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2020 FLC OFFICIAL BALLOT AND VOTING GUIDE
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Dear Voting Members of the FLC:
This Voting Handbook will provide you with the information needed to make informed decisions regarding the selections of candidates for the Board and the vote on the proposed Bylaw changes.
The Bylaw changes proposed in this handbook will provide a greater alignment between the structure and function of the Executive Board and the Cooperating Partner (AUTM) resulting in better service delivery. The Executive Board will be able to serve as a true oversight Board of Directors rather than trying to deliver content while performing full time duties at a federal laboratory.
This is an unusual year, as we have postponed our National Meeting due to COVID-19 to keep our community healthy by reducing exposure to this highly contagious virus. Therefore, all voting will take place virtually, and you will need to email or fax your ballots.
Your Voting Handbook is divided into three sections:
Candidate photographs and biographies for the National Election as well as three Regional Elections (Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, and Far West).
Slides from the Bylaws Webinar held in March, detailing the reasons behind the proposed changes, along with access to the redlined Bylaws so you can review the changes that need a vote to be implemented.
All voting ballots are included, and a separate attachment with the ballots will be available for voting members to ensure easy access to the ballots. Please cast your ballot and email it to: [email protected]
Sincerely,
John Dement Chair, FLC Executive Board
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Topic Page Number Letter of Introduction by the Chair 3 Election Committee 5 Voting Instructions 6 Open Positions for 2020 8 Candidate Biographies 9 National Candidates 9 Regional Candidates - Mid Atlantic 16 Regional Candidates - Midwest 19 Regional Candidates - Far West 22 Proposed Bylaw Amendments 23 FLC Chair Webinar Update on Bylaws 24 Bylaw Changes for Review 25 FAQs 26 National Bylaw Amendment Ballot 27 National Election Ballot 28 Mid-Atlantic Region Election Ballot 29 Midwest Region Election Ballot 30 Far West Region Election Ballot 31 National Meeting Update 32
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Election Committee
Jackie Kerby Moore Vice Chair Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) E: [email protected] P: (505) 845-8107
Sara Langdon Communications Committee Chair U.S. Army Medical Research & Development Command - Medical E: [email protected] P: (301) 619-4591
John Eisemann Mid-Continent Regional Coordinator USDA National Wildlife Research Center (NWRC) E: [email protected] P: (970) 266-6158
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______________________________________________________________________________ 2020 Voting The national emergency due to the COVID-19 virus has disrupted the original plans for the 2020 National Meeting. In order to have an orderly transition for newly elected officers and let members vote on the proposed Bylaw changes, the election will occur during the normal Spring timeframe when the National Meeting would have occurred. The new timeline for the 2020 elections and proposed Bylaw changes will include: Spring Virtual Update Session, May 21:
● Business Update ● National Elections and Bylaw Amendments Results
In-Person National Meeting, August 31 through September 2:
● Training ● Normal sessions including plenary and breakout sessions on technology transfer topics ● National Awards Ceremony ● Any additional voting not concluded in the Spring
The nature of the virtual session requires the use of the absentee voting process described in the FLC Bylaws. This voting guide is being distributed to aid voting members through a concise consolidation of election and voting materials. The virtual update session will be held May 21, 2020. In accordance with the Bylaws, votes must be received by email or fax 7 calendar days prior to the meeting, by May 14, 2020. Ballots for the election are included in this voting guide, and as a separate link on the voting webpage. Voting members should fill in the identification information at the top of the form for verification of eligibility. Selections should be marked clearly in the box to indicate a choice. After completing the ballot, please return it according to the contact information below. The FLC Bylaws require that votes not cast by written ballot of the Representatives in attendance at a national meeting, be submitted by mail or fax. Due to the declared national emergency, we will collect all ballots via electronic mail or fax, and will not use domestic USPS mail or courier service. The FLC Legal Committee has determined that electronic mail, domestic USPS mail, and courier service are acceptable forms of mail under the Bylaws, and that the use of electronic mail instead of domestic USPS mail or courier service is appropriate for absentee voting in this emergency.
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______________________________________________________________________________ Ballot Submission: By Electronic Mail: [email protected] By Fax: (847) 686-2253 Election Voting Requirements
Designated Consortium Agency Representatives and Laboratory Representatives whose memberships are registered with the FLC Recording Secretary are eligible to vote. (Bylaws, Article VI Section 2 (d)) If you are uncertain if you are eligible to vote, please contact Stephanie Pearson at [email protected].
