Empowering adults through mentorship

Alex M. Chen, Ph.D.
Dr. Chen serves as Chair of the Intellectual Property Scholars & Mentors Alliance, bringing over a decade of experience in intellectual property and education. He specializes in patents and innovation, with a background in biomedical engineering. Dr. Chen is deeply committed to mentorship. As Chair, he provides strategic leadership and oversees IPSMA’s mission-driven initiatives.

Marcus L. Rivera, Ph.D.
Marcus Rivera is the Vice-Chair of IPSMA and a senior director of intellectual property focusing on licensing and marketing in the creative and technology sectors. He is passionate about expanding access to the IP field and has mentored undergraduate and graduate students interested in IP-related careers. As Vice-Chair, he supports program development and helps strengthen IPSMA’s mentor network.

Priyonairio N.S. Patel, MBA
Priyo Patel serves as Secretary of IPSMA and practices the business side of intellectual property, with an emphasis on technology transactions. In his role as Secretary, Priyo manages organizational records, communications, and governance documentation to ensure transparency and continuity.

Daniel K-W Whitman, LLM, Ph.D.
Daniel Whitman is a Member-at-Large of IPSMA with experience in intellectual property strategy for emerging technologies. He enjoys mentoring in the technical writing and research skills spaces. 

Taneashia R. Morrell, J.D. 

Taneashia Morrell is a Member-at-Large of IPSMA with experience in the IP and Technology Transfer areas. She enjoys mentoring as well as teaching in the IP space.

Sofia R. Alvarez, M.S., Ph.D. Candidate
Sofia Alvarez is a Member-at-Large of IPSMA and a graduate student pursuing a career in research and tech transfer. With a background in computer science, she is particularly interested in the intersection of IP, data, and emerging technologies.