Plenary Speakers
Acting Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP)
Richard J. Baum currently serves as the Acting Director of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP). Mr. Baum has served ONDCP for two decades in a variety of positions through four presidential administrations. His previous role was Director of ONDCP's International Division. During this time he led or co‐led the development of numerous strategic documents, including the National Drug Control Strategy, the National Southwest Border Counternarcotics Strategy, the Synthetic Drug Action Plan, and the Strategy to Combat Transnational Organized Crime.
Over his years at ONDCP he has worked both national security and domestic drug policy issues, served in the Office of Legislative Affairs, and has been a part of the U.S. delegation to the United Nations’ Commission on Narcotic Drugs and other meetings with key international partners. Prior to joining ONDCP's staff in 1997, he was a criminal justice writer and researcher and served for six years as a Republican Congressional Staff Member.
Mr. Baum is also an Adjunct Professor at Georgetown University's McCourt Graduate School of Public Policy where he teaches a course on the history of American drug policy. He resides in Falls Church, Virginia with his wife and two children.
Governor, Commonwealth of Kentucky
Matt Bevin was elected Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky in 2015. He is a husband, a father of nine children, a veteran and a small business owner. Gov. Bevin grew up in an old farmhouse where his family raised both crops and animals. His family of eight shared three bedrooms and one bathroom. It was a financially humble home but he was raised with a strong work ethic and solid Christian values. He attended Washington and Lee University, in Virginia, on an ROTC scholarship and upon graduation served Active Duty as a US Army officer.
After his military service, Gov. Bevin worked for many years in the financial industry. A job opportunity brought Gov. Bevin and his wife, Glenna, a registered nurse, to Kentucky 17 years ago, when they decided to put down roots and raise their family.
After his military service, Gov. Bevin worked for many years in the financial industry. A job opportunity brought Gov. Bevin and his wife, Glenna, a registered nurse, to Kentucky 17 years ago, when they decided to put down roots and raise their family.
Gov. Bevin has founded several companies in Kentucky and invested in a number of others in the Commonwealth and around the United States. He has managed and expanded multiple businesses, creating many good paying jobs for hard working Americans. These companies range from manufacturing to investment management to medical devices.
In 2011, Gov. Bevin also became the sixth generation President of Bevin Bros., a small bell manufacturing company that began in 1832. He makes all the bells used by the Salvation Army volunteers each year. The company was bankrupt when Matt took over and he saved more than 25 jobs. Gov. Bevin has served on many non-profit boards, including Chairman of the Board for the American Red Cross, Louisville Area Chapter. He has permanently endowed several scholarship funds, grants, and centers that provide educational opportunities for young people with limited financial resources.
Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs,
U.S. Department of State
Ambassador Brownfield was sworn in as Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) on January 10, 2011. As Assistant Secretary for INL, he is responsible for State Department programs combating illicit drugs and organized crime, as well as support for law enforcement and rule of law. INL currently manages a portfolio of more than $4 billion in more than 80 countries administered by 5000 employees and contractors.
Prior to his appointment, Ambassador Brownfield served as U.S. Ambassador to Colombia from 2007 to 2010. Prior to that, he served as U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela (2004-07) and U.S. Ambassador to Chile (2002-04). He has also served overseas in Venezuela, El Salvador, Argentina, Switzerland, and Panama as temporary Political Adviser to the U.S. Southern Command.
In Washington his jobs have included Deputy Assistant Secretary for Western Hemisphere Affairs, Deputy Assistant Secretary for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement, Director for Policy and Coordination in INL, Executive Assistant to the Bureau of Inter-American Affairs, Member of the Secretary’s Policy Planning Staff, and Special Assistant to the Under Secretary for Political Affairs.
Ambassador Brownfield holds the personal rank of Career Ambassador, the highest rank in the U.S. Foreign Service. He has received the Secretary of State’s Distinguished Service Award and the Presidential Performance Award three times. Ambassador Brownfield is a graduate of Cornell University (1974) and the National War College (1993). He attended the University of Texas School of Law (1976-78). He speaks Spanish and French. He is a native of the State of Texas.
U.S. Representative (R-GA, 1st District)
Earl L. “Buddy” Carter is an experienced businessman, health care professional and faithful public servant. As the owner of Carter’s Pharmacy, Inc., South Georgians have trusted Buddy with their most valuable assets: their health, lives and families for more than thirty years. While running his business, he learned how to balance a budget and create jobs. He also saw firsthand the devastating impacts of government overregulation which drives his commitment to ensuring that the federal government creates policies to empower business instead of increasing burdens on America’s job creators.
