- USPTO confirmed Deborah Stephens as permanent chief information officer
- Stephens had been acting CIO since last August and deputy CIO since 2019
- Stephens advocated for AI adoption and initiated AI workforce training across the agency
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office said Tuesday that it has formalized Deborah Stephens’ position as permanent chief information officer.
Stephens has been USPTO’s acting CIO since August last year, replacing Jamie Holcombe. The confirmation makes her the official leader of the agency’s efforts to modernize its IT infrastructure.
What Is Deborah Stephens’ Background?
Stephens started her career at USPTO in June 2006 when she was chosen as director of data management. She became the assistant commissioner for the Office of Patent Information Management in 2012 and was acting deputy commissioner for patents. After almost seven years, the USPTO promoted her to deputy CIO.
What Were Stephens’ Contributions to the Agency?
According to the USPTO, Stephens was instrumental in transitioning legacy patent and trademark systems into cloud-based platforms. She helped deploy artificial intelligence tools, including AI training across the agency. Together with Holcombe, she promoted the adoption of chatbot assistant Scout, which stands for searching, consolidating, outlining, and understanding.
