Leonhart, Michele

Michele Leonhart (1956-) has been acting administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), a component of the U.S. Department of Justice whose primary mission is enforcing U.S. laws and regulations regarding controlled substances, since November 2007. In February 2010 she was nominated by President Barack Obama to assume the role on a permanent basis. Leonhart is a career DEA special agent whose previous positions include serving as deputy administrator of the DEA under President George W. Bush from 2004 to 2007. She has been awarded numerous honors including the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Service (from President Bill Clinton) in 2000, the Women in Federal Law Enforcement Outstanding Federal Law Enforcement Employee Award in 2005, and the Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Service (from President ...