Lecturer Bios
Lisa M. Schreihart, BSEE, MSEE, MBA, JD
Lisa is an experienced (20 years) systems engineer and project manager (focused on software, signals, controls, wireless systems, and military electronics), a USPTO Registered Patent Attorney, and a NCPP Certified Patent Practitioner. Her time spent as a Patent Examiner in Art Unit 3685 gave her valuable insight into 35 U.S.C. section 101 examination practices, which she further developed in working closely with examiners on 101 issues across many cases at various law firms and with many clients as a go-to 101 rejection handler.
Lisa holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Electrical Engineering from Marquette University, an MBA from the University of Iowa, and a J.D. From Salmon P. Chase College of Law at Northern Kentucky University. She is a member of the Maryland, District of Columbia, and U.S. Supreme Court bars. She enjoys finding creative ways to combine her diverse education and experience in engineering, business management, and the law for practical solutions.
While Lisa has found that not every subject matter eligibility problem is solvable under Alice, resolution of most 101 rejections is attainable with tweaking of perspective - for example, looking at patent law as a system with levers that can be managed for individual cases like a project. The approach can help refocus a patent practitioner on what is important to an examiner, often producing stronger claims as a result.
Timothy D. Snowden
Timothy D. Snowden is a Certified Patent Practitioner and Certified Licensing Professional with over a decade of experience guiding innovators in building and monetizing high-value patent portfolios. As Founder and Principal of Definitive Patents and a Founding Member of Synchrony IP, he has successfully led patent prosecution and portfolio development for startups, family businesses, and publicly traded companies across industries including medical devices, agriculture, software, and advanced engineering.
A magna cum laude graduate of Texas A&M University in Biomedical Engineering, Snowden combines technical expertise with strategic business insight to help entrepreneurs secure patents tightly aligned with commercial goals. He has served as Patent Prosecution Chair at a boutique firm, earned commendation from the Patent Trials and Appeal Board, and continues to shape the profession as a Director of CPP with the National Council on Patent Practicum. His mission is to glorify God by equipping innovators worldwide with creative patent strategies that transform inventions into marketable assets.
