U.S. Department of Commerce Announces CHIPS for America Leaders and Staff

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The U.S. Department of Commerce announced leaders and staff joining the CHIPS for America team who will play key roles implementing the bipartisan CHIPS and Science Act’s historic investments in the semiconductor industry. The CHIPS for America team pulls together talent from across the public and private sectors, including leaders with experience managing large federal programs, experts from the semiconductor industry, and executives with financial sector experience. These individuals will serve in the CHIPS Program Office, which is housed within the Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). 

“We are building a team of experienced experts who will ensure CHIPS for America spurs manufacturing and innovation and revitalizes our domestic semiconductor industry, while being good stewards of taxpayer dollars,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina M. Raimondo. “This group of accomplished leaders brings the diversity of experience, ideas, and backgrounds needed to secure our position as the global leader in semiconductor manufacturing and R&D for decades to come.”

“CHIPS for America will put our country at the forefront of semiconductor innovation, R&D, and technology implementation, and we are excited to welcome these accomplished individuals to DOC and NIST,” said Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and NIST Director Laurie E. Locascio. “These leaders have decades of experiences across government, industry, and the R&D space and will play an essential role standing up this historic program.”

The new CHIPS for America staff sitting in the CHIPS Program Office are:

• Rebecca Callahan, Director of Legislative Affairs
• Morgan Dwyer, Chief Strategy Officer 
• Adrienne Elrod, Director of External and Government Affairs
• Todd Fisher, Chief Investment Officer
• Matt Hill, Communications Director
• Dan Kim, Chief Economist and Director of Strategic Planning and Industry Analysis
• Brad Koenig, Senior Relationship Director
• Andy Kuritzkes, Chief Risk Officer 
• Atissa Ladjevardian, Chief of Staff for External and Government Affairs
• Nikita Lalwani, Senior Advisor to the Director
• Sara Meyers, Chief Operating Officer & Chief of Staff
• Mike O’Brien, Senior Relationship Director
• Sara O’Rourke, Head of Operations and Chief of Staff to the Chief Investment Officer 
• Kylie Patterson, Senior Advisor for Opportunity and Inclusion 
• Fayrouz Saad, Director of Public Engagement

The Biden-Harris administration previously announced key leaders charged with guiding implementation of the CHIPS and Science Act, including Director of the CHIPS Program Office Mike Schmidt and Interim Director of the CHIPS Research and Development Office Eric Lin. Both offices are housed within NIST at the U.S. Department of Commerce.