United States Patent & Trademark Office Executive and Leadership Team

September, 2026

Leadership Overview

United States Patent & Trademark Office has 10 executives leading key functions including strategy, financial oversight, administrative operations, and information technology systems.

Committed to fostering national innovation, United States Patent & Trademark Office drives economic growth by protecting intellectual property rights and managing complex trademark registration processes across the entire country.

Leadership Roles at United States Patent & Trademark Office

  • Founder & Chief Executive Officer - Deborah Moore
  • Chief Financial Officer - Nawal Hammad
  • Acting Chief Financial Officer - Stephen Hopkins
  • Administrative Officer for the Chief Financial Officer - Denise Absher
  • Senior Analyst and Advisor, Office of the Chief Financial Officer - Thomas Berry
  • Chief of Staff - John Williams
  • Deputy Director, Business Product Delivery Office of & Chief Information Officer - Rey Jesus
  • Office Policy & International Affairs Chief of Staff - Ari Leifman
  • Dep Chief Information Officer - Wesley Gewehr
  • Director of Chief Information Officer Systems and Services Division - Phorsha Peel
  • Deborah Moore - Founder & Chief Executive Officer

    Deborah Moore, the Founder & Chief Executive Officer at United States Patent & Trademark Office, directs the overarching strategic vision for intellectual property protection. Moore architects high-level policies that govern patent grants and trademark registrations, ensuring alignment with the Department of Commerce objectives. By overseeing the agency's mission to promote innovation, the Founder & Chief Executive Officer maintains rigorous standards for intellectual property integrity. This leadership role involves constant engagement with federal stakeholders to secure funding and operational support for national patent infrastructure. Deborah Moore drives organizational excellence by streamlining the application review process, thereby reducing backlogs and enhancing service delivery for inventors. Through consistent focus on technological modernization and policy refinement, the Founder & Chief Executive Officer secures the long-term viability of the agency's mandate to protect American creativity and industrial progress on a global scale.

    Nawal Hammad - Chief Financial Officer

    Nawal Hammad, the Chief Financial Officer at United States Patent & Trademark Office, manages the fiscal health and budgetary allocations for the entire agency. Hammad oversees the complex financial reporting required for federal patent operations, ensuring compliance with government accounting standards. By directing resource distribution across various departments, the Chief Financial Officer optimizes the allocation of funds to support critical patent examination services. This leadership role involves coordinating with the Department of Commerce to align fiscal strategies with broader national economic goals. Nawal Hammad drives financial transparency by implementing robust auditing protocols and monitoring expenditure patterns across all regional offices. Through meticulous oversight of revenue streams generated from trademark fees, the Chief Financial Officer maintains the necessary capital to sustain high-performance IT infrastructure and staffing levels, ultimately supporting the agency's core mission of fostering innovation through sound fiscal management.
    Nawal Hammad

    Stephen Hopkins - Acting Chief Financial Officer

    Stephen Hopkins, the Acting Chief Financial Officer at United States Patent & Trademark Office, monitors the agency's daily financial operations and cash flow management. Hopkins architects short-term fiscal strategies that address immediate budgetary needs while maintaining long-term financial stability. By overseeing the financial analysis team, the Acting Chief Financial Officer ensures that all expenditures remain within the authorized federal limits. This leadership role involves preparing detailed financial forecasts that assist the executive team in making informed decisions regarding resource allocation for patent examination services. Stephen Hopkins drives fiscal accountability by conducting regular reviews of departmental spending and identifying opportunities for cost reduction. Through diligent management of the agency's financial records, the Acting Chief Financial Officer supports the overall mission of the United States Patent & Trademark Office by ensuring that sufficient resources are available to sustain the critical functions required for protecting intellectual property.

    Denise Absher - Administrative Officer for the Chief Financial Officer

    Denise Absher, the Administrative Officer for the Chief Financial Officer at United States Patent & Trademark Office, coordinates the administrative functions that support the financial leadership team. Absher architects efficient office procedures that facilitate the smooth operation of the Office of the Chief Financial Officer. By managing scheduling, documentation, and internal communications, the Administrative Officer for the Chief Financial Officer ensures that financial data is organized and accessible for executive review. This leadership role involves maintaining compliance with administrative protocols while supporting the broader financial objectives of the agency. Denise Absher drives operational efficiency by streamlining the flow of information between the financial department and other agency divisions. Through meticulous attention to detail and organizational support, the Administrative Officer for the Chief Financial Officer enables the financial leadership to focus on strategic fiscal planning, thereby contributing to the overall success of the agency's mission.

    Thomas Berry - Senior Analyst and Advisor, Office of the Chief Financial Officer

    Thomas Berry, the Senior Analyst and Advisor, Office of the Chief Financial Officer at United States Patent & Trademark Office, evaluates the financial impact of proposed agency policies. Berry architects complex economic models that project the long-term fiscal consequences of changes to patent fee structures. By providing expert analysis to the Chief Financial Officer, the Senior Analyst and Advisor, Office of the Chief Financial Officer ensures that financial decisions are based on accurate data and sound economic principles. This leadership role involves conducting deep-dive research into market trends that affect the agency's revenue streams. Thomas Berry drives informed decision-making by presenting clear, actionable insights to the executive team regarding budgetary risks and opportunities. Through rigorous analytical work, the Senior Analyst and Advisor, Office of the Chief Financial Officer supports the agency's mission by ensuring that financial strategies remain aligned with the goal of promoting innovation through sustainable fiscal practices.

