National Advisors

The Panetta Institute receives advice on setting its major policy goals from a distinguished panel of nationally known advisors, drawn from leaders in government, business and education. These experts offer their wisdom and knowledge to the many facets of Institute programs, providing insight and strategies to effectively encourage public engagement by people of all ages and in particular by students and young leaders. Many of the National Advisors have participated directly in Institute programs, including the Leon Panetta Lecture Series, the Jefferson-Lincoln Awards and the Institute’s other educational offerings.

They include:

  • The Honorable Nancy Kassebaum Baker, former United States Senator, Kansas
  • The Honorable Cruz Bustamante, former Lieutenant Governor, California
  • Stephen J. