Richard Baum BA, MA, MPA

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.