2017 A-CAPP CENTER
SPEAKER
BIOS
E-COMMERCE SPEAKERS (CONT.)
on our nation’s IP law. Before he joined CCIPS, Kebharu worked as an
Assistant United States Attorney in the United States Attorney’s Office for the
Southern District of Texas – Houston Division. While serving as an AUSA, Kebharu
investigated and prosecuted several IP matters and also pursued IP violators that sold
counterfeit goods online. Prior to his time as an AUSA, Kebharu worked as an Assistant
District Attorney in both Harris County and Fort Bend County (Texas) District
Attorneys’ Offices where he honed his skills as a trial attorney prosecuting state crimes.
In 2012, Kebharu received an award from the National Retail Federation for his
prosecution of a Houston-based criminal organization that sold stolen merchandise and
distributed the goods using both private mail carriers and online forums. Kebharu is a
graduate of Thurgood Marshall School of Law and the University of North Texas.
Laurie Iacono is the Program Manager for Brand and Consumer Protection at the National
Cyber-Forensics and Training Alliance (NCFTA). The NCFTA is a non-profit organization with
a goal of facilitating operational information sharing amongst industry, government and
academic partners. As Program Manager, Laurie leads a diverse team of intelligence analysts
conducting anti-counterfeiting research across multiple industry sectors including
pharmaceutical, tobacco and automotive. Prior to her role as Program Manager, Laurie led the
Pharmaceutical Fraud Initiative at the NCFTA, working alongside industry and law
enforcement partners to identify, mitigate and neutralize the threats associated with illicit
on-line pharmacies. Laurie previously worked at the University of Pittsburgh where she served
as a Project Manager for multi-site clinical trials related to issues such as acute liver failure,
obesity and hepatitis. Laurie has an undergraduate degree in English and a Masters of Fine Arts
degree in Writing, both from the University of Pittsburgh.
Melissa Kritz is the Head of Global Relations and Product Security at Amazon.
Saleem Alhabash is Assistant Professor of Public Relations and Social Media at the
Department of Advertising and Public Relations, Michigan State University. His research
focuses on the persuasive effects of social media in the contexts of risky and unsafe behaviors.
Steven Shapiro serves as a Supervisory Special Agent (SSA) of the FBI’s Intellectual Property
and Criminal/Cyber Integration Unit (IP/CCIU), where his team provides guidance and support
to investigators engaged in Theft of Trade Secrets and Intellectual Property Rights (IPR)
criminal cases. SSA Shapiro also participates in IPR training and outreach activities to
international, federal, state, local, and private sector partners designed to disrupt and
dismantle the sale of counterfeit goods. He is also an active member of the National
Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (NIPRCC). SSA Shapiro began his FBI career
in 2010 working complex financial crime, public corruption, and violent crime matters in the
Oklahoma City Field Office, Lawton Resident Agency. Prior to joining the Bureau, SSA Shapiro
founded a boutique law firm focused on start-up companies. He provided corporate and IPR
legal counsel to a variety of brand and licensing-focused consumer product, eCommerce, and
multi-national software clients. SSA Shapiro earned his Juris Doctor and Masters of Business
Administration from Suffolk University, by way of Amherst College.
Tom Nichols is the Global Brand Protection Investigations Supervisor for General Motors in
Detroit, Michigan. In his current role, Tom has experience leading global brand protection
investigations to protect GM’s brands, including Chevrolet, Cadillac, Buick, GMC and
ACDelco, amongst others. He works closely with HSI, CBP, the FBI, the IPR Center and trade
organizations like the Automotive Anti-Counterfeiting Council to remove counterfeit
products. Tom also has corporate security experience implementing security policies,
providing intelligence analysis to drive security decisions, managing GM’s travel security
program and supporting executive protection programs.
15