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______________________________________________________________________________ Open Positions and Candidates for 2020 These elected positions are for 2-year terms that begin October 1, 2020. Eligibility is limited to Consortium Representatives and Consortium Participants from a designated federal laboratory, and approval by the nominee’s organization of employment is required. The following positions are open for Election Year 2020, and the candidates are listed: National Executive Board and Candidates :
● Finance Officer o Dr. Courtney Silverthorn , National Institute of Standards and Technology
● Recording Secretary
o John Bittman, National Institute of Standards and Technology
● Member-At-Large (3 Positions) o Ariel Atkinson, USDA Agricultural Research Service o Annie E. Bullock, Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division o Valerie Larkin , Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport o David Pronchick, MIT Lincoln Laboratory o Dr. Thomas Stackhouse, National Cancer Institute/NIH
Mid-Atlantic Regional Board:
● Regional Coordinator (1 Position) o Dr. Jack Pevenstein, National Institute of Standards and Technology o Vladimir Popov, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research/NIH
● Deputy Regional Coordinator
o Dr. Claudia Haywood, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research/NIH
Midwest Regional Board : ● Regional Coordinator
o Jenna Dix, Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division
● Deputy Regional Coordinator o Sabra Tomb, Air Force Research Laboratory
Far West Regional Board
● Regional Coordinator o David Nicholson, USDA Agricultural Research Service
● Deputy Regional Coordinator (Vacant)
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Candidate Biographies
(Candidates are listed alphabetically under positions for which there are multiple candidates. Candidates had the opportunity to provide a biography and statement.)
National Candidates
Finance Officer
Courtney Silverthorn, National Institute of Standards and Technology Dr. Courtney Silverthorn is the Acting Director of the Technology Partnerships Office (TPO) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). With over a decade of experience in Federal technology transfer, she is currently responsible for providing leadership for TPO’s responsibilities in advancing NIST technology transfer and commercialization and the NIST SBIR program, and leading implementation of interagency technology transfer policy efforts via NIST's Return on Investment Initiative and the White House’s Lab-to-Market Cross-Agency Priority goal. She also oversees NIST-centric and agency-wide economic analysis on the impact of federal technology transfer.
Courtney is a Co-Chair of the National Science and Technology Council’s Lab-to-Market subcommittee and coordinates several interagency working groups for tech transfer and intellectual property issues. She served as a Senior Policy Advisor to the Office of Science and Technology Policy through a detailed assignment in 2018, supporting both Lab-to-Market and Citizen Science.
Courtney is on the Board of Directors of the Innovation Research Interchange, a world-wide network of thought leaders from large corporations, small businesses, and federal labs focusing on researching, developing and sharing best practices in innovation management. She also serves as the Finance Officer on the Executive Board of the Federal Laboratory Consortium, a nationwide network of over 300 Federal laboratories focused on enabling commercialization of federally-funded technological developments.
Courtney earned a Ph.D. in Pharmacology from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, a M.S. in Leadership and Public Policy from Washington University in St. Louis, and a B.S. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology from Sweet Briar College. She has also earned certificates in Biotechnology Enterprise from Johns Hopkins and in Policy Strategy from the Brookings Institution.
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Statement: I have been involved with the FLC finances for a number of years, in both the Host Agency Representative and Finance Officer roles. During that time I have been responsible for preparing billing letters to the agencies to collect FLC contributions, assisting with the annual budgeting process, and providing updates and guidance to the executive board on FLC funds. I am excited to continue supporting the FLC in this role for another elected term.
Recording Secretary John Bittman, National Institute of Standards and Technology
As an Interagency Policy Specialist in the Technology Partnerships Office at NIST, John’s portfolio focuses on interagency technology transfer and innovation ecosystem matters while helping to implement NIST’s Return on Investment Initiative and the President’s Management Agenda’s Lab-to-Market Cross Agency Priority Goal. Recently, John has taken over the role of Executive Secretary for the National Science and Technology Council’s Lab-to-Market Subcommittee. His responsibilities as Executive Secretary include, but are not limited to, communicating regularly with the co-chairs and members to execute their vision, preparing and distributing relevant meeting material, recording meeting minutes, and following up with
action items.
Prior to joining NIST, John entered the Federal Government as a Presidential Management Fellow at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), where he worked as a Technology Transfer Manager and Invention Development and Marketing Specialist within the NCI’s Technology Transfer Center. He also spent time as a Special Assistant in the Department of Health and Human Services, where he managed the Deputy Secretary’s Innovation and Investment Summit and helped advance a new office focused on accelerating clinical innovation.
Before entering the federal workforce as a civilian, John served on active duty in the United States Army as a paratrooper, where he was deployed to Iraq as part of Operation New Dawn. He holds a P.S.M. in Nanotechnology, a B.S. in Interdisciplinary Studies (Physical, Biomedical, and Behavioral Sciences), and a Certificate in Technology Ventures from the University of Central Florida. John is currently pursuing a Certificate in Policy Strategy from WashU at Brookings.
