U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Director Michelle Lee has resigned, administration sources confirm to POLITICO.
Lee, the former head of Google's patent practice, was appointed by then-President Barack Obama in 2014 to head the office, the first woman to hold the post. She told POLITICO shortly after Donald Trump's election in November that she was "open" to staying on during his presidency. Her status remained something of a mystery for months, but the Patent Office confirmed in mid-March that she would continue to serve as the director under Trump.



No reason was given for her resignation. While rumors had circulated that Lee was being considered for some other Trump administration post, perhaps as director of the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy, the Commerce Department didn't announce a next step for her.

More at: http://www.politico.com/story/2017/0...resigns-239200