In this episode of Grieving Out Loud, we sit down for a one-on-one conversation with a man who’s spent decades on the front lines of the United States’ battle against illicit drugs and overdose deaths. Derek Maltz, who recently served as acting administrator of the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), built a nearly 30-year career as a special agent. He also led the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force—the nation’s oldest and largest.
Maltz opens up about why the fentanyl crisis has become so personal to him, what he believes must happen to stop the mass poisoning of Americans, and the critical missteps that have allowed the epidemic to grow.
MEET THE GUEST
Derek Maltz
Derek Maltz is the former DEA Acting Administrator and Director of the Special Operations Division, where he led high-profile missions to combat global drug trafficking and organized crime. Since leaving the agency, Derek has become a national advocate for families who have lost loved ones to fentanyl poisoning, using his platform to raise awareness, influence policy, and push for solutions to the fentanyl crisis. His expertise and passion have made him a sought-after voice in the fight to save lives.
