Victoria Espinel

Victoria A. Espinel
Victoria Espinel official White House photo
Born
Victoria Angelica Espinel

(1968-10-16) 16 October 1968 (age 55)[1]
Richmond, Virginia, United States
EducationGeorgetown University, London School of Economics (LM, JD, BS)
Occupation(s)president and chief executive of BSA (The Software Alliance)
SpouseJohn Stubbs

Victoria Angelica Espinel (born October 16, 1968)[1] is the president and chief executive of the software industry trade group BSA (The Software Alliance).[2]

Prior to this, she was the United States Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator for the White House, housed in the Office of Management and Budget. She was appointed to the position by Barack Obama on September 25, 2009, and her appointment was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate on December 3, 2009.[3] She stepped down in August 2013.[2] Espinel was the first person to fill the position. She was responsible for the development and implementation of the President's overall strategy for the enforcement of intellectual property.[4] Espinel has been referred to as the "IP Czar" by numerous media outlets including National Journal,[5] TechDirt[6] and Intellectual Property Watch[7]

Espinel holds a Master of Law from the London School of Economics (earned in 1997), a Juris Doctor from Georgetown University Law School (earned in 1992), and a Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service from the Georgetown University School of Foreign Service (earned in 1989).[1]

Before joining the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Espinel was with the law firms of Covington & Burling in London and Washington, D.C., and Sidley Austin in New York City. She also served as an advisor to Romulus Global Issues Management and is a member of the Brain Trust of the Global Innovation Forum.[1]

In 2001, Espinel joined the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative as the senior counsel for intellectual property issues.[4]

In 2005, Espinel was asked to serve as the first Assistant United States Trade Representative for Intellectual Property and Innovation at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, creating the office of Intellectual Property and Innovation at USTR and serving as the chief U.S. trade negotiator for intellectual property and innovation. While at USTR, she testified on numerous occasions before the House Judiciary Committee and the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.[4]

From 2007 to 2009, Espinel was a Visiting assistant professor at the George Mason University School of Law. Her areas of teaching and research were intellectual property and international trade.[8] While at George Mason, she acted as an advisor on intellectual property issues to the staff of the Senate Judiciary Committee, Senate Finance Committee, House Judiciary Committee and House Ways and Means Committee.[4]

In 2009, Espinel founded Bridging the Innovation Divide, a not-for-profit foundation focused on addressing the "innovation divide" and empowering all Americans to obtain the full benefit of their creativity and ingenuity.[4]

  1. ^ a b c d Victoria A. Espinel
  2. ^ a b Former White House IP adviser Victoria Espinel to lead BSA
  3. ^ Library of Congress THOMAS database, record no. 111PN0102700
  4. ^ a b c d e Office of the U.S. Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator
  5. ^ National Journal's Tech Daily Dose, "Obama Taps Espinel for IP Czar Post", September 25, 2009 [1]
  6. ^ TechDirt, "Obama Finally AppointsIP Czar...Puts It In the Wrong Department", September 25, 2009 [2]
  7. ^ IP Watch, "Former USTR Official Nominated IP Czar", September 26, 2009
  8. ^ Victoria A. Espinel to Join Faculty of George Mason University School of Law