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| Maria Pallante | |
Effective January 17, former U.S. Register of Copyrights Maria A. Pallante is becoming president and CEO of the Association of American Publishers, succeeding Tom Allen, the former congressman who became president and CEO of the organization in 2009.
The AAP said that Pallante is "widely-known as an intellectual property expert with a distinguished record of public service." Y.S. Chi, chairman of the AAP board, added, "Maria is a creative, forward-thinking leader who has earned the deep respect of members of Congress as well as intellectual property experts around the world. The board believes she is an excellent choice for president and CEO as she brings to AAP considerable expertise in many of the issues facing the publishing industry."
Before being appointed Register of Copyrights in 2011, a position she held until last year, Pallante held two senior positions in the U.S. Copyright Office, as Deputy General Counsel and Associate Register and Director of Policy and International Affairs. From 1999 to 2007, she was intellectual property counsel and director of licensing and branding for the Guggenheim Museums. Earlier in her career, she worked briefly for the Authors Guild and National Writers Union, respectively, and was in private practice in Washington, D.C. She holds a law degree from George Washington University and a bachelor's degree in history from Misericordia University, which also awarded her an honorary doctorate of humane letters.
"I am deeply inspired by the values of the American publishing industry," Pallante said. "Publishers promote literature, literacy, education, and research around the world, while advocating for free speech, creating jobs, and making considerable contributions to the global marketplace. It will be a privilege to represent these interests in matters of policy, trade and business."