People News: Steiger To Africa, Sigall To Microsoft

By William New
As the Bush administration enters its final cycle, personnel changes are being seen at a variety of levels, including key health, copyright and telecommunications officials involved in intellectual property-related issues.

The White House announced on 4 January that William Steiger, a key official in last year’s World Health Organization debates over intellectual property and health, will be nominated to be US ambassador to Mozambique. The nomination would require Senate approval.

Steiger, who the White House said hails from the state of Wisconsin, currently serves as special assistant to the secretary for international affairs at the US Department of Health and Human Services. Prior to this, he served as an education policy advisor in the Office of the Governor for the State of Wisconsin. Steiger received his bachelor’s degree from Yale University, his master’s degree and PhD from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Steiger led the US delegation to the 2006 World Health Assembly [for an interview with Steiger at the assembly click here] where he played a role in the adoption of a resolution that launched the WHO Intergovernmental Working Group on Public Health, Innovation and Intellectual Property (IPW, 12 December 2006).

Steiger raised eyebrows in Geneva in 2006 when he attacked the WHO’s publication policy after the printing of a report critical of the impact of US trade policy on public health. Democrats in the US Congress, including Senator Edward Kennedy (Massachusetts), subsequently launched an investigation into Steiger’s actions (IPW, 10 November 2006).

Sigall Leaves US Copyright Office for Microsoft

Jule Sigall, former associate register for policy and international affairs at the US Copyright Office, began work in January for the Microsoft Corporation, according to the Washington-based Tech Law Journal. Sigall played a key role on the US delegation in negotiations at the World Intellectual Property Organization for a treaty to protect broadcasters’ rights. He also was a leader in US policy debates on issues related to works whose copyright holder is not known, called orphan works.

Sigall joined the Copyright Office in February 2003. Before that, he was in the intellectual property and technology practice at the law firm Arnold and Porter.

Also at the Copyright Office, the position of Associate General Counsel will be renamed Deputy General Counsel and Maria Pallente has been named to the position. Tanya Sandros, former Associate General Counsel, is now Acting General Counsel.

Russell to World Radio Communication Conference

Finally, the White House announced that Richard M. Russell would be nominated for the title of ambassador to serve as the US representative to the World Radio Communication Conference.

The conference of the UN International Telecommunication Union addresses issues related to the global radio frequency spectrum, and meets again in Geneva on 22 October to 16 November 2007.

William New may be reached at wnew@ip-watch.ch.