William Howard Taft IV, a distinguished public servant with an expertise in law, was born in Washington, DC in 1945, and graduated from Yale and Harvard University Law School. He has practiced law in both the public and private sectors, as a senior legal advisor in various government offices and as a partner in leading law firms. He first joined the public sector in 1970 as Attorney Advisor to the Chairman of the Federal Trade Commission. Taft has held a number of high-ranking roles in several key government departments, notably: General Counsel, Department of Health Education and Welfare (1973-1976), General Counsel, Department of Defense (1981-1984), Deputy Secretary of Defense (1984-1989) Acting Secretary of Defense (1989) and US Permanent Representative to NATO (1989-1992). His great grandfather, William Howard Taft, was 27th President of the US and Chief Justice of the US Supreme Court. Taft has been widely recognized for his public service. He lives in Lorton, VA.