U.S. Secretary of Commerce Appoints Pitt’s Rebecca Bagley to Advisory Council

WASHINGTON—U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker today announced the appointment of the University of Pittsburgh Vice Chancellor for Economic Partnerships Rebecca O. Bagley and 29 private sector, nonprofit, and academic leaders to serve on the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship (NACIE).

Selected from a pool of more than 200 accomplished applicants, the council members will focus on making recommendations for policies and programs aimed at helping U.S. communities, businesses, and the workforce to be more globally competitive.

“I am pleased to join this incredible group of experts on NACIE,” said Bagley. “We will have the opportunity to proactively contribute to stimulating innovation and entrepreneurship in the United States. It is beneficial for Pitt to be a part of the council as we continue our efforts to increase the translation and commercialization of ideas produced at our University.”

Established in 2010, NACIE operates as an independent entity managed through the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship, which is housed in the U.S. Department of Commerce’s Economic Development Administration.

“The members of NACIE provide important counsel to the Department of Commerce on the types of federal policies that will support entrepreneurship, innovation, and job-driven workforce training, all of which are critical to American competitiveness,” said Secretary Pritzker. “As ‘America’s Innovation Agency,’ we value the expertise of our private sector partners and appreciate the opportunity to incorporate their views into our policymaking process.”

NACIE members, who will each serve a two-year term, were chosen based on their ability to carry out the objectives of the advisory council. All the appointees have demonstrated expertise and experience in the areas of innovation, entrepreneurship, and employer-driven talent development. In reviewing applications, the Office of Innovation and Entrepreneurship sought a diverse group of nationally recognized leaders in a variety of fields to have an advisory council with a balanced point of view and a team that represents different demographics, organization size, industry sector, and geographic regions. The full National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship will convene four times each year beginning with the first meeting in October 2016.

To learn more about the National Advisory Council on Innovation and Entrepreneurship, visit www.eda.gov/oie/nacie/.

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