The Association of Research Libraries (ARL) has named Krista L. Cox director of public policy initiatives, effective January 6, 2014. Cox is currently the staff attorney/legal counsel at Knowledge Ecology International, a non-profit organisation that searches for better outcomes, including new solutions, to the management of knowledge resources.
The director of public policy initiatives advocates for the policy priorities of ARL and executes strategies to implement these priorities. The position monitors legislative trends and participates in ARL's outreach to the Executive Branch and the US Congress.
Cox brings to ARL a strong technical and policy background in copyright law and other information policy issues. She has published and, by invitation, has organised and led workshops on intellectual property laws, their relationship to technology, and their impacts on consumers. She has worked closely with civil society organisations and the private sector, participating in ad hoc coalitions to promote common goals, submitting joint comments, collaborating on legal strategies, and preparing amici briefs.
Cox also follows these issues at the international, multilateral level. She has attended the World Intellectual Property Organization's (WIPO) meetings of the Standing Committee on Copyright and Related Rights (SCCR) as well as the recent WIPO diplomatic conference on the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled.
In her current work for Knowledge Ecology International, Cox has gained experience monitoring legislative trends and outreach to the Executive and Legislative Branches. She has testified before numerous federal agencies and regularly submits comments in response to Federal Register notices. She works closely with a number of Congressional offices to promote the public interest and consumer rights concerning intellectual property issues.
