WASHINGTON — David K. Mineta was confirmed as deputy director of demand reduction for the Office of National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP) on June 22. In this role, Mineta will oversee ONDCP’s Office of Demand Reduction, which focuses on promoting drug prevention and drug treatment programs, as well as the agency’s newly created focus on programs for individuals in recovery from addiction.

The United States Senate unanimously confirmed Mineta.

Mineta brings nearly 20 years of broad, nationally-recognized experience in the design and delivery of effective demand reduction programs. He specializes in working with community-based organizations to reduce demand for substances of abuse, particularly among underserved ethnic, racial and gender communities. Since 1991, he has secured $18,750,000 worth of funding from Federal, state, local government, and private grants.

Mineta’s previous positions include researcher, manager and counselor.

Since 1996, Mineta has worked with Asian American Recovery Services, Inc. (AARS) throughout California. He started as a manager of treatment and competence transitions programs, but rose to associate director and, since 2007, deputy director.

As deputy director, he oversaw all agency grant writing and institutional technology departments, and assisted in strategic planning, community consortiums, and other necessary functions. Before joining AARS, Mineta was a counselor in San Jose’s School District and later in Santa Clara’s Alcohol and Drug Department.

Mineta studied political science at University of California, Berkeley and earned his Master of Social Work from California State University, San Jose in 1990.

In May 2009, he was appointed to the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention National Advisory Council.

Mineta serves on the Jefferson Union High School District board of trustees, located south of San Francisco. He is expected to resign from the board in July, the San Mateo County Times reported.

Mineta is the son of Norman Mineta, a former mayor of San Jose and U.S. congressman who served on two Presidential cabinets, and is the recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.