VPG Virtual Watercooler Chat: Finding Success Through Teamwork

VPG Virtual Watercooler Chat: Finding Success Through Teamwork

Tuesday, August 9, 2022 @ 3:00 to 4:00 P.M. EDT

Photo credit:  @hinesikeofficial

Speaker: Brendan Hines-Ike, Defense Player of D.C. United

Facilitator: Meredith Schoenfeld, Associate Solicitor at the

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO)

What do a professional soccer player and a patent attorney have in common? Both are change agents in highly competitive fields whose individual performance also largely depends on the capability of the team to act as a united front. Brendan Hines-Ike and Meredith Schoenfeld explore the self through teamwork in this watercooler chat. We can’t wait to hear their insights on how they each balance the pendulum between self-accomplishments and teamwork. And, as we’ll learn, one is too small a number to achieve great things, especially in this ever-changing world with increasing complexity.

About Brendan Hines-Ike

Brendan Hines-Ike is a Defender of D.C. UNITED signed a two-year contract through 2023 with options in 2024 and 2025. According to Dave Kasper, D.C. United President of Soccer Operations, “[Brendan] is an intuitive defender who reads the game well and can lead our attack out of the back with his range of passing. We’re looking forward to his contributions to the club in 2022 and beyond.” Before Hines-Ike turned professional, he played four years of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I soccer with Creighton University and the University of South Florida.

About Meredith Schoenfeld

Note:  Ms. Schoenfeld is speaking in her personal capacity and her views do not represent the views of the United States Government.  

Meredith Schoenfeld is an Associate Solicitor at the USPTO, where she serves as legal counsel on intellectual property law matters. She is currently on assignment at the Department of Commerce, in the Office of Secretary Gina Raimondo. Meredith previously worked as a senior patent attorney at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico and as an associate at a large IP law firm. She graduated from Georgetown University Law School and has a degree in Mechanical Engineering and Applied Mathematics from the University of Pennsylvania. Meredith enjoys spending time with her family and rescue dogs and is an avid D.C. United fan.