Virtual Water Cooler Chat

Virtual Patent Gateway
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Welcome to VPG’s Virtual Water Cooler Chat Podcast, a platform that features professionals across a variety of industries and promotes growth mindset principles, with a central pillar of championing the achievements of women. Our conversations explore a wide spectrum of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, creating a vibrant mosaic that enriches our collective understanding and strengthens our commitment to growth and empowerment. For inquiries, please reach out to hello@vpgateway.com

  1. Setbacks into Stepping Stones with Michelle Gabellini | Virtual Water Cooler Chat Podcast — Empowering Voices (Episode 91)

    3D AGO

    Setbacks into Stepping Stones with Michelle Gabellini | Virtual Water Cooler Chat Podcast — Empowering Voices (Episode 91)

    This episode features Michelle Gabellini, an intellectual property Paralegal at Juniper Networks.  Michelle Gabellini is an Intellectual Property Program Manager and Paralegal with nearly two decades of experience spanning global technology companies and top law firms. She has managed worldwide patent portfolios, built cross-functional innovation programs, and partnered with leadership to strengthen collaboration between legal, business, and engineering teams. Her career path—from high-stakes IP litigation to building in-house IP operations at Juniper Networks, Plaid, Block, and Capital One—illustrates how she has turned setbacks into stepping stones for growth and innovation. Beyond her legal expertise, Michelle champions diversity, equity, and inclusion, creating initiatives that empower women inventors and amplify underrepresented voices in tech. A mom and dog mom, she balances her love of law with passions for fashion, interiors, and finding beauty in nature, always bringing warmth, creativity, and connection. Connect with Michelle on LinkedIn.    Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.    Learn more about VPG here   Legal Disclaimer: This podcast is posted for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.

    35 min

  2. OCT 20

    Lean into the Pivot with Wesley White | Virtual Water Cooler Chat Podcast — Empowering Voices (Episode 90)

    This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features Wesley White, a Litigation Partner at Orrick.  Wesley is a trial attorney who represents plaintiffs and defendants in high-stakes patent disputes in district and administrative courts across the country. His experience resolving complex and strategic problems at the intersection of law, technology, and finance allows him to filter out noise, identify the issues that will resonate most with juries and judges at trial, and present those issues in a relatable manner that helps him secure favorable results for his clients both in and out of the courtroom.  Wesley has guided clients through all stages of litigation, including conducting pre-suit diligence, fact and expert, claim construction, evidentiary and dispositive motions, and post-trial. He has handled complex disputes across a diverse range of technology sectors, including computer hardware and software, networking devices, virtualization and cloud computing, antennas, encryption and compression technology, VOIP telephony, flash memory, e-commerce platforms, video/media streaming, web and mobile applications, life sciences, and medical and surgical devices.  Wesley’s achievements have earned him recognition as a Super Lawyers and Managing IP “Rising Star” in intellectual property disputes, and he was named to Lawdragon’s 2023 Inaugural 500 X Next Generation Rising Stars list. Prior to beginning his legal career, Wesley worked as an analyst for five years with Goldman Sachs.  Connect with Wesley on LinkedIn.   Today’s guest interviewer is Ethan Wo, a curious STEM student and civil engineering graduate from UC Irvine who is taking time to explore the IP space. After working in the construction industry, he is now working at VPG as a Litigation Assistant.  Connect with Ethan on LinkedIn.    Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.    Learn more about VPG here    Legal Disclaimer: This podcast is posted for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.

    31 min

  3. OCT 13

    Heart-Centered Leadership with Monica Phillips | Virtual Water Cooler Chat Podcast — Empowering Voices (Episode 89)

    This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features Monica Phillips, President of Spark Plug Labs, a coaching and consulting group, and the Director of Learning, Content and Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) at ChIPs, where she developed and continues to run their year-long General Counsel Boot Camp to advance women to the highest levels of leadership.  With more than 20 years of experience leading strategic business teams, Monica Phillips supports leaders at all levels to create thriving and inclusive workplaces through elevating leadership, mindfulness, and emotional well-being. She is the founder of the Legal Academy on Equity and Inclusion and the Legal Leaders Community on Mental Health and Wellbeing, two initiatives that aim to educate, empower, and support legal professionals in creating more diverse, equitable, and healthy workplaces.   Additionally, Monica teaches yoga and meditation and is a founding coach at the Women's Impact Alliance, a global organization that provides coaching and leadership development to women social impact leaders. Connect with Monica on LinkedIn.    Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.    Learn more about VPG here.   Legal Disclaimer: This podcast is posted for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.

