Working as a Trademark Administrator (TMA) at a University
Tara Dressler | June 30, 2025
Tara Dressler serves as the Senior Director for Trademarks at System Administration in the Office of University Counsel. Ms. Dressler has been with the University since September 2007, where she had held the position of IP Manager for the Technology Transfer Office. Prior to joining the University, Ms. Dressler worked as a paralegal in Washington, D.C. Ms. Dressler's legal experience has been focused on Intellectual Property and she holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Penn State University, as well as a Bachelor of Science Degree in Paralegal Studies from the University of Maryland.
Have you ever thought about being a Trademark Administrator (TMA) in higher education? I had no idea a role like that existed until I found myself creating such a position at the University of Colorado. In my role as the Senior Director for Trademarks, I have the unique opportunity to interact with professors and researchers, athletics departments, branding and communication teams, and outside legal counsel.
Growing My Career Path as a TMA
My career began after I graduated from Penn State, moved to the DC area and was having a hard time finding a job in public relations. So, I decided to go back t o school at the University of Maryland and pursue a paralegal degree. While I was in school, I got a job as a receptionist in a law firm and it happened to be an Intellectual Property firm. I had never really heard of patents and trademarks, but I found it fascinating! I was able to move up to a secretarial role and eventually a paralegal role as soon as I graduated with my second degree.
After working in law firms for about 10 years, I decided it was time to leave the DC area and I moved to Colorado. I started off in a law firm in Boulder, but I realized I was getting tired of billable hours and wanted to explore other possibilities. I stumbled across a job as a Patent Administrator at the University of Colorado and I thought, “Well, that sounds interesting!” I had worked with both patents and trademarks in my paralegal positions, so I gave it a try. I got the job in 2007 and have been at the University ever since. I was promoted from Patent Administrator to IP Manager and eventually to my current role as the Senior Director for Trademarks. The only job that existed was the Patent Administrator, so I needed to think outside the box and created the next jobs of IP Manager and then the trademark positions (Associate Director, Director and Senior Director). Creating these positions was both challenging and rewarding. Working with human resources and creating job descriptions was entirely new to me, but I embraced the task and made it work.
TMA Responsibilities at a University
In my current role, professors and researchers, as well as the athletic departments, come to me with names and brand ideas for programs they are creating, inventions they are working on, or new athletic names or logos. My first step is to clear the proposed trademark with the branding folks on the particular campus from which the request initiated. I want to make sure there is nothing happening on the campus that could conflict with the project and we want to ensure that when the trademark is used that it is brand compliant. After I get the green light to move forward, I contract with outside counsel to run clearance searches and provide legal opinions on use and registrability. As I’m sure you all know, that is a very important step so that time, money and energy is not wasted on a trademark that is unavailable. This step also helps reduce the possibility of any trademark infringement on our part. If the search comes back clear, then I proceed with filing the trademark application. I work closely with the individual(s) requesting the trademark to ensure the description of goods or services is accurate. I also keep them informed of all developments along the way until the trademark is registered.
A Look at the Fascinating and Rewarding Trademark Work at a University
Some trademarks that I have worked to secure include a wonderful program called Fostering Healthy Futures out of the Anschutz campus that helps foster kids transition into forever homes and provides mentoring and skills training. Another amazing program on the Boulder campus is PhET, which are physics simulations that help students learn. Additionally, while at the University, the Denver campus created a new mascot – Milo the Lynx – and I was able to assist in protecting the character and the logos for all types of merchandise.
One of the most interesting trademarks I worked on was for Sanatorium Grounds on the Colorado Springs Campus. I had no idea that some of the buildings on campus were part of a mental health facility way back when and the facility was referred to as a sanatorium. So, a coffee café in the student union adopted the name “Sanatorium Grounds.”
Another interesting aspect of my work as a TMA at a university is agreement review. Agreements being negotiated with the University are routed through the Procurement Department and the reviewers come to me when there is trademark language in the agreements. I review those agreements to ensure that we are not giving away the right to use our trademarks in any way that is unnecessary or overbroad. The University also has rules around the use of our logos, which is very strictly controlled. I make suggested language modifications and sometimes have to go through multiple passes with the other party.
Other duties in my role include maintaining the trademark portfolio, utilizing a watch service to monitor possible confusingly similar trademarks, and processing invoices. Since I created this role, it was very exciting to demo and choose a trademark database, watch service, and develop protocols and processes. I also have the opportunity to attend communications and branding meetings on the different campuses and hear what the campuses are doing and if there are names and brands they should be protecting.
Every day presents a new challenge and it is very rewarding working with so many different departments and campuses and helping to further the mission of the University through education and the protection of its valuable trademarks and brand.