Evelyn Chen of Ericsson Elected President for 2024-2025 Board for Licensing Executives Society (USA & Canada), Inc. (LES)
Leadership Changes Voted On at Annual Meeting in New Orleans.
NEW ORLEANS, LA – October 21, 2024 – A new slate of leaders is in charge for the 2024-2025 year for the Licensing Executives Society (USA & Canada), Inc. (LES)…well, sort of. There are new leaders at the top and two new board members joining the team to help lead and grow the 60-year old society following a vote at the annual meeting this week.
Among the leadership changes for the 2024-2025 year are:
Evelyn Chen, President. Ms. Chen serves as Director for Ericsson’s IP Rights & Licensing group. Prior to Ericsson, she was a patent litigator and prosecutor for Sidney Austin, LLP and she clerked for the Honorable David Folsom in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Texas. She holds an Electrical Engineering degree and law degree from The University of Texas at Austin.
Mike Perham, President-Elect. Mr. Perham is the Director of Innovations and External Relations at the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Research Campus, where he oversees tech transfer, open science, and external relations. Previous to his role at Howard Hughes, he managed tech transfer and IP for the UTMB, the University of Virginia, Microlab Diagnostics and the Health Diagnostic Laboratory. He holds a degree in chemistry from the University of Texas and a Ph.D. in Biophysical Chemistry from Rice University.
Two new board members include:
Jennifer Souter, Director. Ms. Souter is the Managing Director for IP in the Office of Research Commercialization, the tech transfer office for the Texas Tech University System (TTUS) and its five component institutions. In this role she holds responsibility for the development and implementation of strategies to maximize the value of TTUS-owned IP and discoveries, and she directs IP assessment, protection and compliance activities. Previously she served as Director of Patents and Licensing for WiSys at the University of Wisconsin System. She holds a bachelor’s degree in life sciences from the University of West Alabama and an MBA from Ulster University in Ireland.
Mark Shelley, Director. Mr. Shelley is the senior legal counsel at Marathon Petroleum Company in Houston, Texas, where he manages IP matters, including drafting and negotiating IP license agreements, for the nation’s largest refining system. Prior to Marathon, Mark engaged in IP law at several international law firms and an international oil and gas services company. He holds a Ph.D and B.Ch.E. from Auburn University and an M.S. from Texas A&M University.
Together, the 17 member board of directors for LES will seek to grow the society, which represents 60 years of professional development and education for the individuals and companies in intellectual property and licensing across all sectors.
LES holds their annual conference each October where it votes on new leaders for the subsequent year of society activities. LES remains active in supporting and protecting IP, licensing and innovation best practices, including their IP Valuation Standard Manual that is currently half way through a 60-day review period for public comment as part of the ANSI procedures. LES has been an ANSI-accredited standards developer for IP-related business process standards. Their goal is to help enhance the quality, efficiency, and theirs in commercial transactions relating to intellectual property.
For more information, visit lesusacanada.org.
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About Licensing Executives Society (USA & Canada), Inc. (LES):
Established in 1965, LES (USA & Canada) is one of the longest running professional societies supporting the development of members engaged in the creation, commercial development, and orderly transfer of intellectual property. LES members include business executives, lawyers, accountants, consultants, and scientists and engineers; who represent innovation-oriented enterprises of all sizes, professional services firms, universities, and government labs. LES is the largest of 43 global member societies of the Licensing Executives Society International, Inc. (LESI). For more information about LES, visit www.lesusacanada.org.
Media Contact:
communications@les.org
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