    39 min

  4. OCT 6

    From Awareness to Impact with Braxton K. Davis | Virtual Water Cooler Chat Podcast — Empowering Voices (Episode 88)

    This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features Braxton K. Davis, a prominent Associate General Counsel at Meta (formerly Facebook), where he is a member of the Patents, Licensing & Open Source Team. In this role, Braxton leverages his legal expertise to shape and protect innovations at one of the world’s leading technology companies.  Prior to joining Meta, Braxton was a key member of AT&T’s Intellectual Property Patent Development Team, evaluating incentive concepts and patent portfolios to identify strategic modernization opportunities. His journey in law continued as he advanced from Associate to Partner at Amin, Turocy & Watson, where he gained further recognition for his contributions to intellectual property law.  Dedicated to enhancing the patent profession, Braxton founded the Patent Institute of Training and the National Council on Patent Practicum (NCPP), a non-profit organization to improve quality and diversity in the field. Braxton is currently the Executive Director of NCPP focusing on the effort to debias the IP community. Additionally, Braxton is an entrepreneur, having developed Metric Mate, a tech startup featured on Shark Tank, where he applies his background in electrical engineering and physics to invent connected devices for strength training.  Braxton has earned accolades for his achievements, including recognition in the Georgia Institute of Technology and Georgia State University’s prestigious 40 under 40 awards. Ultimately, Braxton’s multifaceted career exemplifies his commitment to advancing technology, law, and diversity in the patent industry.  Email Braxton at bdavis@thencpp.org. Connect with Braxton on LinkedIn.   Today’s guest interviewer is Ethan Wo, a curious STEM student and civil engineering graduate from UC Irvine who is taking time to explore the IP space. After working in the construction industry, he is now working at VPG as a Litigation Assistant.  Connect with Ethan on LinkedIn.    Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.    Learn more about VPG here.  Legal Disclaimer: This podcast is posted for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.

    27 min

  5. SEP 29

    From Fear to Action with Mark Green | Virtual Water Cooler Chat Podcast — Empowering Voices (Episode 87)

    This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features Mark Green, a keynote speaker, author, strategic advisor and business & leadership growth coach to CEOs and executive teams worldwide.   With a Bachelor of Arts degree from Washington University (majoring in Psychology and minoring in Business Administration), Mark has been coaching business leaders for the past 22 years. He is driven by a relentless passion to liberate human potential and has addressed, coached and advised thousands of business leaders across a wide range of industries; he believes everyone can unlock more of their own potential and, in turn, help their people do the same – driving the business and personal success they envision both at home and in their careers.  Mark uses his integrity, direct style, and powerful intuition to accelerate team performance, decision-making, productivity, revenue, and profitability. His clients also report significantly lower stress, reduced time consumed by the business, and a vastly improved work-life balance.  Connect with Mark on LinkedIn.  Visit Mark’s website.   Buy Activators: A CEO's Guide to Clearer Thinking and Getting Things Done.    Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.    Learn more about VPG here.  Legal Disclaimer: This video is posted for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.

    49 min
  6. Forge Your Path with Tiffany Ishihara | Virtual Water Cooler Chat Podcast — Empowering Voices (Episode 86)

    SEP 15

    Forge Your Path with Tiffany Ishihara | Virtual Water Cooler Chat Podcast — Empowering Voices (Episode 86)

    This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features Tiffany Ishihara, a Senior Program Manager at Google specializing in patent prosecution, operations, and matter management.     Tiffany’s career spans over a decade in patent prosecution, with eight years dedicated to Google, starting in the San Francisco office and then moving to the New York office. Her expertise encompasses a wide range of initiatives, including program managing the inaugural launch of Google's Legal Summer Institute and launching Google's patent matter management system. She is currently focused on optimizing legal operations and advancing technological solutions in the patent space.  Connect with Tiffany on LinkedIn.    Today's guest interviewer is Ella Bump, a Litigation Assistant at VPG from Sacramento, California. She is currently studying Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Johns Hopkins University and plans to pursue a career in patent law. Ella is passionate about the intersection of technology and intellectual property and enjoys exploring the innovations that shape the future of law and science while engaging in discussion about ethical dilemmas in engineering.  Connect with Ella on LinkedIn.     Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.    Learn more about VPG here.  Legal Disclaimer: This podcast is posted for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.