A committed public servant, Buddy previously served as the Mayor of Pooler, Georgia and in the Georgia General Assembly where he used his business experience to make government more efficient and responsive to the people. Buddy is serving his second term in the United States House of Representatives and is a member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. As the only pharmacist serving in Congress, Buddy is the co-chair of the Community Pharmacy Caucus and is dedicated to working towards a health care system that provides more choices, less costs and better services.
A lifelong resident of the First District, Buddy was born and raised in Port Wentworth, Georgia and is a proud graduate of Young Harris College and the University of Georgia where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. Buddy married his college sweetheart, Amy, 38 years ago. Buddy and Amy now reside in Pooler, Georgia and have three sons, two daughters-in-law and three grandchildren.
A committed public servant, Buddy previously served as the Mayor of Pooler, Georgia and in the Georgia General Assembly where he used his business experience to make government more efficient and responsive to the people. Buddy is serving his second term in the United States House of Representatives and is a member of the Committee on Energy and Commerce. As the only pharmacist serving in Congress, Buddy is the co-chair of the Community Pharmacy Caucus and is dedicated to working towards a health care system that provides more choices, less costs and better services.
A lifelong resident of the First District, Buddy was born and raised in Port Wentworth, Georgia and is a proud graduate of Young Harris College and the University of Georgia where he earned his Bachelor of Science in Pharmacy. Buddy married his college sweetheart, Amy, 38 years ago. Buddy and Amy now reside in Pooler, Georgia and have three sons, two daughters-in-law and three grandchildren.
Director, National Institutes of Health; (NIH)
Francis S. Collins, M.D., Ph.D. was appointed the 16th Director of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) by President Barack Obama and was sworn in on August 17, 2009. In this role, he oversees the work of the largest supporter of biomedical research in the world, spanning the spectrum from basic to clinical research.
Dr. Collins is a physician-geneticist noted for his landmark discoveries of disease genes and his leadership of the international Human Genome Project, which culminated in April 2003 with the completion of a finished sequence of the human DNA instruction book. He served as director of the National Human Genome Research Institute at NIH from 1993-2008.
Before coming to NIH, Dr. Collins was a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at the University of Michigan. He is an elected member of the Institute of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in November 2007, and received the National Medal of Science in 2009.
Dr. Collins is a physician-geneticist noted for his landmark discoveries of disease genes and his leadership of the international Human Genome Project, which culminated in April 2003 with the completion of a finished sequence of the human DNA instruction book. He served as director of the National Human Genome Research Institute at NIH from 1993-2008.
Before coming to NIH, Dr. Collins was a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at the University of Michigan. He is an elected member of the Institute of Medicine and the National Academy of Sciences, was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in November 2007, and received the National Medal of Science in 2009.
Assistant Secretary, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA)
Ms. Enomoto has been delegated the functions, duties, and authorities of the Assistant Secretary for Mental Health and Substance Use by the Department of Health and Human Services Secretary. In this role, she oversees SAMHSA’s four centers and four offices, more than 600 employees, and a budget of $3.7 billion. Ms. Enomoto and the SAMHSA team provide data, policy, public education and grants to advance the agency’s mission to reduce the impact of substance use and mental illness on America’s communities.
Since 2011, Ms. Enomoto has provided leadership on agency operations, policies, and programmatic activities while serving in a number of senior management roles, including Acting Administrator and Principal Deputy Administrator. During her tenure at SAMHSA, she has also served as the Director of the Office of Policy, Planning and Innovation, Acting Deputy Administrator, and as the Principal Senior Advisor to three SAMHSA Administrators. Ms. Enomoto joined SAMHSA in 1998 as a Presidential Management Fellow after spending her early career in research and clinical services with a focus on minority mental health and trauma.
Ms. Enomoto has received awards in recognition of her work, including the Arthur S. Flemming Award, the American College of Mental Health Administration King Davis Award, and the Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Service.
Ms. Enomoto earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology and master’s degree in clinical psychology from the University of California, Los Angeles, and is a graduate of Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, Senior Managers in Government Program.
