Entrepreneurship Essentials Roadshow and Resource Fair

Mala Adiga is currently a Deputy Assistant to the President of the United States and the Policy Director for the First Lady. In January 2017, she joined the Biden Foundation, where she worked to advance community colleges and support military families, followed by her time as a policy advisor to the Biden for President campaign and the Biden-Harris Transition Team. During the Obama-Biden Administration, she served as the Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Academic Programs, responsible for overseeing a wide range of international educational programs, including the Fulbright and Gilman Programs, and as chief of staff and senior advisor to the Ambassador-at-Large in the Secretary of State’s Office of Global Women’s Issues. 

Before these positions, Mala served as Director for Human Rights in the National Security Staff’s (NSS) Multilateral and Human Rights Directorate and as Counsel to the Associate Attorney General at the Department of Justice. Prior to entering government service, Mala volunteered and then worked for the Obama presidential campaign for nearly two years. Mala began her legal career working in litigation as an associate at Kirkland & Ellis LLP in Chicago and then clerking for U.S. District Court Judge Philip Simon in the Northern District of Indiana. 

She earned her J.D. from the University of Chicago Law School and her M.P.H. from the University of Minnesota. She graduated from Grinnell College in Iowa with a B.A. in Spanish.

Nestor Ramirez has been with the USPTO for 34 years during which he has served as a Primary Examiner, Supervisory Patent Examiner, Executive Assistant to the Deputy Commissioner for Patent Resources and Planning, Director of the Office of Patent Automation (OPA), and Director of two Technology Centers (2100 and 2400).

During his career, Mr. Ramirez, has received three Bronze Medals and was selected to join the ComSci Fellowship Program participating on a one-year assignment to the Executive Office of the President where he served as the Executive Director of the National Science and Technology Council. Today, Mr. Ramirez serves as an Assistant Commissioner for Patents overseeing the examination operation of Technology Centers 2600 and 3700 populated by seven Senior Executives, over 170 supervisors and over 2,000 patent examiners.

He received his B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Florida Institute of Technology and a Masters Certificate in Project Management from George Washington University. Mr. Ramirez also holds a Certificate of Advanced Public Management from Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs from Syracuse University.

Sheila is currently a Special Assistant to the President, Executive Director of Joining Forces, the First Lady’s initiative supporting military and veteran families, caregivers and survivors. She formerly was the Chief Operating Office at CPR Media and Pluribus News; a digital start-up focused on the key issues driving policy at the state-by-state level. Sheila had been the Chief Operating Officer at The Hill for more than 20 years leading the Finance and Human Resource teams in a dynamically growing business. As a member of the executive leadership team, she helped transform the overall business from a weekly print newspaper to a multi-media news and information digital platform recognized for their unique and critical coverage of politics and policy. Sheila began her career in public accounting. 

Throughout her career Sheila has been a tireless advocate for military members and their families. As a military spouse with more than 40 years in service, Sheila has lived in the U.S., Europe and Egypt. She has a deep appreciation of the importance of healthy family life to ensure overall military effectiveness. This appreciation and passion have made her a valuable asset to military boards on the state, national and global level. Sheila formerly served as the Board Chair of Blue Star Families, Treasurer of the Washington Press Club Foundation, member of the advisory board of the Military Child Education Coalition, and a member of the Leadership Council of the Bob Woodruff Foundation. 

Sheila is the recipient of numerous awards recognizing her valued contribution to the military community. Sheila is a two-time recipient of the Defense Distinguished Civilian Service Medal; the highest level of recognition given by the Department of Defense. She has also received the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Impact Award for Lifetime Achievement and the Order of the White Plume for her contribution to enhancing the quality of life for Army families.