversity in theEuropean Innovation
Industry and IP
Profession

Jessica Landacre, Executive Director speaks at
USPTO Women Entrepreneur event. Photo
Credit: Jay Premack/USPTOWebinars
How to be an Ally: Part One, Part Two, and Part
ThreeFlexible & Effective Leadership Strategies Post2020

Diversity Pledge
IPO is partnering with USIPA topromote the Diversity Pledge.

Introduction to Myth of the Meritocracy in theLegal Profession
The Myth of the Meritocracy Part 2 – countering
myths and Overcoming Bias
Operationalizing DEI: A Solutions-Based Strategy
IPO’s D&I Committee’s Hiring and Retention Guide
More webinars can be found on IPO.ORG

www.ipo.org

Shaping the Future of IP

Developing IP Leaders
IPO provides training, mentoring, and relationship building thatdevelops a diverse pipeline for the next generation of leaders!
2022-2023 Accomplishments:
Developed a new Mentor-a-Member program thatmatches experienced IPO members with early
career members in all fields and industries of IP. 97
pairs matched.
Collaborated with the USPTO and Department ofCommerce Women Entrepreneur Initiative (WE) tooffer a pilot mentoring program.
Created a New Leadership Development
Committee.
Partnered with WIPO Global Innovation Index
2022-Exploring the future of innovation-driven
growth and the role of IP.

Fostering Diverse Engagement
IPO Fosters Diverse Engagement in Policy,
Best Practices and Benchmarking andNetworking!
Supported IDEA Act to authorize USPTO to collectdemographic information for patent applicants on a voluntarybasis to track progress in expanding diversity and inclusion inpatenting.
Encouraged members to provide demographic information andnominate themselves or colleagues to speak on IPO programs.
Submitted comments to USPTO supporting expanding STEM requirements for patent bar.
Hosted virtual networking events for members unable to travel.
Created Patent Agents Committee and five diversity and equity resource groups. (See the full list andhow to join!)
Created DEI webpage on IPO website to improve access to resources!
Education on section 101 legislation with thought leaders from different perspectives.

www.ipo.org

IPO Education Foundation, a non-profit 501(c)3, was formed in 2000 as a subsidiary of Intellectual
Property Owners Association. IPOEF is devoted to programs to promote innovation and creation by,within, and for underrepresented communities to drive innovation and economic prosperity in thesecommunities and beyond.

IPOEF Led Programs:2022 Award Celebration

Stroke of Genius® podcast
Top Episodes Include:
Reading, Writing, and...
Intellectual Property?
Diversifying the Future ofAnnual Awards Celebration highlight accomplishmentsin the fields of IP, innovation, and creativity. IP
practitioners, IP professionals, government officials, andattendees from all over the world take part in thisfundraising event to support the work of IPOEF.

Innovation
The Healing Power ofInventor of theYear
Luke Haverhals
Natural Fiber Welding

Patents

Student Programs:
Free IP Patch Curriculum
TryEngineering Together E-Mentor Program
Scholarships for students to attend invention summer camp
Collaborations with partners to create educational materials

Inventor of theYear
Aaron Amstutz
Natural FiberWelding

like Lessons in IP Strategy
Executive of the Year
Sanjay MehrotraMicron Technology, IncIP Champion
Dr. Gary Michelson
Michelson Institute for IP

Mercedes Meyer (IPOEF Board Member, Banner Witcoff), left,
at Innovation Fair January 2023 and middle school students,right, who attended the invention and IP summer camp 2022

