Ray Donovan(II)
Raymond (Ray) P. Donovan is the CEO and co-founder of Stack21 Solutions, an investigative consulting firm specializing in enhanced due diligence and global risk. As Former Chief of Operations of the DEA, he is globally recognized for leading the interagency team that twice captured Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán, the infamous leader of the Sinaloa Cartel.
Prior to overseeing all enforcement operations worldwide, he served as the Special Agent in Charge for the DEA’s New York Division, the administration’s flagship office and central inflection point for many global, narco-terrorism cases. Prior to New York, he was the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Special Operations Division, the central hub for deconfliction and coordination for all counter-narcotics operations run across law enforcement, military, intelligence communities, and foreign partners.
Renowned for his expertise in intelligence operations, international organized crime, and the illicit global drug trade, Mr. Donovan has received prestigious national and organizational recognitions, most notably being the Presidential Rank Award, one of the federal government’s highest honors. To further solidify his reputation as a leading authority in his field, his insights have directly informed award-winning investigative journalism documentaries, credible academic journals, and congressional testimonies for The House Select Committee on the CCP and the U.S. Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control.
Donovan began his service as a U.S. Border Patrol Agent before joining the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force as a DEA Special Agent. He holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice from St. John's University and has completed advanced executive education at the Harvard University, the New York University Stern School of Business, the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, and the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business.
Prior to overseeing all enforcement operations worldwide, he served as the Special Agent in Charge for the DEA’s New York Division, the administration’s flagship office and central inflection point for many global, narco-terrorism cases. Prior to New York, he was the Special Agent in Charge of the DEA’s Special Operations Division, the central hub for deconfliction and coordination for all counter-narcotics operations run across law enforcement, military, intelligence communities, and foreign partners.
Renowned for his expertise in intelligence operations, international organized crime, and the illicit global drug trade, Mr. Donovan has received prestigious national and organizational recognitions, most notably being the Presidential Rank Award, one of the federal government’s highest honors. To further solidify his reputation as a leading authority in his field, his insights have directly informed award-winning investigative journalism documentaries, credible academic journals, and congressional testimonies for The House Select Committee on the CCP and the U.S. Senate Caucus on International Narcotics Control.
Donovan began his service as a U.S. Border Patrol Agent before joining the New York Drug Enforcement Task Force as a DEA Special Agent. He holds a B.S. in Criminal Justice from St. John's University and has completed advanced executive education at the Harvard University, the New York University Stern School of Business, the University of Virginia Darden School of Business, and the University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business.






