Pamela S. Passman

Pamela Passman has served on NBR's Board of Directors since 2004. She leads Microsoft's Global Corporate Affairs group. This organization has four main missions: to provide regulatory counsel to business groups and develop corporate positions on public policy issues, such as privacy, security, spam, export controls, accessibility and telecommunications; to strengthen government and industry relations; to develop partnerships with governments, international organizations, non-profits and industry; and to oversee Microsoft's community investments and outreach.

Ms. Passman has led a recent effort to develop a corporate-wide global community investment program—Unlimited Potential—focused on lifelong learning for disadvantaged youth and adults by providing technology related skills training through community-based technology and learning centers. Microsoft believes that by providing technology skills training, the company can partner to create social and economic opportunities that can change peoples' lives and transform communities.

From October 1996 through April 2002, Ms. Passman was based in Tokyo and directed Microsoft's Law and Corporate Affairs groups in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and the Peoples' Republic of China, including Hong Kong.

Prior to joining Microsoft, Ms. Passman was with Covington & Burling, an international law firm based in Washington, D.C. Her practice focused on commercial transactions in the technology field and government relations, including with Congress and the Executive Branch in Washington and at the state level. She also practiced for two years in Japan with Nagashima & Ohno and served as Special Counsel to the Office of Political and Economic Research, Executive Office of the President of Itochu Corporation.

Ms. Passman is a member of the Executive Committee of the Board of the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) and the Executive Committee of the Board for the National Center for APEC.

Ms. Passman was raised in the Washington, D.C. area. She is a graduate of Lafayette College in Pennsylvania, and the University of Virginia School of Law. She was also a recipient of a one year Thomas J. Watson Foundation grant for independent research in Japan. She has two children, and her husband is also a lawyer.

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