Former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives
Advocates for Opioid Recovery Founding Advisor
Newt Gingrich is widely recognized for his commitment to a better system of health for all Americans. His leadership as Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives helped save Medicare from bankruptcy, prompted FDA reform to help the seriously ill and initiated a new focus on research, prevention, and wellness. His contributions have been so great that the American Diabetes Association awarded him their highest non-medical award and the March of Dimes named him their 1995 Citizen of the Year. Time Magazine honored him as 1995 Man of the Year and said, “Leaders make things possible. Exceptional leaders make them inevitable. Newt Gingrich belongs in the category of the exceptional.” To foster a modern health system that provides better outcomes at lower cost, Newt wrote Saving Lives and Saving Money and launched the Center for Health Transformation in 2003. He continued there in a leadership role until he stepped down in 2011 to seek the Republican nomination for President of the United States. Today, Newt Gingrich is a Fox News contributor and the author of twenty-seven books, including 14 fiction and nonfiction New York Times best-sellers. He is a Senior Advisor at Dentons, the world’s largest law firm, as well as a Senior Scientist at Gallup. Newt and his wife, Callista, host and produce historical and public policy documentaries. Recent films include The First American and Nine Days that Changed the World.
Former Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
Advocates for Opioid Recovery Founding Advisor
The Honorable Patrick J. Kennedy is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives and the nation’s leading political voice on mental illness, addiction, and other brain diseases. During his 16-year career representing Rhode Island in Congress, he fought a national battle to end medical and societal discrimination against these illnesses, highlighted by his lead sponsorship of the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008 -- and his brave openness about his own health challenges. He is the founder of The Kennedy Forum and co-founder of One Mind, a global leader in open science collaboration for brain research. Kennedy is also the co-author of A Common Struggle, which outlines a bold plan for the future of mental health and addiction in America.
U.S. Representative (D-CT 1st District)
Congressman John B. Larson proudly represents Connecticut's First District. Now in his tenth term, John sits on the influential House Ways and Means Committee—including the Subcommittees on Tax Policy and Social Security, where he serves as the Ranking Member. Throughout his time in Congress, John has proven himself a staunch advocate for Connecticut's working families, our manufacturing and small business ecoystem, and commonsense solutions for the problems Americans face everyday.
Born and raised in the federal housing project of Mayberry Village in East Hartford, John is fond of saying he is the product of public housing, public education, and public service. His father, Raymond, worked for Pratt & Whitney, while his mother, Pauline, served on the Town Council. John graduated from East Hartford High School in 1967 and from Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) in 1971.
Before entering Congress, John taught history and coached football at George J. Penney High School. He was also an owner of Larson & Lysik insurance company, where he saw firsthand the challenges many small business owners must overcome. Following in his mother's footsteps, serving on the East Hartford Board of Education and the East Hartford Town Council. In 1982, he was elected to the Connecticut State Senate, beginning a 12-year tenure representing the 3rd Senate District until 1995. Larson served as Senate President Pro Tempore for eight years from 1987 to 1995.
Born and raised in the federal housing project of Mayberry Village in East Hartford, John is fond of saying he is the product of public housing, public education, and public service. His father, Raymond, worked for Pratt & Whitney, while his mother, Pauline, served on the Town Council. John graduated from East Hartford High School in 1967 and from Central Connecticut State University (CCSU) in 1971.
Before entering Congress, John taught history and coached football at George J. Penney High School. He was also an owner of Larson & Lysik insurance company, where he saw firsthand the challenges many small business owners must overcome. Following in his mother's footsteps, serving on the East Hartford Board of Education and the East Hartford Town Council. In 1982, he was elected to the Connecticut State Senate, beginning a 12-year tenure representing the 3rd Senate District until 1995. Larson served as Senate President Pro Tempore for eight years from 1987 to 1995.
U.S. Senator (D-MA)
Senator Edward J. Markey, a consumer champion and national leader on energy, environmental protection and telecommunications policy, has a prolific legislative record on major issues across the policy spectrum and a deep commitment to improving the lives of the people of Massachusetts and our country. Whether the issue is climate change, clean energy, safeguarding privacy, nuclear non-proliferation, investor protection or preserving an open Internet that spurs competition and consumer choice, Senator Markey stands up for the priorities and values of Massachusetts.
While serving for 37 years in the U.S. House of Representatives, Senator Markey fought for his constituents throughout his Congressional District. When he was Dean of the Massachusetts delegation in the House, he worked to harness the energy and influence of his colleagues on behalf of the entire Commonwealth. Elected to the Senate in a special election in June 2013, Senator Markey is bringing his experience, energy and expertise to fight for all the people of Massachusetts.
Senator Markey has amassed an unparalleled record of energy and environmental legislative achievements. He has consistently fought to create new jobs in American clean energy and served as a leading consumer champion against rising gas prices and foreign oil. He is the principal House author of the 2007 fuel economy law, which will increase fuel economy standards to 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025, the first increase in a generation. He also is the author of the appliance efficiency act of 1987, which stopped the construction of hundreds of coal-fired plants. Senator Markey authored the law that established the Northeast Home Heating Oil Reserve, ensuring that New England families won’t be left out in the cold when oil prices spike. And he is the author of the revolutionary law that requires electricity regulators to open up the wholesale electric power market for the first time.
In 2009, Congressman Markey was the co-author of the landmark Waxman-Markey bill, the only comprehensive climate legislation ever to pass a chamber of Congress. It gave hope to the world that the United States was serious about addressing climate change and helped America effectively negotiate with the international community.
Senator Markey was a leading voice in the investigation into the BP oil spill. He insisted that the company reveal the true size of the spill's flow rate, raised concerns about the use of toxic chemical dispersants into the environment and forced BP to make live video footage of the oil spill available to the public on the “Spillcam” website he created. BP ultimately pled guilty to 14 counts, including one count of Obstruction of Congress for making false and misleading statements and withholding information and documents from then-Rep. Markey about the true size of the spill.
In the House of Representatives, Congressman Markey served as the Ranking Member of the Natural Resources Committee. From 2007 to 2010, he served as Chairman of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, a signature committee established by then-Speaker Nancy Pelosi. He also served on the Energy and Commerce Committee, where he was Chairman of the Subcommittee on Energy and the Environment.
A member of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, Senator Markey is a national leader on telecommunications policy, technology and privacy. In the House, he served for 20 years as Chair or Ranking Member of the Subcommittee on Telecommunications and the Internet, where he fostered the growth of new information technologies and was the principal author of many of the laws now governing our nation’s telephone, broadcasting, cable television, wireless, and broadband communications systems. He is the House author of the 1992 Cable Act, which increased choices for millions of consumers and enabled satellite-delivered programming to be more widely offered.
He also authored the law in 1993 that moved over 200 MHz of spectrum from government to commercial use, creating the 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th wireless phone companies. New companies entered the market with digital technology, forcing the incumbents to innovate and invest and pushing mobile phone prices down.
Congressman Markey authored the landmark Telecommunications Act of 1996, ushering competition into the telecommunications marketplace and unleashing private sector investment.
Competition remains Senator Markey’s economic mantra–in his words, “ruthless Darwinian competition that would bring a smile to Adam Smith.” He has been instrumental in breaking up anti-consumer, anti-innovative monopolies in electricity, long-distance and local telephone service, cable television, and international satellite services. He was one of the only members of the House Commerce Committee to fight AT&T’s monopoly in the early 1980’s and is a principal author of the requirement that the Bell Operating companies accept local telephone service in the 1990’s. His pro-competition policies have directly benefited job creation in Massachusetts and throughout the country.
While in the House, Congressman Markey introduced the Internet Freedom Preservation Act, the first net neutrality bill introduced in Congress, to ensure that as the Internet continues to evolve, it remains a level playing field guided by the principles of openness, competition and innovation. He also has been a key leader on providing privacy protections for personal information such as medical records, financial records, and on-line purchases. He has championed strengthening privacy protections for children and is the House author of the Children’s Online Privacy and Protection Act (COPPA), the primary law that safeguards children’s privacy online.
From 2003 to 2009 in the House of Representatives, Senator Markey also served as a senior member of the Homeland Security Committee. In that capacity, he focused on closing gaps in our homeland defenses, particularly in the areas of nuclear, aviation, maritime, liquefied natural gas and chemical security. In the wake of the 9-11 attacks, he authored the first-ever mandate in the law that 100% of cargo on passenger planes is screened, and 100% of all maritime cargo is scanned before entering America’s ports.
Senator Markey also was the leader of the national Nuclear Freeze movement and has been a Congressional champion on nuclear nonproliferation. His amendment to ban all underground nuclear testing passed in 1986, and in the 1990s, he fought to tighten controls on global trafficking in nuclear technology. Since then, Senator Markey has continued his work on nuclear nonproliferation, successfully enacting new restrictions on exports of nuclear and dual-use technologies to Iran, North Korea, and other countries designated as state sponsors of terrorism and pressing for stronger nuclear nonproliferation conditions on all future nuclear trade cooperation agreements As founder of the Nonproliferation Caucus, Senator Markey continues to spearhead efforts to prevent the spread of nuclear weapons to safeguard the future for generations to come.
He is the author of some of the most important Wall Street reform laws since the Great Depression, including statutes that strengthened penalties against insider trading, improved federal oversight over the stock and futures markets, and reformed regulation of the government securities market.
Senator Markey was born in Malden, Massachusetts, on July 11, 1946. He attended Boston College (B.A., 1968) and Boston College Law School (J.D., 1972). He served in the U.S. Army Reserve and was elected to the Massachusetts State House where he served two terms representing Malden and Melrose. He is married to Dr. Susan Blumenthal.
Former Director of National Drug Control Policy
Arguably one of the most outspoken drug czars to date, General Barry McCaffrey served as President Clinton's second Director of National Drug Control Policy from 1996-2000. When he retired from the Army to join the Administration, he was the most decorated General serving in the United States Army, having been awarded three Purple Heart Medals for wounds received in combat, two Distinguished Service Crosses (the nation's second highest award for valor), and two Silver Stars for valor.
Upon leaving government service, he served as the Bradley Distinguished Professor of International Security Studies from 2001-2005, and an Adjunct Professor of International Security Studies from 2006-2010 at the United States Military Academy at West Point.
U.S. Representative (R-PA, 7th District)
Patrick Meehan represents Pennsylvania’s 7th Congressional District in the United States Congress. Meehan “is avoiding the partisan fights that trap some of his DC colleagues and building a reputation as a pragmatic problem solver in SEPA,” according to PoliticsPA.com.
Currently serving his third term in Congress, Meehan serves on the influential House Ways and Means Committee, as well as the Committee on Ethics. On the Ways and Means Committee, Meehan serves on the Trade and Oversight Subcommittees. The Ways and Means Committee is the House's chief tax-writing body, with broad jurisdiction over issues critical to Southeastern Pennsylvania like health care and trade.
Elected to Congress in 2010, Meehan has made economic growth in Southeastern Pennsylvania a top priority by supporting projects like the revitalization of the area’s refineries, the expansion of Philadelphia International Airport and the deepening of the Delaware River shipping channel – projects that mean jobs for the region. He’s fighting to reform our broken tax code, reduce our national debt, and rein in out-of-control Washington regulations.
In the 113th Congress, Meehan chaired the House Homeland Security Committee's Subcommittee on Cybersecurity. Meehan focused on protecting America's critical infrastructure -- our transportation, energy, financial and communications systems -- from cyberattack. He's worked with his colleagues on the committee to craft bipartisan cyber legislation that strengthens our government's response to cyberattacks, helps the private sector prevent intrusions, and protects the privacy and civil liberties of Americans.
Rep. Meehan is working tirelessly to root out wasteful federal spending and hold Washington accountable for poor management and misconduct. Meehan has taken his experience working with victims as a prosecutor with him to Congress, and has been a leader in the effort to protect the victims of brutal crimes such as sexual assault. He's teamed up with both Republicans and Democrats to combat sexual violence on college campuses and in the military. He’s fighting to provide vital support to victims through legislation like the Violence Against Women Act.
Prior to his election to the United States Congress, Meehan earned an impressive record as one of the Philadelphia area’s most respected prosecutors. Appointed by the President, Meehan served as the United States Attorney for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, a position that made him the top federal prosecutor in a district that spanned nine counties with a population of over five million residents. During his tenure, the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Philadelphia became a national leader in prosecuting corrupt government officials. Meehan helped to put behind bars some of the biggest names in Philadelphia’s corrupt pay-to-play political culture, including former Philadelphia Treasurer Corey Kemp, Councilman Rick Mariano, and State Senator Vincent Fumo. Meehan earned praise from both sides of the aisle for his integrity and his commitment to rooting out political corruption.
Prior to his appointment as United States Attorney, Meehan served as the District Attorney of Delaware County. As D.A., he successfully prosecuted several high-profile cases, including the murder trial of millionaire John DuPont and the trial of the murderer of local college student Aimee Willard. Meehan formed the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, a working group dedicated to protecting children from online predators.
A native of Cheltenham, Montgomery County, Meehan is a graduate of Bowdoin College and the Temple University School of Law. Prior to entering public service, Congressman Meehan spent two years as a referee in the National Hockey League. Meehan, his wife Carolyn, and their three sons live in Delaware County.
19th United States Surgeon General
Vice Admiral (VADM) Vivek H. Murthy, MD, MBA, was nominated by President Barack Obama in November 2013 and confirmed on December 15, 2014 as the 19th United States Surgeon General. As America’s Doctor, Dr. Murthy is responsible for communicating the best available scientific information to the public regarding ways to improve personal health and the health of the nation. He also oversees the operations of the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) Commissioned Corps, comprised of approximately 6,700 uniformed health officers who serve in locations around the world to promote, protect, and advance the health and safety of our nation.
