Donald E. Townsend, Jr. is a seasoned intellectual-property and technology-transfer professional with over two decades of experience at the intersection of science, law, and international commerce. His experience with the National Institutes of Health included patent licensing, collaboration, and commercialization efforts that bridge cutting-edge biomedical research with industry innovation. He was formerly a U.S. diplomat in various countries, holding senior roles with the U.S. Foreign Commercial Service in Central Asia, Russia, and Ukraine, where he acted as the lead diplomatic representative for U.S. trade and intellectual property, assisting clients in solving trade and legal issues to establish and expand their businesses abroad. Further, as Patent Counsel with U.S. Army Medical Research and Development, he contributed to Operation Warp Speed and other high-impact programs.

Before his federal service, Donald spent more than a decade in private practice and as an international IP advisor, working in Washington, D.C., Japan and Europe, guiding clients through complex patent prosecution, licensing, and technology-transfer negotiations. A registered patent attorney and member of the Florida Bar, he holds a J.D. from the Catholic University of America and an M.S. in Biotechnology Management. His leadership in international intellectual property policy and technology diplomacy has earned him multiple federal honors, including the Civilian Service Commendation Medal and the Federal Laboratory Consortium Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer.