The Monday morning TPI Aspen Forum activities concluded with a special luncheon discussion featuring Michelle K. Lee, Under Secretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office and Daniel Marti, U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator. John Duffy from the University of Virginia School of Law acted as moderator of the discussion.
After short remarks form Director Lee, they discussed a range of intellectual property topics including recent patent reform legislation efforts, proposals to relocate the U.S. Copyright Office, and activities in China concerning moving to an innovation from a manufacturing economy. Video of this discussion can be viewed here.
The Monday night dinner keynote this year was Kelly Merryman, Vice President of Content Partnerships for YouTube. In her speech, Merryman covered the role of YouTube in the creative industries. She discussed YouTube’s use as a platform for original content, such as how-to videos and hugely popular gaming videos (which the author of this post is all too familiar with thanks to her kid). In addition, she discussed how YouTube is used in tandem with traditional media outlets.
Video of the dinner keynote, in addition to the general session and other remarks, are posted on the TPI YouTube channel.
Amy V. Smorodin was Vice President of Communications and External Relations at the Technology Policy Institute. Prior to joining TPI, she was Vice President of Communications at The Progress & Freedom Foundation. Smorodin also served as a public policy communications specialist at the Computing Technology Industry Association (CompTIA), a global tech industry association. She began her media and public relations career at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, where she acted as liaison between families, law enforcement, and the media. Smorodin attended American University in Washington, DC.