Dr. Murthy has devoted himself to improving public health through the lens of service, clinical care, research, education, and entrepreneurship. The son of immigrants from India, Dr. Murthy discovered a love for the art of healing early in his childhood while spending time in his father’s medical clinic in Miami, Florida. After attending Miami Palmetto Senior High School, he received his Bachelor’s degree from Harvard, and his M.D. and M.B.A. degrees from Yale. He completed his residency training at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School where he later joined the faculty as an internal medicine physician and instructor. As a clinician-educator, Dr. Murthy has cared for thousands of patients and trained hundreds of residents and medical students. He regards caring for patients as the greatest privilege of his life.
In addition to clinical practice, Dr. Murthy has two decades of experience and perspective improving health in communities across the country and around the world. He co-founded VISIONS, an HIV/AIDS education program in India and the United States, which he led for eight years. As its president, he established ten chapters with hundreds of volunteers in both countries and grew the organization’s education programs to reach more than 45,000 youth. Dr. Murthy also co-founded the Swasthya project (“health and wellbeing” in Sanskrit), a community health partnership in rural India, to train women to be health providers and educators. During his five-year tenure with the organization, he established seed funding and helped expand research and direct care programs that reached tens of thousands of rural residents.
As a research scientist, Dr. Murthy has conducted laboratory research on vaccine development and studied the participation of women and minorities in clinical trials. His research findings have been published in Science, the Journal of the American Medical Association, and the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Dr. Murthy is also a healthcare entrepreneur and innovator. He co-founded and chaired a successful software technology company, TrialNetworks, which improves research collaboration and enhances the efficiency of clinical trials around the world. In seven years, Dr. Murthy and his team took the company from conception to an international enterprise that powers dozens of clinical trials for over 50,000 patients in more than 75 countries. Dr. Murthy has also served as the president of Doctors for America, a non-profit organization with more than 16,000 physicians and medical students in all 50 states who work with patients and policymakers to build a high quality, affordable health system for all.
Acting Commissioner, United States Food and Drug Administration
Stephen Ostroff, M.D., is the acting Commissioner of Food and Drugs. As the top official of the Food and Drug Administration, Dr. Ostroff is committed to strengthening programs and policies that enable the agency to carry out its mission to protect and promote the public health.
From May 2016 to January 2017, Dr. Ostroff served as the Food and Drug Administration's Deputy Commissioner for Foods and Veterinary Medicine. In that role, he oversaw the food and animal health activities of FDA, including FDA's responsibilities in the areas of food safety and nutrition, food labeling, food and color additives, cosmetics, dietary supplements, animal drugs and animal feed, and research to support the food and veterinary medicine mission of FDA.
Dr. Ostroff previously served as the acting FDA Commissioner from April 2015 to late February 2016.
Before being named acting commissioner, Dr. Ostroff served as the FDA's Chief Scientist starting in February 2014. The Office of the Chief Scientist works closely with FDA's product centers, providing strategic leadership and support for FDA's regulatory science and innovation initiatives.
Dr. Ostroff joined FDA in 2013 as Chief Medical Officer in the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition and Senior Public Health Advisor to FDA's Office of Foods and Veterinary Medicine.
Prior to that, he served as Deputy Director of the National Center for Infectious Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). At CDC Dr. Ostroff focused on emerging infectious diseases, food safety, and coordination of complex outbreak response. He retired from the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service at the rank of Rear Admiral (Assistant Surgeon General). Dr. Ostroff was also the Director of the Bureau of Epidemiology and Acting Physician General for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and has consulted internationally on public health projects in South Asia and Latin America.
Dr. Ostroff graduated from the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine in 1981 and completed residencies in internal medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center and preventive medicine at CDC.
Secretary,, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
Dr. Thomas E. Price was sworn in as the 23rd Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) on February 10, 2017. He brings to the Department a lifetime of service and a dedication to advancing the quality of health care in America – both as a physician and policymaker.
His first calling was to care for patients as an orthopaedic surgeon. Dr. Price received his Bachelor and Doctor of Medicine degrees from the University of Michigan and completed his Orthopaedic Surgery residency at Emory University. After his training and residency, Dr. Price – a third generation physician following in the footsteps of his father and grandfather – began a solo medical practice in Atlanta, Georgia, which would eventually grow to be one of the largest, non-academic orthopaedic practices in the country. During his 20 years as a practicing physician, he also served as Medical Director of the Orthopedic Clinic at Grady Memorial Hospital as well as an Assistant Professor at Emory University School of Medicine.
