Janet Gongola is the Acting Chief Communications Officer (CCO) at the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Ms. Gongola manages a team responsible for development and implementation of USPTO's strategic communications in coordination with the U.S. Department of Commerce and the White House. In addition, she supports and advises the Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the USPTO.
Prior to serving as Acting CCO, she was the Vice Chief Judge for Strategy at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board from 2016 to February 2025. She also served as a Senior Advisor for Law and Policy in the Office of the Director from 2014 to 2016, Associate Commissioner for Patent Examination Policy from 2012 to 2014, the Patent Reform Coordinator for implementation of the America Invents Act from 2011 to 2012. Ms. Gongola started her USPTO career in 2006 as an Associate Solicitor in the Office of the Solicitor.
Ms. Gongola served as a law clerk for the Honorable Paul R. Michel at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit and for the Honorable Judge Sue L. Robinson at the U.S. District Court for the District of Delaware. In addition, Judge Gongola worked for ten years as a patent attorney, patent agent, and research chemist at Eli Lilly and Company.
Ms. Gongola has been active in the legal community. She is a past President of the Giles S. Rich American Inn of Court and a member of the Pauline Newman American Inn of Court. She has taught legal writing and appellate advocacy at the Antonin Scalia Law School and patent law at the George Washington University School of Law. She currently co-teaches a PTAB litigation seminar at the University of Maryland Francis King Carey School of Law.
Ms. Gongola received a Juris Doctor summa cum laude from the Indiana University, Robert H. McKinney School of Law, and a Bachelor of Science summa cum laude in chemistry and mathematics from Muskingum College.