Patricia M. Richter
Chief Administrative Officer
Patricia M. Richter is the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) for the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). She is responsible for leading the Office of Human Resources, and Corporate Services.
Prior to her appointment to the USPTO, Ms. Richter served as the Executive Director of Human Resources for the Secretary of the Senate. Previously, she worked at the U.S. Postal Service, where she held a number of executive positions, including the National Manager for EEO Compliance and Appeals Programs, Area Manager of Human Resources in the New York metropolitan area during the 9/11 and anthrax crises and Postmaster of Flushing, NY.
Ms. Richter earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree from Hofstra University in 1981 and earned a juris doctor degree in 1999 from St. John’s University in New York. She is a member of the New York Bar and licensed to practice law. In addition, Ms. Richter is a trained mediator and is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources.
About the USPTO
Since 1790, the basic role of the United States intellectual property system has remained the same: to promote the progress of science and the useful arts by securing for limited times to inventors the exclusive right to their respective discoveries (Article I, Section 8 of the United States Constitution). Today, the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is a federal agency in the Department of Commerce, headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia. Through the issuance of patents, the USPTO encourages technological advancement by providing incentives to invent, invest in, and disclose new technology worldwide. Through the registration of trademarks, the agency assists businesses in protecting their investments, promoting goods and services, and safeguarding consumers against confusion and deception in the marketplace. By disseminating both patent and trademark information, the USPTO promotes an understanding of intellectual property protection and facilitates the development and sharing of new technologies worldwide.