As with many physicians and health care providers, Dr. Price’s experience caring for patients also gave him a unique perspective about the impact of public policy on the practice of medicine. Eager to broaden the impact he could have on improving access to quality health care, Dr. Price ran for public office and was elected to four terms in the Georgia State Senate – during which time he was chosen by his colleagues to serve as Senate Minority Whip and later as the first Republican Senate Majority Leader in the history of Georgia.
Most recently, Dr. Price served as the U.S. Representative for Georgia’s 6th Congressional District. He held this office from 2005-2017 and earned a reputation amongst his colleagues for being a tireless problem solver and the go-to expert on health care matters. During his congressional career, Dr. Price served in various leadership roles including, Chairman of the House Budget Committee, Chairman of the House Republican Policy Committee, and Chairman of the Republican Study Committee.
Committed to advancing positive solutions under principled leadership, Dr. Price remains a fierce advocate for a patient-centered health care system that adheres to six key principles: affordability, accessibility, quality, choices, innovation, and responsiveness. As Secretary, Dr. Price remains committed to these principles, administering a wide array of services, supporting life-saving research, and protecting and serving all Americans.
Additionally, he recognizes the Department must be efficient, effective and accountable, as well as willing to partner with those in our communities who are already doing remarkable work. Under his leadership, HHS strives to preserve the promises that society has made to the American people.
U.S. Representative (R-KY, 5th District),
founding co-chair Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse
Serving Kentucky’s Fifth Congressional District since 1981, Congressman Rogers has a reputation of fighting for the interests of the region where he was raised. He helped launch multiple organizations to transform one of the poorest Congressional Districts in the nation, focusing on substance abuse, economic development, job creation, and preserving the natural measures of southern and eastern Kentucky. He is the longest serving Kentucky Republican ever elected to federal office. One of his greatest successes, Operation UNITE, earned the national spotlight through Rogers’ vision to combat the Rx drug abuse epidemic with a three-pronged approach, law enforcement investigations, substance abuse treatment, and community education. In February 2013, Rogers received the Congressional Leadership Award from the Community Anti-Drug Coalitions of America (CADCA) for his unwavering commitment to keeping America’s youth drug and alcohol free. Nationally, Rogers is known as a titan in the war on drugs.
Most recently, he cosponsored and helped fund two historic federal bills to combat the nation’s drug epidemic: the Comprehensive Addiction and Recovery Act (CARA) and the 21st Century Cures Act, both of which became law in 2016. Since 2000, Rogers has helped direct funding for marijuana eradication efforts of the Kentucky National Guard and the U.S. Forest Service in the Daniel Boone National Forest. In 2001, he established a competitive grant program within the Department of Justice to assist state-level Prescription Drug Monitoring Programs (PDMPs). Kentucky became the first state in the nation to provide a self-service, Internet-based system for tracking all schedule II-V Rx drugs. As a long-time advocate for multi-tiered solutions to the ever-growing epidemic that has wreaked havoc on communities large and small, Rogers co-founded the Congressional Caucus on Prescription Drug Abuse with former Congresswoman Mary Bono. This caucus aims to unite like-minded policy-makers in raising awareness of abuse, while working toward innovative and effective policy solutions incorporating treatment, prevention, law enforcement and research. Rogers holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Kentucky and Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Kentucky Law School.
Anne Schuchat, M.D.,
Acting Administrator,, Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry, Rear Admiral, U.S. Public Health Service
Anne Schuchat, M.D. became CDC’s Acting Director in January 2017. Dr. Schuchat joined CDC as an Epidemic Intelligence Service officer in 1988. She has served in various leadership posts over the years, most recently as principal deputy director of CDC from 2015-2017 and director of CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases from 2006-2015.
Dr. Schuchat played key roles in CDC emergency responses including the 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza response, the 2003 SARS outbreak in Beijing and the 2001 bioterrorist anthrax response. Globally, she has worked on meningitis, pneumonia and Ebola vaccine trials in West Africa, and conducted surveillance and prevention projects in South Africa.
Dr. Schuchat graduated from Swarthmore College and Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine and completed her residency and chief residency in internal medicine at NYU’s Manhattan VA Hospital. She was promoted to Rear Admiral in the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service in 2006 and earned a second star in 2010.
Dr. Schuchat played key roles in CDC emergency responses including the 2009 H1N1 pandemic influenza response, the 2003 SARS outbreak in Beijing and the 2001 bioterrorist anthrax response. Globally, she has worked on meningitis, pneumonia and Ebola vaccine trials in West Africa, and conducted surveillance and prevention projects in South Africa.