    John Williams - Chief of Staff

    John Williams, the Chief of Staff at United States Patent & Trademark Office, coordinates daily operations and facilitates communication between executive leadership and agency departments. Williams architects internal workflows that streamline decision-making processes, ensuring that strategic initiatives receive proper attention from the Director. By managing the executive office agenda, the Chief of Staff aligns departmental activities with the agency's primary mission of protecting intellectual property. This leadership role involves resolving operational bottlenecks and fostering collaboration across diverse teams to maintain high productivity levels. John Williams drives organizational efficiency by implementing standardized reporting mechanisms that track progress on key patent and trademark milestones. Through constant interaction with senior management, the Chief of Staff ensures that all operational directives remain consistent with federal regulations, thereby supporting the agency's commitment to providing reliable and timely services to the national innovation community.

    Rey Jesus - Deputy Director, Business Product Delivery Office of & Chief Information Officer

    Rey Jesus, the Deputy Director, Business Product Delivery Office of & Chief Information Officer at United States Patent & Trademark Office, directs the development and deployment of digital tools for patent processing. Jesus architects scalable software solutions that enable efficient trademark registration and patent examination workflows. By overseeing the Business Product Delivery Office, the Deputy Director, Business Product Delivery Office of & Chief Information Officer ensures that all technological platforms meet the rigorous security requirements of federal agencies. This leadership role involves integrating advanced data analytics into existing systems to improve the accuracy of intellectual property searches. Rey Jesus drives digital transformation by modernizing legacy infrastructure, thereby enhancing the user experience for inventors and legal professionals. Through strategic oversight of information technology assets, the Deputy Director, Business Product Delivery Office of & Chief Information Officer supports the agency's goal of maintaining a robust, secure, and accessible digital environment for all stakeholders.

    Ari Leifman - Office Policy & International Affairs Chief of Staff

    Ari Leifman, the Office Policy & International Affairs Chief of Staff at United States Patent & Trademark Office, manages the development of intellectual property policies that influence global trade standards. Leifman architects collaborative frameworks with international partners to harmonize patent and trademark regulations across borders. By overseeing the Office of Policy & International Affairs, the Office Policy & International Affairs Chief of Staff ensures that domestic innovation protections align with international treaties and agreements. This leadership role involves advising senior executives on the potential impact of global policy shifts on the American patent system. Ari Leifman drives international cooperation by facilitating dialogues with foreign intellectual property offices to streamline cross-border registration processes. Through strategic engagement with global stakeholders, the Office Policy & International Affairs Chief of Staff strengthens the agency's influence in international forums, thereby protecting the interests of domestic innovators in an increasingly interconnected global marketplace.

    Wesley Gewehr - Dep Chief Information Officer

    Wesley Gewehr, the Dep Chief Information Officer at United States Patent & Trademark Office, manages the operational maintenance of the agency's information technology infrastructure. Gewehr architects robust network security protocols that protect sensitive patent and trademark data from unauthorized access. By overseeing the IT support teams, the Dep Chief Information Officer ensures that all internal systems remain functional and responsive to the needs of patent examiners. This leadership role involves coordinating with the Chief Information Officer to implement hardware upgrades and software patches across the agency's digital landscape. Wesley Gewehr drives system reliability by monitoring network performance and addressing technical issues before these problems impact productivity. Through consistent oversight of the agency's technological backbone, the Dep Chief Information Officer supports the mission of the United States Patent & Trademark Office by providing a secure and stable environment for processing intellectual property applications.

    Phorsha Peel - Director of Chief Information Officer Systems and Services Division

    Phorsha Peel, the Director of Chief Information Officer Systems and Services Division at United States Patent & Trademark Office, oversees the delivery of specialized IT services that support patent examination workflows. Peel architects service-level agreements that define the performance standards for internal software applications. By managing the Systems and Services Division, the Director of Chief Information Officer Systems and Services Division ensures that all technical tools are optimized for the specific requirements of trademark registration. This leadership role involves collaborating with end-users to identify functional gaps and implementing targeted improvements to existing systems. Phorsha Peel drives service excellence by fostering a culture of continuous improvement within the IT division. Through strategic management of technical resources, the Director of Chief Information Officer Systems and Services Division ensures that the agency's digital infrastructure remains capable of handling the high volume of intellectual property filings submitted annually.

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    Frequently Asked Questions Regarding United States Patent & Trademark Office Top Executives and Leadership Team

    Who leads United States Patent & Trademark Office?
    United States Patent & Trademark Office is led by Deborah Moore (Founder & Chief Executive Officer), along with executives such as Nawal Hammad (Chief Financial Officer) and Stephen Hopkins (Acting Chief Financial Officer).
    Who is part of United States Patent & Trademark Office’s executive team?
    The executive team of United States Patent & Trademark Office includes leaders such as Deborah Moore (Founder & Chief Executive Officer), Nawal Hammad (Chief Financial Officer), Stephen Hopkins (Acting Chief Financial Officer) and other senior executives.
    How many executives does United States Patent & Trademark Office have?
    United States Patent & Trademark Office has 10 executives leading key business areas.
    What roles are included in United States Patent & Trademark Office’s leadership team?
    The leadership team of United States Patent & Trademark Office includes roles such as Founder & Chief Executive Officer, Chief Financial Officer, Acting Chief Financial Officer, Administrative Officer for the Chief Financial Officer, Senior Analyst and Advisor, Office of the Chief Financial Officer.