RADM Richardae Araojo Araojo
Special FDA Guest Speaking on Minority Health; Associate Commissioner for Minority Health & Director of the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity in the Office of the Commissioner at the U.S. Food & Drug Administration
RADM Richardae Araojo serves as the Associate Commissioner for Minority Health and Director of the Office of Minority Health and Health Equity (OMHHE) in the Office of the Commissioner at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). In this role, RADM Araojo provides leadership, oversight, and direction on minority health and health disparity matters for the Agency. The Office of Minority Health and Health Equity aims to promote and protect the health of diverse populations through research and communication of regulatory science that addresses health disparities.
RADM Araojo previously served as the Director of the Office of Medical Policy Initiatives (OMPI) in FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), where she managed the OMPI immediate office and three divisions. She led a variety of broad-based medical and clinical policy initiatives to improve the science and efficiency of clinical trials and enhance professional and patient labeling. RADM Araojo worked collaboratively with other FDA disciplines, program areas, and FDA centers to foster an interdisciplinary approach to policy development and to enhance the integration of the continuingly evolving science and policy into FDA’s drug development and regulatory review processes. She provided oversight and direction for cross-cutting center and Agency working groups, as well as collaborations with external constituents, to advance medical policy development.
RADM Araojo joined FDA in 2003, where she held a number of positions in CDER’s Office of New Drugs, first serving in the Division of Psychiatry Drug Products (formerly the Division of Neuropharmacological Drug Products) and then with the Pediatric and Maternal Health Staff (currently the Division of Pediatric and Maternal Health). She then transitioned to the Office of Medical Policy in 2010, where she served as Acting Director of the Division of Medical Policy Programs, Deputy Director of OMPI, and finally Director of OMPI.
RADM Araojo received her Doctor of Pharmacy Degree from Virginia Commonwealth University, completed a Pharmacy Practice Residency with Emphasis in Community Ambulatory Care at the University of Maryland, and later earned a Master’s degree in Pharmacy Regulation and Policy from the University of Florida.