Join intellectual property (IP) experts, senior officials from the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) and other federal agencies, and Tribal representatives for an in-depth examination of consumer protection, the protection and enforcement of IP, and the impact of counterfeit goods on the economies of Native American communities.
Topics to be explored will include:
- The scope and impact of IP crime on Native Americans
- How to protect Native American arts and crafts
- State and tribal cooperation on consumer protection investigations
- International developments in the protection of traditional knowledge, cultural expressions, and genetic resources
- Strategies for raising public awareness and changing consumer behaviors
This program has been organized by the USPTO, the National Association of Attorneys General Center for Consumer Protection, and the Attorney General Alliance, with support from the McCarthy Institute at Arizona State University’s Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law.
Please note that this is a hybrid program: It will be held in person at the USPTO in Alexandria, Virginia, and available for remote viewing. There is no charge to attend, but advance registration is required.
Agenda
Agenda subject to change
9:00–9:20 a.m. Welcome and opening remarks
- Frank Collins, Chief Financial Officer, Attorney General Alliance
- Todd Leatherman, Director, National Association of Attorneys General Center for Consumer Protection
- Peter N. Fowler, Senior Counsel, Office of Policy and International Affairs, USPTO
- Derrick Brent, Deputy Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Deputy Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office
9:20–10:30 a.m. Panel 1: The Scope and impact of IP crime on Native Americans
Discussion leader:
- Peter N. Fowler, Senior Counsel, Office of Policy and International Affairs, USPTO
Panel:
- Katherine Belzowski, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Economic and Community Development Unit - Navajo Nation Department of Justice
- Walter Lamar (Blackfeet Nation of Montana), Commissioner, Indian Arts and Crafts Board, U.S. Department of the Interior
- Richard Pires, Supervisory Special Agent, Economic Crimes Unit, Federal Bureau of Investigation
- Osceola Red Shirt (Oglala, Lakota Tribe), Assistant Director, Law Enforcement and Security, Law Enforcement Division, Office of the Secretary, U.S. Department of the Interior
10:30–10:50 a.m. Networking break
10:50 a.m.–12:00 p.m. Panel 2: Protecting Indian arts and crafts
Discussion leader:
- Susan Anthony, Tribal Affairs Liaison and Senior Trademark Attorney, Office of Policy and International Affairs, USPTO
Panel:
- Patti Oksoktaruk Lillie (Inupiaq), Indigenous Arts & Culture Program Director, Alaska State Council on the Arts, Anchorage, Alaska
- Maya Pino (Zia Pueblo), Chairperson, New Mexico Artisan Portal Program Committee, Albuquerque, New Mexico
- Harvey Pratt (Cheyenne and Arapaho), Artist, former Chairperson, Indian Arts and Crafts Board, U.S. Department of the Interior [virtual]
- Meridith Z. Stanton (Delaware Nation of Oklahoma), Director, Indian Arts and Crafts Board, U.S. Department of the Interior[virtual] and Ken Van Wey, Program Analyst, Indian Arts and Crafts Board, U.S. Department of the Interior
12:00–1:00 p.m. Luncheon Keynote: International Repatriation: The Federal Government’s Work-in-Progress
Speaker:
- Ashley Fry (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma), Indigenous Affairs Officer, Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, The Cultural Heritage Center, U.S. Department of State
1:10–2:20 p.m. Panel 3: Cooperation on consumer protection investigations
Discussion leader:
- Amie Ely, First Assistant Attorney General, Office of the Oklahoma Attorney General
Panel:
- Merri Lopez-Keifer (Luiseño and San Luis Rey Band of Mission Indians), Director, Office of Native American Affairs, Office of the Attorney General, California Department of Justice
- John H. Haley, Senior Assistant Attorney General, Consumer Protection Unit, State of Alaska Department of Law, Anchorage, Alaska [virtual]
- Katherine Belzowski, Acting Assistant Attorney General, Economic and Community Development Unit - Navajo Nation Department of Justice
- Molly L. Ply, Special Agent, Office of Investigations, Office of Inspector General, U.S. General Services Administration
2:20–3:30 p.m. Panel 4: Traditional knowledge, cultural expressions, and genetic resources
Discussion leader:
- Susan Anthony, Tribal Affairs Liaison and Senior Trademark Attorney, Office of Policy and International Affairs, USPTO
Panel:
- Preston Hardison, Consultant on Indigenous Issues, Seattle, Washington
- June L. Lorenzo (Laguna Pueblo/Navajo (Diné)), Attorney and Human Rights Advocate; Chief Judge for the Pueblo of Zia
- Trevor Reed (Hopi), Professor of Law, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University
- Angela R. Riley (Citizen Potawatomi Nation), Professor of Law, UCLA School of Law, and Director, UCLA Native Nations Law and Policy Center [virtual]
3:30–3:50 p.m. Networking break
3:50–4:55 p.m. Panel 5: Raising public awareness and changing consumer behaviors
Discussion leader:
- Kari Kammel, Director, Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection, Michigan State University
Panel:
- Shannon O’Loughlin (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma), Chief Executive and Attorney, Association on American Indian Affairs
- Paul DelPonte, Executive Director, National Crime Prevention Council
- Charles A. Harwood, Director, Northwest Region, Federal Trade Commission, Seattle, Washington
- Joshua S. Hopping (Cherokee Nation), Global Director of Investigation, Corsearch; Member, Indigenous Rights Committee, International Trademark Association 4:55 p.m. Closing remarks
Additional information
Assistance covering travel expenses, including airfare and lodging, are offered to those in financial need. For additional information, kindly reach out to William.long@uspto.gov Travel assistance requests must be received by 5 p.m. ET Friday, November 24, 2023 to be considered. Requests should indicate if lodging or airfare (or both) are being requested along with the attendee’s full name, address, phone number, and email address.
For more information, visit the registration page or contact William Long in the USPTO’s Office of Policy and International Affairs.
This program is hosted by the USPTO’s Global Intellectual Property Academy, a unit of the USPTO’s Office of Policy and International Affairs (OPIA). The office advises the administration and other federal government departments and agencies on domestic and international IP legal and policy issues. It also provides technical assistance and training on IP-related matters to U.S. stakeholders and both U.S. and foreign government officials.
Accessibility accommodation
If you are an individual with a disability and would like to request a reasonable accommodation, please submit your request to the contact information listed above.