Ambassador Richard M. Russell Biography

On January 4, 2007 the President announced his intention to appoint Richard M. Russell U.S. Ambassador to the 2007 World Radiocommunications Conference (WRC) in Geneva. The WRC is convened every three to four years under the auspices of the United Nation’s International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to review and revise the international treaty governing the use of radio-frequency spectrum and satellite orbits. The 2007 WRC will be held October 22 to November 16.

Richard M. Russell was confirmed by the U.S. Senate in August 2002 as Associate Director of the Office of Science and Technology Policy in the Executive Office of the President. In that capacity he is OSTP's Deputy Director for Technology. In addition to his role at OSTP, Mr. Russell serves as the Senior Director for Technology and Telecommunications for the National Economic Council.

Prior to being chosen by the President for his current position, Mr. Russell served as OSTP's Chief of Staff. Mr. Russell also worked on the Presidential Transition Teams for the Department of Commerce, National Science Foundation and OSTP.

From 1995-2001, Mr. Russell worked for the House of Representatives Committee on Science and has a strong background in technology policy. The Committee has oversight responsibilities for all Federal civilian research and development and authorizing responsibilities for most civilian science and technology programs.

During his time on the Committee, Mr. Russell was charged with overseeing the Committee’s technology policy, coordinating its oversight agenda, and helping manage the Committee’s majority staff. He also helped draft a wide variety of legislation, including efforts to expand and improve coordination of federal information technology research, improve computer security, and authorize budgets for science and technology related agencies.

Mr. Russell joined the Science Committee as a professional staff member. He was promoted to staff director for the Subcommittee on Technology and finally to deputy chief of staff for the full Committee. Prior to his work with the Science Committee, Mr. Russell was a professional staff member of the Merchant Marine and Fisheries Committee.

He also directed the Washington office of the Association of California Water Agencies (ACWA). ACWA is a non-profit association representing 400 public water agencies responsible for delivering 90 percent of California’s domestic and agricultural water.

Mr. Russell began his career in Washington, D.C. as a research fellow for the Conservation Foundation. He also worked for Congressman Curt Weldon (R-Penn.) and Senator John Seymour (R-Calif.). In 1988 he earned a bachelor’s degree in biology from Yale University.