Thank You, USPTO

The USPTO Headquarters in Alexandria, VA

Today is my last day with the USPTO.

After nearly a decade, it’s hard to fathom leaving a place that has come to feel like home. The dedication and collaborative spirit was evident from the moment I arrived. As I grew my career I am thankful for the triumphs, the challenges, and mostly for being surrounded by so many talented people who worked tirelessly and were dedicated to our mission of promoting American innovation.

A special thank you to the folks in the Office of Communication.

- Agency Press Secretary Paul Fucito whose mentorship helped pave the way for my longterm success. Thank you for your wisdom, humor, and ability to always put things into their proper perspective. 
-Thank you Matthew Palumbo, Philippa Olsen, Eric Atkisson, Laura Larrimore, and Jeff Isaacs for your friendship and making work fun no matter what we faced.

This is definitely bittersweet. I'm excited about my next move, but I will greatly miss working with each of you. I will look back on this time with extreme gratitude.

As I was watching Last Week Tonight's return to HBO Max following a three month hiatus, I was amused by John Oliver's playful take on the USPTO. I can attest having seen things from myriad perspectives that the approval process for both patents and trademarks is complex and nuanced, and I am proud to have played a part in protecting and promoting the value of intellectual property during my tenure at such a wonderful agency.

And now, This:

Madison Cawthorn

The disability community talks frequently about how representation matters, and it does, especially in Congress where that representation can lead to better lives for disabled people. Senator Tammy Duckworth of Illinois is a perfect example of the positive representation we need more of, routinely uplifting our community and showing what is possible through advocacy.

The flip side is recently unseated Representative Madison Cawthorn (NC 11) who is the worst thing to happen to disability representation since the rise of toxic positivity. Not only did his openly ableist views harm the disability rights movement, he actively found ways to misrepresent what it looks like to move through the world as a disabled person.

When we say representation matters, it does. Madison Cawthorn's re-election loss however is a positive step forward for disability rights.

Finally, congratulations to my friend Kristen Parisi whose reporting on Representative Cawthorn was recently featured on Jon Oliver's Last Week Tonight on HBO Max.