Penn State Forum: Karen Tandy, Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration

"Drug Issues" Following her nomination by President GeorgeW. Bush, on July 31, 2003, Karen Tandy was confirmed by unanimous consent of the U.S. Senate as Administrator of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), a $2.2 billion agency with approximately 11,000 employees across the U.S. and in 85 foreign offices. Under Ms.Tandy's leadership, DEA investigations resulted in criminal charges against 87 percent of the most wanted drug trafficking leaders, an 82 percent increase in the number of dismantled priority drug trafficking organizations, and a 400 percent increase in the seizure of drug proceeds and related assets, with a recordbreaking $3.75 billion in seized drug assets and revenue denied to traffickers in a two year period from 2004-2006. In 2005, Ms.Tandy also developed and launched the first website designed for teens regarding the consequences of illegal drugs, www.justthinktwice.com, which received wide acclaim from teenagers, schools, drug prevention specialists, and community coalitions. Prior to becoming DEA Administrator, Ms.Tandy was Associate Deputy Attorney General, responsible for developing national drug enforcement policy and strategies, and Director of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Forces (OCDETF). Between 1990 and 1999, Ms.Tandy served in a variety of positions in the Criminal Division of the Department of Justice, supervising the Department's drug and forfeiture litigation. From 1979 to 1990, Ms.Tandy was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Eastern District of Virginia and in theWestern District ofWashington, handling the prosecution of violent crime and complex drug, money laundering and forfeiture cases. Ms.Tandy, a native of FortWorth,Texas, graduated from Texas Tech University undergraduate school and Law School. She is married with two daughters.