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Introduction

 

ARS's Office of Technology Transfer helps move ARS research discoveries to the marketplace.  We have a proven reputation for partnerships leading to commercial success. Our agency has formed more than 1,000 government and industry partnerships. We have also entered into more than 200 active license agreements with businesses.


Assistant Administrator's Office


Conducts day-to-day operations, coordinates technology transfer policy development, and signs licenses and Cooperative Research and Development Agreements.

Michael D. Ruff
Assistant Administrator
mruff@ars.usda.gov
Phone: (202) 720-3973
    Fax: (202) 690-4658

Debbie J. Davis
Secretary, OTT/HS
DDavis@ars.usda.gov
Phone: (202) 720-3973
    Fax: (202) 690-4658

Richard J. Brenner
Deputy Assistant Administrator
Richard.Brenner@nps.ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301) 504-6905
    Fax: (301) 504-5060

Tara Dillon
Management Analyst
tmd@ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301) 504-4877
    Fax: (301) 504-5060

Amanda Millner
Secretary
Amanda.Millner@nps.ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301) 504-6786
    Fax: (301) 504-5060


Technology Transfer Coordinators


Facilitate technology transfer activities, negotiate technology transfer agreements, serve as liaisons with ARS scientists and managers, university partners, and the private sector. 

Beltsville Area
(Beltsville, MD)

Harry Danforth, TTC
danforthh@ba.ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301) 504-6421
    Fax: (301) 504-6001

Sandra Matteson
Technology Transfer Assistant
Phone: (301) 504-6421
    Fax: (301) 504-6001

Cotton Technology Transfer
  and Education Coordinator
Thomas Valco
CTTEC@ars.usda.gov
Phone: (662) 686-5255
    Fax: (662) 686-5372

Annetta C. Ebelhar, Secretary
aebelhar@ars.usda.gov
Phone: (662) 686-3019
    Fax: (662) 686-5372

Midwest Area
(IA, IL, IN, MI, MO, MN, OH, WI)
Renee Wagner
wagnerrm@ncaur.usda.gov
Phone: (309) 681-6565
    Fax: (309) 681-6688

North Atlantic Area
(CT, DE, MA, ME, MD, NJ, NH, NY, PA, RI, VT, WV)
Jerry Crawford, TTC
cgcrawford@arserrc.gov
Phone: (215) 233-6610
    Fax: (215) 233-6777

Barbara Hawkins, Secretary
bhawkins@naa.ars.usda.gov
Phone: (215) 233-6778
    Fax: (215) 233-6777

Northern Plains Area
(CO, KS, MT, ND, NE, SD, UT, WY)
Southern Plains Area
(AR, OK, TX, NM)
Bryan Kaphammer, TTC
Bryan.Kaphammer@ars.usda.gov
Phone: (970) 492-7028
    Fax: (970) 492-7034

Marcella (Marcie) Currie-Gross
Extramural Agreements Asst.
GrossCM@npa.ars.usda.gov
Phone: (970) 492-7022
    Fax: (970) 492-7036

Pacific West Area
(AK, AZ, CA, HI, ID, NV, OR, WA)
Martha B. Steinbock, TTC
MBS@pw.usda.gov
Phone: (510) 559-5641
    Fax: (510) 559-6091

Diane Ward
Technology Transfer Assistant 
dmw@pw.usda.gov
Phone: (510) 559-5619 
    Fax: (510) 559-6091

South Atlantic Area
(FL, GA, PR, NC, SC, VA, VI)
Mid South Area
(AL, KY, LA, MS, TN)
Donald Nordlund, TTC
dnordlund@saa.ars.usda.gov
Phone: (706) 546-3496
    Fax: (706) 546-3401

Margaret Vaughn
Technology Transfer Assistant
MVaughn@saa.ars.usda.gov
Phone: (706) 546-3496
    Fax: (706) 546-3401


Patent Advisors


Assist ARS scientists in protecting intellectual property, coordinate invention reports, prepare and prosecute patent applications, and oversee patent applications prepared by contract law firms. 

