Christal Sheppard

Dr. Christal Sheppard has nearly 3 decades of science, intellectual property law, and policy experience covering a large proportion of the IP ecosystem. Her experience includes serving as chief counsel of patent and trademarks in the United States House of Representatives, as the first Director of the first USPTO Regional Office, as a member of the Administration's Public Patent Advisory Committee, and in the International Trade Commission’s General Counsel’s Office. Currently she is an adjunct professor at the University of Nebraska College of Law and the University of Minnesota Law School. She also serves as a Distinguished Fellow at the Nebraska Governance and Technology Center and volunteers her time serving on multiple influential IP committees including with the American Intellectual Property Law Association, the Leahy Naples Conference, and others.