Board of Directors - LES USA & Canada

Board of DirectorsKatie McGowan2026-11-05T12:15:27+00:00

2026-2027 BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Mihaela D. Bojin

President and Board Chair
University of Iowa Research Foundation (UIRF)

Steve Holzen

President Elect and Chair Elect
Managing Director at Stout

Michele Riley

Secretary
Stout

Jennifer Vanderhart

Treasurer
Managing Director at Secretariat

Michael Perham

Immediate Past President and Immediate Past Chair
Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Janelia Research Campus

Rachel Kreppel

Counsel
Purdue Pharma L.P.

Mark Shelley

Director
Marathon Petroleum Company

Jennifer Souter

Director
Texas Tech University

Steve Ferguson

Director
NIH Office of Technology Transfer

Jack Lu

Director
Intellectual Property Market Advisory Partners (IPMAP)

Kannan Krishnaswami

Director
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Amélie Côté

Director
ROBIC

Bob Held

CEO
Held Intellectual Property, LLC

Efrat Kasznik

Director
Foresight Valuation Group, LLC

Arpi Siyahian

Director
Bookoff McAndrews, PLLC

Nicki Kennedy

Director
Kilpatrick Townsend & Stockton LLP

Eric Gottschling

Director
Global Director at Borgwarner

Sam Wiley

Director
Ocean Tomo, a part of JS Held

Chitra Kalyanaraman

Director
Senior Patent Counsel at Johnson & Johnson

Past Presidents

Licensing Executives Society Announces Distinguished Board of Directors for 2020-2021 Term October 22, 2020
Diverse Group of Intellectual Property and Licensing Leaders Representing Organizations of All Sizes and Types Join Board RESTON, Va. – Oct. 20, 2020 --The Licensing Executives Society (U.S.A. and Canada), Inc. (LES) has elected new members to its Board of Directors for 2020-2021. The additions extend the organization's broad leadership representation from the IP and licensing industry, ensuring […]
Licensing Executives Society to Honor 2020 Award Recipients at Annual Meeting October 16, 2020
For Outstanding Achievements in the Field of Licensing, LES to Honor Deals of Distinction, Frank Barnes Mentor and Presidential Award Winners RESTON, Va. – October 16, 2020 – The Licensing Executives Society (U.S.A. and Canada) (LES) is pleased to announce that the Society will present its 2020 Awards for outstanding achievements and service at its […]
LES Standards Committee Initiates Public Review of New Standard March 30, 2020
Licensing Executives Society Standards Committee Initiates Public Review of New Standard for Protecting Intellectual Property in the Global Supply Chain Manufacturers and Other Global Supply Chain Stakeholders Encouraged to Review and Comment on Standard RESTON, Va. – March 30, 2020 -- The Licensing Executives Society (U.S.A. and Canada), Inc. (LES) today announced the start of […]
Licensing Executive Society Names Jeffrey S. Whittle the Frank Barnes Mentor Award Recipient October 22, 2019
For more information: Jessie Hennion LES PR Director jhennion@virtualinc.com +1 781-876-6280 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Licensing Executive Society Names Jeffrey S. Whittle the Frank Barnes Mentor Award Recipient For His Outstanding Work as Mentor in the Field of Licensing, Whittle Will Be Honored During the Society’s Annual Meeting Award Ceremony, October 22, in Phoenix RESTON, Va. […]
Licensing Executives Society Announces Distinguished Board of Directors for 2019-2020 Term October 21, 2019
For more information: Jessie Hennion LES PR Director jhennion@virtualinc.com +1 781-876-6280 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Licensing Executives Society Announces Distinguished Board of Directors for 2019-2020 Term Diverse Group Includes Intellectual Property and Licensing Leaders Representing Innovation-Centered Organizations of All Sizes and Types RESTON, Va. – Oct. 21, 2019 --The Licensing Executives Society (U.S.A. and Canada), Inc. […]
LES to Honor 15th Annual Deals of Distinction Award Winners at its Phoenix Annual Meeting, Oct 21-23 September 30, 2019
For more information: Jessie Hennion LES PR Director jhennion@virtualinc.com +1 781-876-6280 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE LES to Honor 15th Annual Deals of Distinction™ Award Winners at its Phoenix Annual Meeting, October 21-23 LES Members to Be Recognized for Outstanding Achievements in the Field of Licensing Business Deals at LES 2019 Annual Meeting in Phoenix, October 21 […]
LES Annual Meeting Brings Together World-Renowned Speakers and Cutting-Edge Programming, Oct 20-23 July 30, 2019
For Immediate Release Jessie Hennion LES Public Relations jhennion@virtualinc.com +1 781-976-6280 Licensing Executives Society’s Annual Meeting Brings Together World-Renowned Speakers and Cutting-Edge Programming, October 20-23, in Phoenix LES Annual Meeting’s Multi-Track Program Will Offer Attendees Industry-Wide and Sector-Specific Content Delivered by a World-Class Lineup of Speakers. RESTON, Va. -- July 30, 2019 -- The Licensing […]
Licensing Executives Society Applauds Introduction of the STRONGER Patents Act of 2019 July 17, 2019
RESTON, VIRGINIA — July 17, 2019 — The Licensing Executives Society (U.S.A. and Canada), Inc. (LES) commends Senator Coons, Representative Stivers and other co-sponsors for reintroducing the bipartisan STRONGER Patents Act of 2019 in the Senate and the House of Representatives. We commend these members of Congress for their leadership, and for their collaborative spirit in securing […]
LES Statement on Tillis-Coons Proposal for Patent Eligibility Reform June 5, 2019
Licensing Executives Society Statement on Tillis-Coons Proposal for Patent Eligibility Reform Bill Would Restore Certainty, and Revitalize Incentives for Innovation RESTON, VIRGINIA — June 5, 2019 — The Licensing Executives Society (U.S.A. and Canada), Inc. commends Senators Tillis and Coons, and Representatives Collins, Johnson, and Stivers, in their proposed language for a bill to reform […]
LES Society to Welcome Former USPTO Director and Distinguished Leaders at Silicon Valley USPTO Event March 20, 2019
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Jessie Hennion LES Public Relations jhennion@virtualinc.com 781.876.6280 Licensing Executives Society to Welcome Former USPTO Director and Distinguished Leaders at Silicon Valley USPTO Event on May 14, 2019 LES Draws Top Technology, Licensing, and IP Minds for a Day of Interactive Discussion on How Intellectual Capital Management and Standards Can Enhance the Innovation […]