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Member-At-Large (3 MALs) Ariel Atkinson, USDA Agricultural Research Service
Ari Atkinson is a Patent Advisor with the Agricultural Research Service (ARS) in the USDA. Ari has a multi-pronged approach to protecting government-owned intellectual property, which includes working directly with scientists throughout the agency to educate and counsel them on various research projects and outcomes; drafting, preparing, filing, and prosecuting patent applications; and working collaboratively with other tech transfer professionals to determine the best way for government inventions to be transferred for the benefit of the public. Ari’s technical background is in chemistry, but his work has expanded to cover biotechnology and plants as well—to wit, he oversees the Plant Variety Protection (PVP) and Plant Patent (PP) dockets at ARS.
During his tenure with ARS, Ari has received several awards and certificates from both the USDA and ARS in recognition of his work, including an Administrative and Program Management Award in 2019. Prior to joining ARS, Ari worked for intellectual property-focused law firms, where he drafted and prosecuted patent applications covering a wide variety of subjects and clients. He also previously taught math and science at a local private school. Ari holds a B.S. in chemistry from Binghamton University, an M.S. in chemistry from Northwestern University, and a J.D. from Georgetown University. Annie E. Bullock, Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division
Annie E. Bullock is a member of the Technology Transfer Office at Naval Surface Warfare Center, Crane Division, where she serves as the intellectual property and licensing specialist. She is the point person for all NSWC Crane invention disclosures and leads efforts to market and commercialize the IP portfolio.
Annie has a number of academic degrees including a juris doctor and a Master of Laws in intellectual property from Western Michigan University and a bachelor of science in biomedical engineering from Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. She has several professional licenses including membership in the Indiana
State bar and as a patent attorney with the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
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As a recent federal employee, Annie has not had the opportunity to serve in an FLC position or on a committee, but she has served and continues to serve as a board member for other organizations. Her previous board experience includes leadership positions as secretary and vice-president, chair of a committee, and special project teams including a strategic planning team focused on leadership and establishing a model for proactive and meaningful future goals.
Statement: As a member-at-large for the FLC’s Executive Board, Annie will endeavor to represent the interests of the Consortium to the best of her ability and serve as a liaison between the officers and the Consortium membership. During this time of transformation for the FLC, Annie is an enthusiastic volunteer and is excited to work with the officers to implement new strategic plans. She will serve as member-at-large with the expectation that she will seek input from other members, provide feedback, and function as a spokesperson for the membership on the bylaw changes, business operations, and reorganization of the Consortium as voted on during the 2020 National Meeting. She is excited about the formation of new committees and looks forward to working with each committee to create an improved FLC that best meets the needs of the member labs. Valerie Larkin, Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport
Valerie has been employed at Naval Undersea Warfare Center Division Newport since 1996. She initially worked in the Modeling and Simulation group, specializing in models of acoustic propagation in the ocean. Since 2010, she has served as Technology Transfer Manager, primarily responsible for CRADAs, patent licensing agreements, and education partnership agreements. As a result of her success in establishing international technology transfer agreements and her presentation of workshops in ocean technology collaboration at international meetings, Valerie was named the FLC 2013 Rookie of the Year. Valerie was the leader on an NIST/FLC pilot project that involved working with the Manufacturing
Extension Partnership for the state of Connecticut in an assessment of how companies in the composites and additive manufacturing industries can better work with the federal government. She has been very active in working with state and local governments, industry, and universities in support of the burgeoning ocean technology ecosystem in southern New England. Although her involvement with the FLC began in 2010, her tech transfer experience goes back considerably longer. Prior to her tenure at NUWCDIVNPT, Valerie was a principal scientist with an applied science consulting firm, where she was principal investigator on a number of SBIR-funded projects with federal agencies. She specialized in dual-use technology applications,