Dr. Schuchat graduated from Swarthmore College and Dartmouth Geisel School of Medicine and completed her residency and chief residency in internal medicine at NYU’s Manhattan VA Hospital. She was promoted to Rear Admiral in the Commissioned Corps of the United States Public Health Service in 2006 and earned a second star in 2010.
Director, National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
National Institutes of Health
Nora D. Volkow, M.D., became Director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) at the National Institutes of Health in May 2003. NIDA supports most of the world’s research on the health aspects of drug abuse and addiction.
Dr. Volkow’s work has been instrumental in demonstrating that drug addiction is a disease of the human brain. As a research psychiatrist and scientist, Dr. Volkow pioneered the use of brain imaging to investigate the toxic effects and addictive properties of abusable drugs. Her studies have documented changes in the dopamine system affecting, among others, the functions of frontal brain regions involved with motivation, drive, and pleasure in addiction. She has also made important contributions to the neurobiology of obesity, ADHD, and aging.
Dr. Volkow was born in Mexico, attended the Modern American School, and earned her medical degree from the National University of Mexico in Mexico City, where she received the Robins award for best medical student of her generation. Her psychiatric residency was at New York University, where she earned the Laughlin Fellowship Award as one of the 10 Outstanding Psychiatric Residents in the USA.
Dr. Volkow spent most of her professional career at the Department of Energy’s Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) in Upton, New York, where she held several leadership positions including Director of Nuclear Medicine, Chairman of the Medical Department, and Associate Director for Life Sciences. In addition, Dr. Volkow was a Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Associate Dean of the Medical School at the State University of New York (SUNY)-Stony Brook.
Dr. Volkow has published more than 600 peer-reviewed articles and written more than 95 book chapters and non-peer-reviewed manuscripts, and has also edited three books on neuroimaging for mental and addictive disorders.
During her professional career, Dr. Volkow has been the recipient of multiple awards. In 2013, she was a Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Medal (Sammies) finalist; and she was inducted into the Children and Adults with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (CHADD) Hall of Fame. She was elected to membership in the Institute of Medicine in the National Academy of Sciences and received the International Prize from the French Institute of Health and Medical Research for her pioneering work in brain imaging and addiction science. She has been named one of Time magazine’s “Top 100 People Who Shape Our World,” “One of the 20 People to Watch” by Newsweek magazine, Washingtonian magazine’s “100 Most Powerful Women” and “Innovator of the Year” by U.S. News & World Report.
Los Angeles-based freelance journalist and author
Sam Quinones is a Los Angeles-based freelance journalist and author of three books of narrative nonfiction. His latest book is Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic (Bloomsbury, 2015), for which he traveled across the United States.
Dreamland recounts twin stories of drug marketing in the 21st Century: A pharmaceutical corporation flogs its legal new opiate prescription painkiller as nonaddictive. Meanwhile, immigrants from a small town in Nayarit, Mexico devise a method for retailing black-tar heroin like pizza in the US, and take that system nationwide, riding a wave of addiction to prescription pills from coast to coast. The collision of those two forces has led to America's deadliest drug scourge in modern times.
Dreamland was selected as one of the Best books of 2015 by Amazon.com, Slate.com, the Daily Beast, Buzzfeed, Seattle Times, Boston Globe, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Entertainment Weekly, Audible, and in the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg Business by Nobel economics laureate, Prof. Angus Deaton, of Princeton University.
Quinones’ previous two highly acclaimed books grew from his 10 years living and working as a freelance writer in Mexico (1994-2004).
True Tales From Another Mexico: The Lynch Mob, the Popsicle Kings, Chalino and the Bronx was released in 2001. It is a cult classic of a book from Mexico’s vital margins – stories of drag queens and Oaxacan Indian basketball players, popsicle makers and telenovela stars, migrants, farm workers, a narcosaint, a slain drug balladeer, a slum boss, and a doomed tough guy.
In 2007, he came out with Antonio's Gun and Delfino's Dream: True Tales of Mexican Migration. In it, Quinones narrates the saga of the Henry Ford of Velvet Painting, and of how an opera scene emerged in Tijuana, and how a Zacatecan taco empire formed in Chicago. He tells the tale of the Tomato King, of a high-school soccer season in Kansas, and of Mexican corruption in a small LA County town. Threading through the book are three tales of a modern Mexican Huck Finn. Quinones ends the collection in a chapter called "Leaving Mexico" with his harrowing tangle with the Narco-Mennonites of Chihuahua.
Sam Quinones is formerly a reporter with the L.A. Times, where he worked for 10 years (2004-2014). He is a veteran reporter on immigration, gangs, drug trafficking, the border.
Contact him at www.samquinones.com.
