Anita Balachandra
Senior Vice President

Over the course of 15 years, Ms. Balachandra has been immersed in Federal and state policies that influence technology development, commercialization and deployment. Most recently her work has focused on nanotechnology research and development for military and commercial applications, and renewable energy technology. Ms. Balachandra has also worked to educate Federal policymakers on nano environmental, health and safety (EH&S) issues and the specific concerns of small businesses.

Previously, Ms. Balachandra worked for the Maryland Technology Development Corporation (TEDCO), where she served as a liaison between the small business community in Maryland and the Federal laboratories located in that state. Ms. Balachandra worked closely with Federal laboratories to showcase cutting-edge research as well as technology licensing opportunities. She also worked with small technology-based businesses, including start-ups, to identify appropriate Federal laboratory resources, research collaborators, state and Federal funding sources and business assistance, such as incubator space.

At the U.S. Department of Commerce, Ms. Balachandra worked on a variety of technology policy issues, including state and local programs to support technology-based economic development, technology infrastructure issues, regulatory obstacles to technology development, and trade issues. Her responsibilities included analyzing Federal technology programs for the purpose of recommending appropriate treatment under the WTO Subsidies Code and analyzing particular industries for the purpose of recommending Departmental action on pending legislation. She developed and managed a grants program to support state and local efforts to promote technology-intensive companies. She also spearheaded the development of the State Science & Technology Indicators, a tool for gauging state technology infrastructure.

Ms. Balachandra holds a BA in Economics from the University of California at Berkeley and a Master's in City and Regional Planning from Cornell University