Become Involved:
www.ipoef.org
or email Foundation@ipo.org

Inspiration Award
Terrica Carrington
Copyright Alliancewww.ipo.org

Board of Directors
3M Innovative Properties - Yen Florczak
Amgen, Inc. - Stuart Watt
Apple Inc. - Jeff Myers
AT&T - Scott Frank
Bayer Intellectual Property GmbH - Aseem
Mehta
BP America, Inc. - KaRan ReedBridgestone Americas, Inc. - Thomas
Kingsbury
Bristol-Myers Squibb Company - HenryHadadCargill, Incorporated - Daniel Enebo
Caterpillar Inc. - Kelsey Milman
Corning Incorporated - Thomas Beall
Dell Technologies - Krish Gupta
Dolby Laboratories - Tyrome Brown
Dow Chemical Co. - Darryl Frickey
DuPont - Jessica Sinnott
Eaton Corporation - Kaveh Rashidi-Yazd
Eli Lilly and Co. - Tonya Combs
Enventys - Louis Foreman
Ericsson - Robert Earle
Evoqua Water Technologies LLC | Xylem Gary Ganzi
Exxon Mobil Corp. - Estelle C. Bakun
General Electric Co. - Buckmaster De Wolf

General Mills, Inc. - William Miller
GlaxoSmithKline - Thomas Smith
Google LLC - Laura Sheridan
Hewlett Packard Enterprise - Brett Alten
HP Inc. - Phyllis Turner-Brim
IBM Corp. - Mark Vallone
InterDigital - Steve AkerleyJohnson & Johnson - Robert DeBerardine
Koninklijke Philips N.V. - Laurie Kowalsky
Medtronic, Inc. - Matthew Anderson
Merck & Co Inc. - Laura Ginkel
Micron Technology, Inc. - Scott Barker
Nike, Inc. - Paul Saraceni
Nokia of Americas Corp. - Ronald Antush
Novartis - Corey Salsberg
Oracle Corporation - Matthew Sarboraria
Pfizer Inc. - Bryan Zielinski
Procter & Gamble Co. - Matt Fitzpatrick
Qualcomm Incorporated - Robert Giles
Raytheon Technologies - Troy Prince
Roche, Inc. - Derek Scott
SAP SE - Anthony DiBartolomeo
Shell USA, Inc. - Karen CochranSiemens Corp. - Daniel Staudt
SLB - Robin Nava
Tenneco Inc. - John Cheek
The Boeing Co. - Tanuja Garde
Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. - Gillian Thackray

www.ipo.org

2023 Executive Staff
JESSICA LANDACREEXECUTIVE DIRECTORJESSICA@IPO.ORG(202) 507-4508

SAMANTHA AGUAYO

DEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR &CHIEF POLICY COUNSELSAMANTHA@IPO.ORG(202) 507-4507THOMAS VALENTESENIOR DIRECTOR FOR
GLOBAL AFFAIRSTVALENTE@IPO.ORG(202) 507-4503

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2023 Staff
HANNAH DENNY

NYREE BERRYPROJECT MANAGER

INTEGRATED COMMUNICATIONSMANAGERNBERRY@IPO.ORG(202) 507-4514

HDENNY@IPO.ORG(202) 507-4498

NICK EVANSMEGAN GRIGGSOPERATIONS MANAGER

DIRECTOR OF MEETINGS & EVENTSNEVANS@IPO.ORG(202) 507-4505

MGRIGGS@IPO.ORG

MARLA GROSSMAN

LINDSAY JACKSONLEGISLATIVE CONSULTANTPROJECT COORDINATOR(202) 507-4506

LJACKSON@IPO.ORG

GROSSMAN@ACG-CONSULTANTS.COM(202) 507-4504

KRISTEN LURYE

DANIELLE LEE

ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANTDEPUTY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR,FOUNDATIONDLEE@IPO.ORG(202) 507-4512

SUSAN MCLOUGHLIN

KLURYE@IPO.ORG(202) 507-4502

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS & FINANCE

MATT RANKINDIRECTOR OF MEMBERSHIP DEVELOPMENTSMCLOUGHLIN@IPO.ORG

MRANKIN@IPO.ORG(202) 507-4513(202) 507-4496

CLARA STANFIELDSENIOR MANAGER OF MEETINGSAND EVENTSCSTANFIELD@IPO.ORG(202) 507-4496

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