Donnie R. Marshall

Who is Donnie R. Marshall?

Donnie R. Marshall was the first career Drug Enforcement Administration special agent to rise through the ranks to become Administrator of DEA.

Marshall was born in Dallas, Texas and grew up in San Augustine, Texas. He received a B.S. degree from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. He worked as a firefighter for the city of Nacogdoches while attending college. Marshall is married to Catherine, a native of Galveston, Texas, and has three children, Emory, Ross and Elissa.

From 1984-1986, Marshall served as Assistant Special Agent in Charge of DEA's Dallas Division. He also served as a Senior Inspector in the Office of Professional Responsibility, as the Deputy Regional Director for the Latin America Region, as Country Attache in Brazil, as the Resident Agent in Charge in Austin, and as a Special Agent in Dallas, Texas and Houston, Texas.

He headed DEA's worldwide air operations from 1986-1995 as Special Agent in Charge of the Aviation Division. From 1995-1996, he was the Chief of Domestic Operations and chaired the Sensitive Activities Review Committee responsible for approving and managing potentially controversial or high-risk operations.