Mario Moreno Zepeda serves as chief of staff in the Office of the Provost. A key member of the provost’s senior leadership team, he provides strategic and organizational leadership to ensure that the office is aligned with the University’s mission, vision, and distinctive strengths.
Prior to joining the Office in the Provost in 2024, Mario was chief of staff at the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, where he played an integral role in developing and implementing President Biden’s drug policy priorities. In this role, he managed an agency with a $450 million operating budget and more than 100 staff, including senior military officials, public health specialists, academic researchers, and data scientists.
Mario’s previous experience includes work in communications and research in think tanks, for political campaigns, and in the field in countries including Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico. He has a master’s degree in computational analysis and public policy from the University of Chicago and a bachelor’s degree in political science from Duke University.