Beltsville Area  (Including Pennsylvania) and
Chemical Patents
G. Byron Stover, Patent Advisor
Byron.Stover@nps.ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301) 504-4783
    Fax: (301) 504-5060

North Atlantic Area (Excluding Pennsylvania) and
Biotechnology Patents
Evelyn Rabin, Patent Advisor 
Evelyn.Rabin@nps.ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301) 504-4781
    Fax: (301) 504-5060

Mid South Area 
Evelyn Rabin, Patent Advisor (Temporary)
Evelyn.Rabin@nps.ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301) 504-4781
    Fax: (301) 504-5060

Midwest and
Northern Plains Areas
Curtis P. Ribando, Patent Advisor
cribando@ncaur.usda.gov
Phone: (309) 681-6513
    Fax: (309) 681-6688

Pacific West Area
Margaret A. Connor, Patent Advisor 
MConnor@pw.ars.usda.gov
Phone: (510) 559-6067
    Fax: (510) 559-5736

David Nicholson, Patent Advisor
DNicholson@pw.ars.usda.gov
Phone: (510) 559-5731
    Fax: (510) 559-5736

South Atlantic Area
Gail Poulos, Patent Advisor
Gail.Poulos@nps.ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301) 504-5302 
    Fax: (301) 504-5060

Southern Plains and
Midwest Areas

Randall Deck, Patent Advisor
deckre@ncaur.usda.gov
Phone: (309) 681-6515 
    Fax: (309) 681-6688
Co-Op and Foreign Patent Specialist (Temporary)
Joseph A. Lipovsky
lipovsJA@ncaur.usda.gov
Phone: (309) 681-6514
     Fax: (309) 681-6688


Technology Licensing Program


Negotiates and grants licenses for ARS intellectual property, monitors license performance, and assesses international market potential for ARS inventions. 

June Blalock, Coordinator, Technology Licensing Program 
June.Blalock@nps.ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301) 504-5257
   Fax: (301) 504-5060

Brian Nakanishi, Technology Licensing Specialist
Brian.Nakanishi@nps.ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301) 504-4879
    Fax: (301) 504-5060

Diana Tucker, Licensing Specialist
ddt@ars.usda.gov
Phone: (215) 233-6690
    Fax: (215) 233-6777

Deborah Penot, Foreign Patent Specialist
Debbie.Penot@nps.ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301) 504-5003
    Fax: (301) 504-5060

Marlon Coleman, Program Analyst
Marlon.Coleman@nps.ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301) 504-4889
    Fax: (301) 504-5060

Carla Boettinger, Legal Instruments Examiner
Carla.Boettinger@nps.ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301) 504-5734
    Fax: (301) 504-5060

Shalika Walton, License Assistant
Shalika.Walton@nps.ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301) 504-4893
    Fax: (301) 504-5060


CRADAs


Coordinates partnership agreements between ARS and commercial firms that help deliver new technologies to the marketplace.

Richard J. Brenner 
CRADA.OTT@nps.ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301) 504-6905 
    Fax: (301) 504-5060

Thomas Moreland
Program Analyst
Thomas.Moreland@nps.ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301) 504-4838
    Fax: (301) 504-5060


Marketing


Develops and implements marketing strategies
 to facilitate technology transfer, provides information on ARS technology transfer activities, and ensures information about commercial successes is publicly available.

Tara T. Weaver-Missick
Technology Transfer Marketing Specialist
twm@ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301) 504-6965
    Fax: (301) 504-5060

Mary Ann Gwozdz
Technology Transfer Marketing Technician
mag@ars.usda.gov 
Phone: (301) 504-5345 
    Fax: (301) 504-5060

Yolanda D. Funderburk
Secretary
ydf@ars.usda.gov
Phone: (301) 504-4899
    Fax: (301) 504-5060
   
   

   

   
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