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such as an algorithm for financial portfolio optimization based upon an asset allocation model that she developed for the Air Force. Valerie has M.S. degrees in Applied Mathematics and Engineering from Brown University, and a B.A. in Design of the Environment from the University of Pennsylvania. She was elected Deputy Regional Coordinator for the FLC Northeast Region in 2013, and served as Regional Coordinator for the Northeast Region from January 2015 to October 2019. Statement: I have been a member of the FLC since 2010, and I served on the Executive Board as the Northeast Regional Coordinator from 2015 to 2019. I seek to return to the board because I believe that my unique experiences and qualifications would be very useful in helping the FLC serve its mission to facilitate T2 among its member laboratories. In recent years, the practice of T2 at federal laboratories has significantly evolved. In the past, collaboration was primarily initiated through singular interaction between PIs at federal laboratories and their professional counterparts at companies or universities. We are moving more to a model where labs are a constituent part of an ecosystem that also includes universities, industry, tech incubators/accelerators, nonprofits, regional economic agencies, state and local governments, federal T2-related initiatives such as the Navy’s TechBridge, and other interested parties. While our T2 agreements are mainly with one partner, occasionally two or three, we often need to view them holistically as part of an overall engagement strategy with the local or regional ecosystem. PIAs are being utilized much more extensively than they were just a few years ago, and in strategic ways that were previously not envisioned. I would like to assist labs in developing new and effective T2 strategies that fit with the current dynamic. I have effectively worked with many constituents in fostering a community of collaboration in the ecosystem around my laboratory, and I would bring this experience to assist other member labs in similar endeavors. David Pronchick, MIT Lincoln Laboratory
David M. Pronchick is the Assistant Department Head of the Contracting Services Department as well as the ORTA for MIT Lincoln Laboratory (MIT LL), a DoD Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC). He is also the current Deputy Regional Coordinator of the Northeast Region of the Federal Laboratory Dave has engaged in numerous FLC activities such as:
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______________________________________________________________________________ • Served as the sole FLC liaison on four stops of the Small Business Administration (SBA) Road Show, doing FLC presentations and meetings in Vermont, New York, Florida, and Puerto Rico • Wrote two successful FLC Northeast Regional award packages • Was selected by NIST to be the FLC liaison at the SBA outreach event in Puerto Rico during which he held sessions over two days to provide tailored feedback to various local authorities about the FLC (it was the first ever FLC visit there) • Moderated a panel of US Federal Government T2 representatives in November 2019 at the request of NIST. In his capacity as the Assistant Department Head and ORTA for the MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Dave supervises an office of over 20 professionals with a wide range of responsibilities including, but not limited to: the administration of the $20B prime contract with the U.S. Air Force; the development and negotiation of various technology transfer agreements (CRADAs, cooperative agreements, SBIRs, STTRs, etc.), ethics compliance; export control; small business programs; and subcontract oversight and audit. His primary expertise is in the area of Government contracts. Dave spent over 20 years on active duty in the U.S. Air Force as a Judge Advocate with the majority of his career working on federal government contract law issues; he retired as a Colonel. Prior to working at MIT Lincoln Laboratory, Dave was also a partner in a Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business that worked on international and government contracts issues. Mr. Pronchick has a Master of Laws in Government Contracts from George Washington University Law School, a Master of Laws in Taxation from Boston University School of Law and a Juris Doctor degree from Pepperdine University School of Law, Malibu, CA. Statement: There are many exciting challenges in the years ahead for the FLC. My name is Dave Pronchick, and I believe that my background is uniquely suited to be on the FLC Executive Board as a Member-At-Large. I have been a government contract lawyer for over 30 years, and am currently the ORTA for MIT Lincoln Laboratory, a DoD Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC).
If elected as Member-At-Large, my two main goals will be:
● Assist with accomplishing the accountability with AUTM, FLC’s new partner, details of which are set out in AUTM’s Collaboration Agreement proposal.
○ Fifteen goals were functionally aligned with the three pillars of “Promote, Educate, and Facilitate” in pursuit of knowledge, growth and impacts
○ Thirty-six metrics were attached to the goals ● Work on any legal issues, to include, but not limited to:
○ Government contract concerns ○ Intellectual Property matters
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I eagerly anticipate assisting the FLC and being a solid contributor to the Executive Board. Thank you for your consideration.
Thomas Stackhouse, National Cancer Institute
Dr. Tom Stackhouse is the Director for the Technology Transfer Center (TTC) at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), within the National Institutes of Health (NIH). In this position, Tom oversees the technology transfer efforts, and the management of the patent portfolio and marketing activities, for the NCI and nine other Institutes at the NIH. In addition, Tom provides oversight to the tech transfer activities of the NCI’s National Laboratory, The Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research (FNLCR), a Government-owned, contract-operated (GOCO) National Lab currently operated by Leidos Biomedical, Inc. Tom assists the NCI in coordinating intellectual property parameters and guidelines for several key NCI initiatives. He works with state and local
economic development groups to foster new partnerships that facilitate the use of NCI technologies and expertise to advance public health and stimulate the nation’s economies. Tom was one of the founders of the NIH Startup Challenge model, whose pilot was the HHS award winning Breast Cancer Startup Challenge . Tom has served as a member at large for the FLC Executive Board from 2009-2013, Vice Chair of the FLC Education and Training Committee, and a past member of the FLC’s State & Local Government Committee.
