Erica Crago (Copyrighting Appraisal Reports) is an Attorney-Advisor in the Office of the General Counsel of the U.S. Copyright Office. Ms. Crago earned her undergraduate degree from Yale University and her law degree from University of California, Hastings. A native Californian, Ms. Crago practiced intellectual property law at two California-based law firms prior to relocating to Washington, D.C. and joining the public sector.

Mary LaFrance (Copyrighting Appraisal Reports) is a 1986 graduate (with high honors) of Duke University School of Law where she served as executive editor of the Duke Law Journal. She also earned her M.A. in philosophy from the Duke University School of Graduate Studies in 1986. After serving as a clerk to Judge Harry T. Edwards of the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit, Professor LaFrance joined the Washington, D.C. law firm of Fried, Frank, Harris, Shriver & Jacobson. From 1990 to 1999, Professor LaFrance served on the faculty at the Florida State University College of Law, where she taught intellectual property law, taxation, and entertainment law, and served on the faculty of the Florida State University School of Motion Pictures, Television, and Recording Arts, before joining the Boyd School of Law faculty in 1999. She is the co-author of an intellectual property casebook published by West, and has published articles on intellectual property and taxation in such journals as Southern California Law Review, Vanderbilt Law Review, Emory Law Journal, and Virginia Tax Review. Professor LaFrance teaches Intellectual Property Law.

Andrew T Picarsic (Copyrighting Appraisal Reports) is Sole Proprietor of Andrew T Picarsic & Company, Charlotte, NC. He has been a North Carolina State Certified Residential Appraiser since 1992. From 1990-99, he was an Associate Appraiser at DM Costner & Associates. Prior to becoming an appraiser, Picarsic was a North Carolina Real Estate broker, from 1986-1990. Picarsic is Retired from the Army Reserve, serving as a Chief Warrant Officer/Aviator from 1969-89.

Jennifer Sides (Copyrighting Appraisal Reports) is Counsel for a la mode, inc. operating out of Washington, DC. Ms. Sides earned her undergraduate degree from the University of South Florida and her law degree and Masters of Intellectual Property from Pierce Law, Concord, New Hampshire. Prior to joining a la mode, Sides worked as an intellectual property attorney for firms in Washington, DC. She also was with the National Multi Housing Council, where she worked as an advisor on the SPeRS (Standards and Procedures for Electronic Records and Signatures) initiative and the MITS (Multi Family Information and Transactions Standards) XML schema initiative. Sides has also published articles and manuals regarding the protection of Trademarks, Copyrights, and Patents.

Dave Biggers (Copyrighting Appraisal Reports, Keynote Address, AVMs: Friend or Foe?) is the founder and CEO of a la mode. He oversees all aspects of the company’s development, launch and marketing of new products and initiatives, strategic alliances and partnerships, and growth and market share acquisition in traditional and new customer areas. Biggers first developed the progenitor of a la mode’s WinTOTAL suite in the mid 80s. Today, WinTOTAL is used by more than half the appraisers in America. Biggers oversaw the development of a la mode's first large-scale EDI server in 1997. In 2002, the company began to capitalize on its new exposure in the lender space with the launch of the Mercury Network. The Mercury Network has evolved under Biggers’ guidance into the XSites Network, connecting key players in the mortgage transaction: real estate agents, appraisers, inspectors, mortgage brokers and loan officers. The XSites Network will continue to grow within those segments and will naturally evolve to new ones. Biggers’ goal is to continue the company’s transition from a software company to a broader service provider, while remaining true to its traditional appraiser customer base.

Victoria Cassens Zilloux (AVMs: Friend or Foe?) is Managing Director, Real Estate and Lending Practice for Strategic Development Worldwide, a consulting practice that focuses on organizational strategy and development. She combines general marketing strategy for the organization along with development of the consulting operation into the real estate and lending markets. Previously she held a Director position with FNC, Inc. where she developed and managed a high profile consortium of senior credit risk management people from the top national lending institutions. Cassens has previously held senior positions in Business Development at CMDC and Transamerica Intellitech, and product management at HNC Software. Her background included working in senior level management positions with TRW, American Savings Bank, as well as independent management consulting with large lending institutions.

James Kirchmeyer (AVMs: Friend or Foe?) is President/CEO of Real-Info, Inc. Kirchmeyer began his career in the Real Estate Valuation Industry in 1983 as a New York State Certified Appraiser, earning the Senior Residential Appraiser (SRA) designation from the Appraisal Institute. In 1994, Mr. Kirchmeyer founded his own Real Estate Appraisal Company, Kirchmeyer & Associates, Inc. (www.kirchmeyer.com). It has grown from servicing the Buffalo, New York area to include offices in Rochester, NY, Syracuse, NY and Baltimore, MD. Today, Kirchmeyer & Associates, Inc. provides their services throughout the entire United States. As a compliment to his Real Estate Appraisal Company, Mr. Kirchmeyer founded Real Info, Inc. (www.real-info.com) in 1995. Real Info, Inc. is a real estate valuation and data company specializing in Automated Valuation Models (AVM’s). This company provides Internet access to the most comprehensive database of real property, including tax and structural information for both residential and commercial properties. As well as providing Automated Valuation Solutions to lenders.