On April 5, Presidential Nominee Kathi Vidal has been confirmed by the United States Senate as Undersecretary of Commerce for Intellectual Property and as Director of the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), who will lead the USPTO's 13,000+ employees and its nearly $4 billion budget. Kathi will also serve as the principal advisor to the President of the United States and the administration, through the Secretary of Commerce, on all intellectual property policy matters. As reported, Kathi is the second female director in USPTO’s history.