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Regional Candidates
Mid-Atlantic Region Regional Coordinator
Jack Pevenstein, National Institute of Standards and Technology
Dr. Pevenstein is a senior engineer with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)’s Office of Technology Partnerships, where he is currently the Technology Transfer Advisor to the Laboratories. He is also the Regional Coordinator and Chair of the Federal Laboratory Consortium’s Mid-Atlantic Region. From 2000 to 2010, he was the Program Manager and Principal Engineer for the design, implementation and management of an integrated NIST-wide interactive information system for managing guest researchers and other non-NIST employees working collaboratively on campus. From 1993 through 1998, Dr. Pevenstein
was a Senior General Engineer/Senior Evaluator in the NIST Office of Technology Innovation (OTI). During this time, he was outreach coordinator for the legislatively mandated joint NIST-DOE Energy-Related Inventions Program (ERIP), a public service invention evaluation service for independent inventors and small businesses offering the possibility of one-time commercialization grant funding from DOE. In this capacity, Dr. Pevenstein promoted ERIP’s evaluation services to state economic development agencies and technology development centers, state and private universities, and the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He interacted extensively with inventor organizations at National Innovation Workshops held six times a year throughout the country and has worked with the Lemelson-funded National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance (NCIIA) to promote invention and innovation by undergraduate students of science and engineering. From 1983-93, Dr. Pevenstein owned a private business with his wife. From 1979 to 1983, he was Vice President for Marketing and New Product Development for NUSAC, Inc., a wholly-owned engineering subsidiary of the Wackenhut Corporation (NYSE-listed), providing engineering services to the commercial nuclear power industry. From 1972 to 1979, he was an applied scientist/engineer with the Planning Research Corporation (PRC), where he was a principal investigator and project manager on a DARPA-sponsored
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research project supporting the National Intelligence Community. He was also co-founder and deputy manager of PRC’s Applied Research Group. Dr. Pevenstein was commissioned a Regular Army Officer in the Corps of Engineers upon graduation from Carnegie Mellon University in 1965. He served a combat tour on flying status in Viet Nam from June 1967 to 1968 where he coordinated close tactical air support of infantry units. He was present during action at the Khe Sanh combat base with the US Marines toward the end of January 1968. Dr. Pevenstein left the service in the rank of Captain and received the Bronze Star and two Air Medals for action in Viet Nam. Dr. Pevenstein holds a B.S. in mechanical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University. His graduate degrees include an M.S. in engineering management/operations research, the Degree of Engineer, and an Sc.D. in engineering management with minor in technology economics, all from the George Washington University School of Engineering and Applied Science. He is a Registered Professional Engineer in Washington, D.C., a member of Sigma Xi, the National Scientific Research Society, the Gamma Chapter of Tau Beta Pi—The National Engineering Honor Society, and the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE). Dr. Pevenstein was also a Department of Commerce 2001 Science and Technology Fellow. Dr. Pevenstein has strong academic and professional interests in the evolution of technology through innovation, the economic impacts of technology, and the technological impacts of the economy. He is also interested in the role of government policy in creating a favorable environment for the emergence of innovation. Vladimir Popov, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research
As Director of the Partnership Development Office (PDO), Vladimir Popov manages and coordinates partnership development and implementation processes, client relationships, and partnership projects. He provides comprehensive oversight of partnership project objectives, deliverables, milestones, and contractual obligations to ensure project success. His team develops and maintains relationships between the Frederick National Laboratory, the National Cancer Institute, client organizations, and local business communities in Maryland. The PDO identifies strategic partnership opportunities capable of addressing important scientific questions and unmet medical
needs, handles the evaluation and organization of the national laboratory’s IP portfolio, and actively engages in marketing and licensing efforts.
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Prior to this role, Popov worked as a business development manager for the PDO. Before joining the Frederick National Laboratory, Popov worked as a manager in the healthcare industry, as an entrepreneur, and as a licensing manager. He completed two postdoctoral fellowships at Thomas Jefferson University and the University of Pennsylvania, and holds a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and a B.S. in Biochemistry from Thomas Jefferson University. Popov is currently pursuing his M.B.A. at Johns Hopkins University – Carey Business School. Deputy Regional Coordinator
Claudia Haywood, Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research
Dr. Haywood serves as the Director of Intellectual Property and Strategic Agreements. In this role, Dr. Haywood is responsible for managing the intellectual property portfolio, strategic agreements and licensing activities at Leidos Biomedical Research, the operators of the Frederick National Laboratory for Cancer Research. Dr. Haywood is also responsible for providing compliance oversight of research issues, including human subjects, conflicts of interest and research administration.
In addition, Dr. Haywood is responsible for drafting, reviewing and negotiating strategic agreements, e.g. confidentiality agreements, material transfers, licenses, collaborative agreements, etc. In this role,
she works closely with the research staff and the Partnership Development Office to ensure compliance with the contractual requirements and the adequacy of the legal terms and conditions.
Dr. Haywood brings more than 20 years of experience in research administration, technology transfer and legal services to this position. She has worked in various areas including research integrity and misconduct, research compliance including human subjects compliance, animal care and use, and institutional biosafety, contract compliance and HIPAA Privacy and Security.