Granting or recording a security interest in a patent at the USPTO does not deprive the patent owner October 6, 2020
Granting or recording a security interest in a patent at the USPTO does not deprive the patent owner of the ability to enforce the patent By John Paul, Brian Kacedon, Cecilia Sanabria, Anthony D. Del Monaco and Umber Aggarwal Edited by John Paul, Brian Kacedon, Anthony Del Monaco, and Cecilia Sanabria Abstract: A patentee did […]
To avoid an allegation that a patent assignor is estopped from arguing that an asserted patent is September 30, 2020
To avoid an allegation that a patent assignor is estopped from arguing that an asserted patent is invalid, the assignor estoppel defense should be disclosed in a timely fashion or the late disclosure should be substantially justified and harmless By John Paul, Brian Kacedon, Cecilia Sanabria, Anthony D. Del Monaco and Amanda Stephenson Edited by […]
Implementers of Standard Essential Patents in Germany Must “Clearly and Unambiguously” Express September 16, 2020
Implementers of Standard Essential Patents in Germany Must “Clearly and Unambiguously” Express Their Willingness to Take a License Under Fair, Reasonable, and Non-Discriminatory Terms By John Paul, Brian Kacedon, Anthony D. Del Monaco, Cecilia Sanabria, and Umber Aggarwal Edited by John Paul, Brian Kacedon, Anthony D. Del Monaco, and Cecilia Sanabria Abstract: Germany’s highest court […]
Recent U.S. Decisions Affecting Licensing August 30, 2016
Purchaser of Patents Barred from Asserting Patents Against Practicing Entity Led to Believe it Would Not Be Sued by Prior Owner By John Paul, Brian Kacedon, and Hala Mourad High Point purchased patents relating to CDMA communications network technology from Avaya, a spin-off of Lucent Technologies, which spun off of AT&T. Within three days of […]
The Linux Foundation Open Compliance Program Is Providing Resources for Licensing Professionals June 14, 2016
The Linux Foundation Open Compliance Program Is Providing Compliance Resources for Licensing Professionals By Karen Copenhaver, Choate, Hall & Stewart LLP, Counsel to the Linux Foundation Linux and open source software now provide fundamental infrastructure for many of the worlds’ most successful industries and are being used to build the most innovative technologies of our […]
Digital Content: How it's Being Created, Exploited, Licensed and Protected Online March 28, 2011
Digital Content: How it's Being Created, Exploited, Licensed and Protected Online Few high tech developments have impacted our personal and professional operations over the past decade more than digitalization of content. From music and photos to business files and banking, plenty of questions continue to arise about overall management of digital content. Experts in the […]