Overview
Michael P. Botticelli (born January 2, 1958) is an American public official and addiction-policy advocate who served as Director of the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) from March 2014 until January 2017. He became acting director after the resignation of Gil Kerlikowske and was later confirmed by the United States Senate in February 2015 during the administration of President Barack Obama. His tenure came at a moment of rising opioid overdose deaths and shifting public attitudes toward addiction.
Background and career
Botticelli spent many years working in state and federal public-health roles focused on substance use prevention, treatment and recovery services. He drew on both professional experience and personal insight: he has spoken publicly about his own recovery from substance use, and that perspective influenced his emphasis on reducing stigma and expanding access to care. He succeeded Gil Kerlikowske as acting head of ONDCP after Kerlikowske left that post in 2014.
Policy priorities and approach
As ONDCP director, Botticelli advocated for treating addiction primarily as a health issue rather than a criminal one. His office prioritized several evidence-based responses to the opioid epidemic, including broader availability of medication-assisted treatment, the distribution and use of naloxone to reverse overdoses, support for harm-reduction practices, and efforts to integrate behavioral health and primary care. He often emphasized the need to reduce the stigma that prevents people from seeking help.
Initiatives, examples and impact
- Promoted expansion of treatment programs and training for clinicians to deliver medication-assisted therapies.
- Supported public education campaigns and partnerships with state and local agencies to improve overdose response.
- Encouraged data-driven policy and the use of research to guide funding and program design.
Later work and legacy
After leaving federal office at the end of the Obama administration, Botticelli continued to work in the addiction-treatment and public-health field, taking on leadership roles in organizations and institutions focused on clinical care, policy and research. Commentators and practitioners credit him with helping shift national conversation toward treatment, recovery supports, and harm reduction during a period of escalating opioid-related harms.
Notable distinctions
Botticelli's tenure is notable for the explicit framing of addiction as a chronic health condition and for prioritizing access to evidence-based care. His background, public openness about recovery, and emphasis on nonpunitive approaches distinguish his leadership style from more enforcement-led strategies. He took office as the U.S. responded to a growing overdose crisis and worked to align federal resources and messaging with public-health approaches to addiction.
For more institutional context, see the White House and ONDCP links above and additional resources on congressional oversight and public-health initiatives related to addiction policy.