She earned a bachelor’s degree and a Masters of Business Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. She also earned a Juris Doctor from the University of Maryland School of Law and a Doctor of Public Administration from the University of Baltimore. Prior to joining Leidos Biomedical Research, she served as Assistant General Counsel at the J. Craig Venter Institute for six years and as Regional Research Administrator and In-house Counsel at the Providence Health System-Oregon in Portland for six years. Prior to that, Dr. Haywood served as Assistant Vice President at the University of Maryland Biotechnology Institute in Baltimore.
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Midwest Region
Regional Coordinator Jenna Dix, Naval Surface Warfare Center Crane Division
Ms. Dix has served with the NSWC Crane Technology Transfer (T2) program since 2015. She currently leads the program as the designated Office of Research & Technology Applications designee and director of the T2 program for NSWC Crane. Ms. Dix is responsible for the strategic management of the lab’s intellectual capital and developing strategic partnerships that enhance the research and development capabilities of NSWC Crane. Such partnerships enable the lab’s scientists and engineers to work collaboratively with their peers in industry and academia in order to expedite the delivery of technical solutions for the warfighter. Ms. Dix is also responsible for seeking
partnerships that support efforts to commercialize technologies developed at NSWC Crane and economic development activities outside the fence line, and for connecting academia, industry and start-up ventures with the unique and valuable resources available at NSWC Crane. Prior to serving in the Technology Transfer Program, Ms. Dix spent ten years supporting the Navy’s Small Arms Program, providing multispectral programmatic and logistics support to the Program office. In 2019, Ms. Dix was the recipient of the National Rookie of the Year Award from the Federal Laboratory Consortium for Technology Transfer (FLC) and in 2018 was a part of a team awarded the DoD’s George Linsteadt Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer. Ms. Dix currently serves as the Regional Coordinator for the Mid-West Region of the FLC. She served as the Deputy Regional Coordinator for almost two terms prior to transitioning into her role as Regional Coordinator. In addition to her regional duties, Ms. Dix has participated in a variety of FLC initiatives, including the recent development and implementation of a new Strategic Plan for the FLC. Ms. Dix has a bachelor’s degree in Public Administration, a Graduate Certificate in Public Management and a Master’s in Public Administration, all from Indiana University’s School of Public and Environmental Affairs. Statement: Over the last four years as Deputy Regional Coordinator for the Midwest, my priority has been to engage laboratory representatives and consortium participants, provide support and one-on- one training sessions, and organize regional meetings that provide value. And while we’ve seen success in many areas, the work is far from finished!
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As Regional Coordinator, I will expand upon past efforts and work diligently to ensure that the resources of the FLC are valuable for your lab. As the organization transitions to a new partner in AUTM, the opportunities for our labs will be immense. This is an exciting time within the FLC and I would be honored to continue to work alongside you. If elected, here is what you can expect over the next two years:
● More focused regional meetings. Regional meetings have always provided a great opportunity for networking, but looking toward the future, these meetings could be a powerful tool to bring together not only our laboratories, but our partners in industry and academia as well.
● Improved communications. Communicating can be difficult. Too much, too little and other inconsistencies can make it difficult to stay connected. I’ll continue to work with our partners at AUTM to ensure we’re providing consistent and valuable communications on both national and regional issues.
● 360˚ Feedback. In order for the FLC to provide the most value to your lab, we need to hear from you! Focusing on hearing the voices of the labs will be a priority. This organization exists to serve you. In order to do so, we need to hear your needs!
Deputy Regional Coordinator Sabra Tomb, Air Force Research Laboratory
Ms. Sabra Tomb is an attorney-advisor for the Headquarters Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). The AFRL/Judge Advocate (JA) provides strategic legal support to the Air Force Technology Executive Officer (TEO), advises the TEO on strategic management of intellectual property, reviews and advises the TEO regarding Air Force enterprise-wide responsibilities on various technology transfer agreements, partners with Functional Directorates to accelerate the Research & Development process, and provides legal support directly to the AFRL leadership.
Ms. Tomb was hired into AFRL/JA in March 2019. Prior to this position, from March 2016 to March 2019, Ms. Tomb worked in the AFRL’s 711th Human Performance Wing’s Office of Research and Technology Applications (ORTA) as a technology transfer specialist. During that time, Ms. Tomb was also enrolled as a full-time law student at the University of Dayton School of Law.
Ms. Tomb’s initial association with the Air Force began in 2014, when she worked as an Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) undergraduate student in the AFRL’s 711th Human Performance Wing’s Institutional Review and Biosurety Office.
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______________________________________________________________________________ Prior to that, Ms. Tomb worked in the natural health industry for over ten years, and was a well-known natural health and fitness expert in the Miami, Darke, and Shelby counties of Ohio. Ms. Tomb owned a natural health store for seven years. As a small-business owner, she was responsible for overseeing employees, working with vendors, running the day-to-day operations of the business, and executing the marketing and communications plan for the business.
She earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Dayton School of Law, Dayton, Ohio in 2019 and a Bachelor of Science, Biology from Wittenberg University, Springfield, Ohio in 2016.
Statement: As a former small business owner, technology transfer specialist for the AFRL’s 711th Human Performance Wing, and now as an attorney specializing in technology transfer and intellectual property for the Headquarters Air Force Research Laboratory, I will bring a unique perspective to the role of Midwest Deputy Regional Coordinator for the FLC. In that role, I hope to encourage and facilitate collaboration between the federal laboratories in the Midwest region as well as strengthen those relationships. I also hope to effectively increase the communication between the federal laboratories in the region, as well as with small businesses, entrepreneurial centers, local and state government, and DoD laboratory partnership intermediaries, as they can all be partners in facilitating technology transfer. Increasing awareness, communication and collaboration can be accomplished through joint activities outside the regional meetings by hosting technology showcases, training, and networking events, roundtable discussions, and routine email communication. Additionally, in that role, I will meet individuals outside of my organization, the Air Force, as well as the Department of Defense. Growing my network will be instrumental in my personal and professional development and at the same time will benefit my organization. The more experience and knowledge I gain, the better I will be as an attorney and as an Air Force employee. I look forward to having the opportunity to work with the FLC as Midwest Deputy Regional Coordinator.
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Far West Region
Regional Coordinator David Nicholson, USDA Agricultural Research Service
Dave Nicholson is the Technology Transfer Coordinator for USDA Agricultural Research Service (ARS) Pacific West Area. He has been in that position since 2004, and has been with the ARS since 2002 when he was hired as a Patent Advisor.
Prior to joining the ARS, Dave was the Intellectual Property Attache at the U.S. Mission to the World Trade Organization in Geneva Switzerland. Prior to that he was an Associate Solicitor at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.
He began his legal career as a Litigation Associate at a large law firm in New Orleans, specializing in medical malpractice defense and general business litigation. Dave is a Registered Patent Attorney and licensed to practice law in Louisiana.
He is a graduate of the University of Mississippi School of Law and the University of Montana. This will be his first involvement with the FLC administration.
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Proposed BylawAmendments
The marked up FLC Bylaws are available for review at: https://federallabs.org/sites/default/files/bylaws_2-6-2020_sjsrev22.pdf . This markup represents the language that members will be casting ballots to approve or disapprove. In order to aid reading of the markup, following colors are used:
· ELIMINATE RECORDING SECRETARY - Changing the phrase “recording secretary” to “cooperative agreement partner”. These changes are noted throughout the document in purple. · REDUCING THE STANDING COMMITTEES TO THREE: PROMOTE, EDUCATE, and FACILITATE - Changing the committee structure from current standing seven committees to three committees: a promote committee; an educate committee, and a facilitate committee. These changes are noted throughout the document in yellow. · REDUCING OF MEMBERS-AT-LARGE POSITIONS FROM SIX (6) TO TWO (2) - Reducing the size of the number of member-at-large positions from six (6) individuals to two (2) individuals. These changes are noted throughout the document in green. · CLARIFYING THE NATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL- highlighted in blue. · REDUCING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TO FOUR (4) – highlighted in red. · OTHER CHANGES CAUSED BY THE ABOVE - highlighted in gray.
A walk through of the language by staff is available if the color version is not usable.
Please mark the ballot on page 27 regarding your agreement or disagreement with the proposed bylaw changes.
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______________________________________________________________________________ Webinar Update: The FLC Chair, John Dement, and the FLC Executive Director, Paul Zielinski, led a webinar for the FLC community to discuss the proposed Bylaw changes on Tuesday, March 17 and Thursday, March 19. Mr. Dement discussed the background of how these proposed changes came to fruition by outlining activities from 2017 through 2020, which included leadership discussions, formal studies on the organization, and the completion of the 2020-25 Strategic Plan with three pillars for greater strategic focus: Promote ; Educate ; Facilitate.
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______________________________________________________________________________ In order to propel the FLC forward, the Executive Board unanimously agreed to the proposed Bylaw changes to allow for the FLC leadership to focus strategically, which is possible due to the cooperative agreement with AUTM, which is taking on the administrative and marketing roles.
Bylaw Changes Key Points and Summary
Reducing the Standing Committees to Three (3): Promote, Educate, and Facilitate - to better reflect the pillars of the FLC Strategic Plan while the Cooperative Partner Agreement will handle the operations and logistics for the organization.
Reducing the Number of Member-at-large Positions from six (6) individuals to two (2) individuals to create a more nimble, strategic Executive Board.
Clarifying the Role of the National Advisory Council in regard to the selection and terms of members.
Reducing the Executive Committee to Four (4) to reflect current practices.
Eliminate Recording Secretary because of the Cooperative Partner Agreement with AUTM who have a professional staff to handle operations and logistics.
