Richard R. Whidden, Jr.
Executive Director and Senior Counsel

As Executive Director of the National Law Center for Children and Families, Whidden has managed and refocused the organization as a leader in law enforcement's efforts against child sexual exploitation and best practices in sex offender management. He has addressed local, state, national and international audiences concerning child exploitation crimes and sex offender management and is a frequent source for media interviews. He also has successfully created and produced a high-quality training program that has trained more than 1,000 law enforcement professionals across the nation on these issues.

Whidden is a former Interim County Attorney for Flagler County, Florida, one of the fastest growing counties in the United States. He first served as a local government attorney for the City of Gainesville, Florida handling land use, code enforcement and litigation matters. While with the City of Gainesville, Whidden attained board certification from the Florida Bar in City, County and Local Government law. He also served as Assistant Attorney General of Florida and Assistant General Counsel to the Florida Department of State. Whidden also served as Associate Director for Government Relations and Contracts with a legal publishing company in Virginia.

Whidden received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Alabama School of Law and his bachelor's degree from Florida State University. He is a member of the District of Columbia and Florida Bars.

Joanne M. Loughlin, Office Administrator