The Honorable Michelle N. Ankenbrand serves as a Senior Lead Administrative Patent Judge (APJ) at the Patent Trial and Appeal Board of the United States Patent and Trademark Office and is Secretary of the Network of Executive Women (NEW). Judge Ankenbrand has recently returned from an assignment to the Judiciary Committee of the U.S. Senate, serving as IP counsel to U.S. Senator Chris Coons of Delaware. Judge Ankenbrand joined the Board as an APJ in 2014, and presides over trial proceedings under the AIA and appeals arising from adverse decisions of patent examiners. Prior to joining the Board, Judge Ankenbrand had an extensive career as a law clerk, including at the Delaware District Court, where she clerked for the Honorable Gregory M. Sleet for six years, and the Federal Circuit, where she clerked for the Honorable Raymond C. Clevenger, III. Judge Ankenbrand also taught patent litigation and enforcement at Rutgers Law School. In addition, she practiced IP law in Delaware, with a focus on patent litigation in the district courts and at the Federal Circuit. Judge Ankenbrand graduated from Union College with a B.S. in Biochemistry, and received her J.D. from Villanova School of Law.