Leon Panetta

Ice Breaker Reception

Monday 6:00pm

Leon Panetta serves as Chairman of the Panetta Institute for Public Policy and is one of the most distinguished public servants in modern U.S. government. He previously served as U.S. Secretary of Defense and Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, as well as White House Chief of Staff and a member of Congress for California. A longtime champion of environmental protection, Panetta was the primary legislative advocate for the creation of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. He is serving as the Honorary Chair for OCEANS Monterey 2026, where he will help welcome attendees and support the conference’s mission.