Richard Mills is Assistant U.S. Trade Representative for Public and Media Affairs and also serves as press secretary for U.S. Trade Representative Robert B. Zoellick. In this capacity, Mr. Mills is the primary point of contact for the media, and provides tactical and strategic communications advice to Ambassador Zoellick and USTR.

Prior to joining USTR in April 2001, Mr. Mills worked for close to 10 years on Capitol Hill, gaining broad communications and issue experience. From January 1999 to April 2001, he was the Communications Director for the House Rules Committee and its Chairman, David Dreier (R-CA), a member of the House Republican Leadership. Due to the Rules Committee's central policy development function in Congress, Mr. Mills played a critical role in assisting Republicans and Representative Dreier in communicating an effective and positive message to national and regional media, such as California. Mr. Mills assisted Representative Dreier, a California Co-Chairman for President Bush's campaign, in being a leading Republican surrogate in 2000.
From May 1995 through December 1998, Mr. Mills served as the press secretary and spokesman for the Senate Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs Committee and its Chairman, U.S. Senator Alfonse M. D'Amato (R-NY). High profile issues included the Swiss Bank Holocaust inquiry, Federal Reserve Bank and Securities and Exchange Commission oversight, the Whitewater investigation and the inquiry into high ATM fees.

Mr. Mills began his Capitol Hill career in January 1992 with Senator D'Amato, beginning as an intern and moving up into various positions. From March of 1994 to May 1995, he was D'Amato's deputy press secretary, developing experience within the highly competitive New York media environment.

A 1991 graduate of Ithaca College in New York with a degree in Politics, Mr. Mills holds a Master's degree from American University in Public Communications. He resides in Alexandria with his wife and daughter.