John Wood is a 6th generation Missourian who has spent his career serving the United States in the high-levels of our federal government.

He is a former United States Attorney for the Western District of Missouri, serving as the chief federal law enforcement official in the western region of our state, including: Kansas City, St. Joseph, Columbia, Jefferson City, Springfield and Joplin.

John previously served as Chief of Staff for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security where he assisted and advised former Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff on a broad range of matters, including terrorism, intelligence, preparedness, border security, immigration, law enforcement, and management issues.
 

John has held several high-level positions at the Department of Justice and in the White House, including Deputy Associate Attorney General and Counselor to Attorney General John D. Ashcroft and White House Deputy General Counsel for the Office of Management & Budget.

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John is a former clerk for both U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and U.S. Court of Appeals Judge J. Michael Luttig. Prior to law school, he worked on the staff of U.S. Senator John C. Danforth of Missouri.

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John is a proud graduate of St. Louis Country Day School, the University of Virginia (BA) and Harvard Law School (JD).