Speakers

Mr. Matthew J. Strait is a 24-year veteran of the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). His contributions to the DEA span several regulatory roles specifically relating to entities authorized to possess controlled substances, currently surpassing 2 million nationwide. These roles include such activities as: importation, exportation, manufacture, distribution, prescribing, and dispensing.

Mr. Strait was appointed to the role of Deputy Assistant Administrator for the Office of Diversion Control Regulatory in June 2020 where he oversees the implementation of several important programs, including: registration and call center operations; scheduled investigations; quotas; and imports and exports of controlled substances, listed chemicals and tableting and encapsulating machines.

From 2017 - 2020, Mr. Strait served as the Senior Policy Advisor for the Diversion Control Division. In this capacity, he was the senior advisor to the Assistant Administrator of the Diversion Control Division on a broad range of policy issues impacting all aspects of DEA’s vast registrant population.

From 2015 - 2017, Mr. Strait directed day-to-day operations of DEA’s Congressional Affairs Section. This Section is responsible for assistance to the United States Congress on oversight matters, congressional testimony and legislative changes to the Controlled Substances Act. From 2009 to 2015, Mr. Strait served in the Congressional Affairs Section as a liaison where he worked collaboratively with Congress on legislation which addressed important policy goals, including: drug disposal, synthetic drugs, anabolic steroids, quotas, and access to controlled substances by emergency medical professionals.

From 2004 - 2009, Mr. Strait served as the Unit Chief of DEA’s Quota and UN Reporting Unit. This Unit was responsible for oversight and adjudication of quota applications filed by DEA-registered manufacturers of schedule I and II controlled substances. Prior to 2004, Mr. Strait served as a Drug Science Specialist in the DEA’s Drug and Chemical Evaluation Section. and where he fulfilled many of DEA’s reporting obligations pursuant to various United Nations’ treaties.

Mr. Strait graduated from the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Virginia Tech with both a Bachelor (’95) and Master of Science (’97) degrees.