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Frequently Asked Questions
1. With fewer MAL positions, how can we ensure adequate representation on the
Executive Board across agencies, labs, and regions? The FLC Executive Board is elected by all agencies and labs, across every region. The FLC Nominating Committee likewise solicits candidates for the Executive Board from all agencies and labs, across every region. In addition to the Executive Board, there are many opportunities for agency, lab, and regional participation, including serving on committees and engaging in national and regional meeting efforts.
2. Why is the FLC making these changes to the Bylaws? The FLC is making these changes to the bylaws to modernize the Consortium by allowing for more nimble practices as we move to a more strategic rather than an operational practice. These changes must follow the process described in the Bylaws to be approved by the members before they can be implemented.
3. Is the Board going to update all of the bylaws in the future or are only these items getting changed?
The current Bylaw amendments are all that are being considered at this election. Article XI of the FLC Bylaws describes the process for amendments. Amendments to the Bylaws happen regularly following these procedures.
4. How do these changes impact me as a member? As a member of the FLC, you should anticipate a greater alignment between the structure and function of the Executive Board and the Cooperating Partner, resulting in better service delivery. The Executive Board will be able to serve as a true oversight Board of Directors rather than trying to deliver content while performing full time duties at a federal laboratory.
5. What amount of votes are required to approve the changes? The FLC Bylaws allow for a simple majority of votes to carry for elections or amendments, provided that a quorum of at least 25% of eligible voters cast a ballot.
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______________________________________________________________________________
National Bylaw Amendment Ballot Name _______________________________________ (Note: All ballots will be compared to list of eligible voters) I am a(n) (please check box) : ▢ Agency Representative ▢ Laboratory Representative Please provide your: Agency:_____________________________ Laboratory:__________________________ Location:____________________________
(Please check box to indicate vote) Update the Bylaws as indicated in the redline.
▢ Approve (Bylaw amendments will be made) ▢ Disapprove (Bylaws remain as written)
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National Election Ballot
Name _______________________________________ (Note: All ballots will be compared to list of eligible voters)
I am a(n) (please check box) :
▢ Agency Representative
▢ Laboratory Representative
Please provide your:
Agency:_____________________________
Laboratory and Location :__________________________
(Candidates are listed alphabetically under positions where there are multiple candidates)
(Please check box to indicate vote)
▢ Finance Officer: Courtney Silverthorn (NIST)
▢ Recording Secretary: John Bittman (NIST)
Member-at Large (Select only 3): ▢ Ariel Atkinson (USDA)
▢ Annie Elizabeth Bullock (Navy)
▢ Valerie Larkin (Navy)
▢ David Pronchick (MIT LL/DoD)
▢ Thomas Stackhouse (NCI/NIH)
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Mid-Atlantic Region Election Ballot
Name _______________________________________ (Note: All ballots will be compared to list of eligible voters from the region)
I am a(n) (please check box) :
▢ Agency Representative
▢ Laboratory Representative
Please provide your:
Agency:_____________________________
Laboratory:__________________________
Location:____________________________ (Candidates are listed alphabetically under positions where there are multiple candidates)
(Please check box to indicate vote)
Regional Coordinator (Select only 1):
▢ Jack Pevenstein (NIST)
▢ Vladimir Popov (NIH)
▢ Deputy Regional Coordinator: Claudia Haywood (NIH)
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Midwest Region Election Ballot Name _______________________________________ (Note: All ballots will be compared to list of eligible voters from the region) I am a(n) (please check box) : ▢ Agency Representative ▢ Laboratory Representative Please provide your: Agency:_____________________________ Laboratory:__________________________ Location: ___________________________
(Please check box to indicate vote) ▢ Regional Coordinator: Jenna Dix (Navy) ▢ Deputy Regional Coordinator: Sabra Tomb (Air Force)
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Far West Region Election Ballot
Name _______________________________________ (Note: All ballots will be compared to list of eligible voters from the region) I am a(n) (please check box) : ▢ Agency Representative ▢ Laboratory Representative Please provide your: Agency:_____________________________ Laboratory:__________________________
Location:____________________________
(Please check box to indicate vote) ▢ Regional Coordinator: David Nicholson (USDA) Deputy Regional Coordinator: No Candidate (Note: the FLC Bylaws do not provide for a write-in candidate during the election. Any vacancies will be filled through appointment by the FLC Executive Board.)
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The FLC has rescheduled the National Meeting for August 31 to September 2, 2020 at the Hyatt Regency in Portland, Oregon. Visit the meetings website for updated information on the program, registration and things to do in Portland. Visit: https://meetings.federallabs.org Tentative dates for rescheduled meeting: Monday, August 31 Training Day Courses all day Tuesday- September 1 Training Day Courses – ½ day National Meeting – ½ day Welcome Reception Wednesday, September 2 National Meeting – all day Awards Banquet
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