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Spotlight on Debbie Stephens: Driving change and modernization of information technology systems
Guest blog by Deborah Stephens, Deputy Chief Information Officer, United States Patent and Trademark Office
My name is Debbie Stephens and I am the USPTO’s Deputy Chief Information Officer (DCIO). I have been with the USPTO for over 30 years in various leadership positions working to improve the automated tools and information resources that facilitate the electronic processing of patent applications. In my current role, I am the principal adviser to the Chief Information Officer (CIO) and responsible for leading the day-to-day operations of the Office of the Chief Information (OCIO) with significant oversight of information technology (IT) stabilization and modernization efforts. I lead my teams to continuous improvements in IT delivery to deliver maximum value to all stakeholders.
I look forward to continuing to drive change in our information technology space and to use my experience to ensure OCIO strives for better ways to solve customer service issues, works faster, and delivers powerful software and services. I firmly believe that everything we do can be improved. We poll our employees for their ideas, we empower them to try, fail, learn and succeed, and then we recognize them for the good work they do. I strive to listen to my employees and embrace their ideas for change so we can continue to improve for our employees and provide value to our customers.
As the daughter of a strong mother, wife and mother of a smart, strong woman, I have been fortunate to have many female role models in my life – none more important than my mother. My mom, who was married to a Navy pilot at age 21 and quickly uprooted herself from her small town in Horton, Kansas to join him around the world, adapted to new cultures and languages while she raised four children, did the household chores and performed the duties expected of an officer’s wife. She’s smart, strong, kind, funny and the unshakeable rock on which our family was built. It is an honor for me to call myself your daughter. I learned love and compassion from her, and I learned to always tell the truth and never stop trying to do better and learn more. I learned from her that a girl can do anything a boy can do, and I had a successful college experience as an Academic All-American College Athlete at George Mason University, where I played Division 1 softball during I got my Bachelor of Arts degree. I then earned a Masters of Human Resource Management from George Washington University.
Additionally, in both my personal and professional careers, I have met women — like the housewives I worked with for 15 years supporting Girl Scouts at Fort Hunt Day Camp, organizing troop activities, and selling Girl Scout cookies ; Her logistical know-how, her ability to motivate and guide girls, often with a baby on her hip and always in a good mood – this has shown me how to evaluate situations from multiple and different lenses. I strive to learn from every encounter.
At the USPTO, I have been fortunate to work with and meet women leaders from all parts of our organization. Women who have made their mark and moved into new areas both inside and outside of government, as well as women who have stayed with the USPTO for a long time. I’ve learned to be persistent and detail-oriented, to expect the best from everyone, and to always put noble intentions first.
Women’s History Month is meaningful to me in that it prompts us to take a moment to acknowledge and reflect on the contribution women have made to our country’s growth and prosperity. The intellectual property community we support here at the USPTO has always had its fair share of bright, creative, and hard-working women who saw a need for a new way of doing things. These women were often granted patents and trademarks for inventions, businesses, and brands that contributed to US commerce and progress. Many great women are featured this month and I want to acknowledge them. I also want to pay tribute to women who may never have their names on a patent or trademark, the women who are parents, the women who teach and support one another. And finally, the young women who are paving the way as innovators for the next generation. Together we are a strong, vibrant community that achieves great things – some big, some small – with empathy and concern for one another.
This blog is part of a series featuring Department of Commerce executives for Women’s History Month.
Posted at 8:52 am March 13, 2023 in USPTO |