Staff
David Hirschmann
As president and CEO of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Center for Capital Markets Competitiveness (CCMC) Hirschmann leads the Chamber’s initiative dedicated to making U.S. capital markets the most fair, efficient, transparent, and attractive in the world. This effort addresses domestic and international securities regulation and enforcement and financial reporting issues, including auditor viability, and proxy rules.
Hirschmann also serves as president and CEO of the Chamber’s Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC). The GIPC works to champion intellectual property (IP) as a vital engine of global development, growth, and human progress. He oversees the Center’s work in communicating the value of IP, building support for IP protection in the United States, growing alliances to promote IP in international markets, and improving enforcement.
As senior vice president at the U.S.
Rob Calia
Rob Calia is the Director of Counterfeiting and Piracy for the Global Intellectual Property Center at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the world’s largest business federation representing 3 million companies, associations, state and local chambers, and American Chambers of Commerce abroad.
Rob joined the Chamber in March 2006 to advance its fight against counterfeiting and piracy, which costs the U.S. economy an estimated $250 billion per year, more than 750,000 American jobs, and poses a significant threat to consumer health and safety.
Chris Connelly
Chris Connelly is senior director of Communications and Research for the Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC) at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Connelly is tasked with leading the GIPC Communications team in promoting intellectual property issues to both domestic and international audiences through effective media outreach and research programs. He joined the Chamber in March 2009.
Previously, Connelly was a senior communications official in the Bush administration, serving as director of Communications for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA). Reporting directly to the secretary, Connelly led a staff of 90, effectively promoting USDA’s programs and the administration’s agenda. Under his leadership, the department dealt with a variety of issues including trade, agribusiness, and food safety.
A veteran of Capitol Hill, Connelly was chief of staff and communications director for Congresswoman Jo Ann Davis (R-VA).
Steve Tepp
Steve Tepp is senior director of Internet Counterfeiting and Piracy for the Global Intellectual Property Center (GIPC) at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
Tepp, who joined the Chamber in July 2010, is responsible for advancing the Chamber’s efforts in engaging Congress, the administration, law enforcement agencies, and foreign governments in proactive measures to reduce the distribution of illicit digital content and counterfeit goods through the Internet.
Previously, Tepp served as senior counsel for Policy and International Affairs at the U.S. Copyright Office, where he negotiated numerous free trade agreements and, most recently, played a major role in drafting and negotiating the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement. Tepp had principle responsibility for all copyright matters in the Asia-Pacific and Latin America regions and litigated the U.S.-China IPR dispute before the World Trade Organization.
Gina Vetere
As senior director for intellectual property (IP) promotion at the U.S. Chamber’s Global Intellectual Property Center, Gina Vetere oversees the center’s multilateral and international programs promoting the protection of IP rights. Vetere also guides GIPC’s efforts in raising awareness of and support for the value of IP as vital to job creation, global development, and economic progress domestically and abroad.
Before joining the U.S. Chamber in January 2010, Vetere served as director for Intellectual Property and Innovation at the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). In this capacity, she worked to ensure the implementation of U.S. trade policies to promote the adequate and effective protection and enforcement of IP rights overseas and improved market access for U.S. innovative industries.