Samuel Richard 'Sandy' Berger (1945-2015) was an American attorney and foreign policy expert who served as National Security Advisor from 1997 to 2001 under President Bill Clinton. Born on October 28, 1945, in Millerton, New York, Berger grew up in a Jewish family and was raised in Sharon, Connecticut. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in government from Cornell University in 1967 and a Juris Doctor from Harvard Law School in 1971. After law school, Berger practiced as an attorney and became involved in Democratic politics, initially working as a speechwriter for Secretary of State Cyrus Vance in 1977, which shifted his career toward international affairs. He later advised presidential campaigns and served in various policy roles, including as Deputy National Security Advisor from 1993 to 1997 before becoming National Security Advisor. Berger played a key role in shaping U.S. foreign policy on issues like the Balkans, Middle East peace processes, and relations with China. After leaving government, Berger founded the consulting firm Albright Stonebridge Group with Madeleine Albright and worked as a lobbyist and advisor on international matters. He was married to Susan Harrison, with whom he had three children. Berger faced controversy in 2004 when he pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor for intentionally removing and later destroying classified documents from the National Archives related to the 9/11 Commission review; he was fined $50,000 and had his security clearance revoked for three years. Berger passed away on December 2, 2015, in Washington, D.C., at the age of 70, due to complications from cancer. His career exemplified influence in Democratic foreign policy circles, with connections across government, lobbying, and international NGOs, though the document scandal drew significant criticism for undermining national security protocols.