Amicus Committee
Recommends to the board that amicus curiae briefs be filed in appropriate cases and attends to the preparation of such briefs on behalf of the association under the direction of the board.

Chair: Kyle Friesen Shook Hardy & Bacon L.L.P. 600 Travis St. Suite 3400 Houston, Texas 77002 713.546.5671 kfriesen@shb.com

Annual Federal Judges Dinner Committee
The Annual Federal Judges Dinner Committee is charged with planning and executing the annual dinner honoring the Federal judiciary.

Chair: Sparkle Ellison

LyondellBasell
1221 McKinney St., Ste. 300
Houston, TX 77010
E-mail: Sparkle.Ellison@lyondellbasell.com

Annual Fall Institute Committee
Plans and executes the Annual Institute on Intellectual Property Law in conjunction with the Program Planning Committee.

Brigitte Echols

Schlumberger

Email: jeffery1@slb.com 

Diversity and Inclusion Committee
Plans, organizes, and manages initiatives focused on diversity and inclusion.

Chair: Natalie Alfaro Gonzales
Baker Botts

910 Louisiana Street

Houston, Texas 77002-4995

United States

P:+1.713.229.1318

natalie.gonzales@bakerbotts.com

Chair: Ryan Gum
Chevron Services Company
1400 Smith St.
Houston, TX 77002
Phone: 281-217-2850
ryangum@chevron.com

Giles Rich Moot Court Committee
Plans, organizes, and supervises the Houston regional Giles Rich Moot Court competition.

Inventor of the Year Committee
Plans and executes the Annual Inventor of the Year award in conjunction with the Program Planning Committee.

Chair: Edgar N. Gonzalez
Patterson + Sheridan
24 Greenway Plaza, Suite 1600
Houston, TX 77046
Phone: 713-576-5025
egonzalez@pattersonsheridan.com

Provides liaison between HIPLA and the Houston-area law schools, and their faculty and students, concerning intellectual property law matters.

Chair: Alison Ibendahl
Jones Day
717 Texas Suite 3300
Houston, Texas 77002-2712
Phone: 1.832.239.3711
aibendahl@jonesday.com

Long Rang Planning (Vice President)

Meeting Arrangements and Programs Committee
Plans, organizes, and supervises the arrangements, program speakers, and management of the meetings, dinners, and other functions of the Association, subject to the approval of the President.

Co-Chair: Jorge Lozano Phone: 956-534-8911 jorge.lozano27@gmail.com

Co-Chair:Leslie Streeter LyondellBasell 1221 McKinney St., Ste. 300 Houston, TX 77010 E-mail: leslie.streeter@lyondellbasell.com

Membership Committee
Promotes and encourages new members to join the Association and organizes and distributes an annual pictorial directory of members.

Chair: Melissa Martinez
melissa@martinezlaw.us

Patent Agents & Intellectual Property Managers Committee
Plans, organizes, and manages events for patent agents, patent attorneys practicing as a patent agent or manager, and non-registered patent professionals that primarily work in patent preparation, prosecution, and portfolio management.

Scholarship/Fellowship Committee
Receives, reviews, and recommends worthy applications from students at local Law Schools wishing to receive scholarships who have a demonstrated interest in intellectual property law. Also receives, reviews, and recommends worthy applications from applicants wishing to receive fellowships to work as interns in the Houston offices of a U.S. District Court Judge or a U.S. Magistrate Judge, at the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, or at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.

Organizes members of the Association to serve as judges for the international and local Science Engineering Fair, provides for appropriate Association award(s), and arranges an appropriate ceremony for the presentation of the award(s).

Co-Chair: Varsha Pednekar, Ph.D. Eversheds Sutherland 1001 Fannin St. Houston, TX 77002 Tel.: 713.425.3521 varsha.pednekar @outlook.com

Co-Chair: Sri Melethil Melethils@umkc.edu

Website and Social Media Committee
Leverage technology to manage communications between HIPLA, its members and the public at large.

Chair: Matthew Prater

SABIC Innovative Plastics US LLC

2500 CityWest Blvd. STE 100

Houston, TX 77042

matthew.prater@sabic.com