    35 min
  7. Assistive Innovation: Connecting Hearts with Rory A. Cooper, Ph.D, PLY | Virtual Water Cooler Chat Podcast — Empowering Voices (Episode 85)

    SEP 1

    Assistive Innovation: Connecting Hearts with Rory A. Cooper, Ph.D, PLY | Virtual Water Cooler Chat Podcast — Empowering Voices (Episode 85)

    This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat is a special collaboration featuring Dr. Rory Cooper, VPG Founder Ashley Cheung and guest interviewer Shirley Fung representing ADAPT.legal. This is a special collaboration between Human Engineering Research Laboratories (HERL) at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt), VPG and ADAPT.legal.  National Medal Laureate Rory A. Cooper, PhD, PLY is the founding director of the HERL, a joint center of the University of Pitt and US Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). He is also a VA Senior Research Career Scientist, and the FISA Foundation – Paralyzed Veterans of America Distinguished Professor at Pitt.   Cooper has authored or co-authored over 400 peer-reviewed journal publications and is the author of two books: "Rehabilitation Engineering Applied to Mobility and Manipulation” and “Wheelchair Selection and Configuration”, and co-editor of “An Introduction to Rehabilitation Engineering”, “Warrior Transition Leader: Medical Rehabilitation Handbook”, and the award-winning book “Care of the Combat Amputee”. With over 30 patents awarded or pending, Cooper is an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering and Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors, as well as RESNA, IEEE, AIMBE and BMES.   In October 2023, he was awarded the National Medal of Technology and Innovation by President Biden, and was inducted into the 50th class of the National Inventors Hall of Fame. His students have won numerous awards and are leaders throughout the world.  Connect with Dr. Cooper on LinkedIn.     Ashley Cheung is the creator of Virtual Water Cooler Chat podcast and is the Principal & Founder of VPG.   Guest interviewer Shirley Fung is the Co-Founder and Patent Agent of Akona IP, bringing a wealth of experience to her role in legal operations. With a solid academic foundation, (holding both a bachelor’s and master's from MIT in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science), Shirley has honed her expertise across various esteemed organizations, including big law in Boston, boutique IP firms in the Netherlands and in the US, and a global semiconductor leader.  As a seasoned patent agent, Fung adeptly navigates the complexities of patent law, drawing on her experiences as both outside counsel and in-house. This dual perspective enhances her effectiveness in client relationship management and firm operations. Shirley emphasizes the importance of understanding client needs—often anticipating them before they arise. Her commitment to delivering on promises, coupled with her creative problem-solving skills, allows her to balance the big picture with meticulous attention to detail, making her an invaluable leader in the IP boutique sector.  Connect with Shirley Fung on LinkedIn.    ADAPT.legal was founded in December 2021 when a community of friends from different companies came together to brainstorm ways to grow and support the IP profession.  Learn more about ADAPT.legal here.    Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.    Learn more about VPG here.  Legal Disclaimer: This podcast is posted for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.

    41 min

  8. AUG 25

    Longing for Belonging with Socheth McCutcheon | Virtual Water Cooler Chat Podcast — Empowering Voices (Episode 84)

    This episode of Virtual Water Cooler Chat features Socheth McCutcheon, a privacy and technology lawyer.   Socheth is founder and President of the National Association of Cambodian American Lawyers, and lives in New Jersey with her husband and two kids.   Connect with Socheth on LinkedIn.    Virtual Patent Gateway (VPG) reduces overhead costs by providing PTAB attorneys with on-demand and affordable paralegal support services. Virtual Patent Gateway Founder Ashley Cheung has a passion for supporting the next generation in the workplace and is committed to developing a growth mindset within VPG.    Learn more about VPG here.  Legal Disclaimer: This podcast is posted for educational purposes and does not constitute legal advice.

    48 min
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About

Welcome to VPG’s Virtual Water Cooler Chat Podcast, a platform that features professionals across a variety of industries and promotes growth mindset principles, with a central pillar of championing the achievements of women. Our conversations explore a wide spectrum of backgrounds, experiences, and perspectives, creating a vibrant mosaic that enriches our collective understanding and strengthens our commitment to growth and empowerment. For inquiries, please reach out to hello@vpgateway.com

Information

  • Creator
    Virtual Patent Gateway
  • Years Active
    2023 - 2025
  • Episodes
    88
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © Copyright 2025 All rights reserved.
  • Show Website
    Virtual Water Cooler Chat