President Emeritus
Joe Panetta serves as president emeritus of Biocom California, the state’s leader and advocate for the life science industry, and leads international efforts that bridge California to international partners. Previously, Mr. Panetta led Biocom California as president and CEO for 25 years, growing the organization from being San Diego focused to serving the entire state and beyond.
Mr. Panetta is co-founder of the Biocom California Political Action Committee; the Biocom California Institute for workforce development; and Generation STEAM for education. Since 2014, Mr. Panetta has been a member of the Independent Citizens Oversight Committee, which serves as the governing and oversight board for the California Institute for Regenerative Medicine (CIRM) and is responsible for providing grant funding under the $5.5 billion California Stem Cell Initiative.
Mr. Panetta holds a Bachelor of Science degree in biology from LeMoyne College, and a Master of Public Health degree in industrial and environmental health from the University of Pittsburgh. Mr. Panetta brings a depth of experience to his role, having worked in the life science industry at companies including Dow AgroSciences, Mycogen, Shearing AG, and Pennwalt Corp. He also served as a senior policy analyst at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Washington, D.C. Mr. Panetta joined Biocom California in 1999.