The Office of Public Engagement (OPE) is responsible for advancing the USTPO's mission to increase participation in the innovation ecosystem and engage people on the purpose and value of intellectual property and resources available to bring innovation to impact.
OPE strengthens the agency’s outreach to local and underresourced American communities by overseeing the strategy, promotion, and implementation of outreach, education, customer experience, and customer engagement activities across the USPTO. This coordinated effort allows the USPTO to impact a greater number of innovators and reach newer audiences.
OPE Offices, Divisions, and Programs
Below is a brief description of how OPE's offices, divisions, and programs help to foster American innovation and entrepreneurship.
Regional Outreach Offices
The USPTO’s Regional Outreach Offices support the public engagement mission and goals of the USPTO by establishing and maintaining regional outreach connections with a variety of IP stakeholders through training and engagement activities. Regional Outreach Offices maintain, expand, and increase outreach activities to underresourced groups. The Regional Outreach Offices collaborate with all divisions of OPE to implement the USPTO engagement strategy to reach a variety of stakeholders across the nation.
USPTO Regional Outreach Offices
- Midwest Elijah J. McCoy Regional Outreach Office in Detroit, Michigan
- Director: Derris Banks
- Assistant Regional Director: Vacant
- Southwest Regional Outreach Office in Dallas, Texas
- Director: Hope Shimabuku
- Acting Assistant Regional Director: Reynaldo Vasquez
- Rocky Mountain Regional Outreach Office in Denver, Colorado
- Director: Mollybeth Kocialski
- Assistant Regional Director: David Le
- Western Regional Outreach Office in San Jose, California
- Director: Mary Fuller
- Assistant Regional Director: Vacant
- Northeast Regional Outreach Office in Alexandria, Virginia
- Director: Elizabeth Dougherty
- Assistant Regional Director: Vacant
- Southeast Regional Outreach Office (coming in 2025)
- Director: Vacant
- Assistant Regional Director: Vacant
Strategic Engagement Office
The Strategic Engagement Office (SEO) leads OPE and the USPTO in defining, monitoring, and guiding implementation of the USPTO’s engagement, outreach, education, and customer experience strategies. The SEO evaluates data and best practices and seeks input from the Regional Offices, Community Engagement Office, and USPTO business units to define an enterprise engagement strategy.
- Director: Vacant
SEO Divisions
- Customer Experience Division
- Director: Vacant
Community Engagement Office
The Community Engagement Office (CEO) coordinates implementation of the USPTO engagement strategy across multiple programs reaching a variety of stakeholders though community outreach programs and public resources.
- Director: Vacant
CEO Divisions
- Community Outreach Office Program
- Director: Vacant
- Northern New England Community Outreach Office
- Director: Daniel Modricker
- Public Resources Division
- Public Search Facility
- Director: Vacant
- Patent and Trademark Resource Centers
- Director: Vacant
- Public Search Facility
- Teachers and Classrooms Division
- Director: Vacant
- Innovation Outreach Division
- Director: NaThanya Ferguson
- Students and Learners Division
- Director: Joyce Ward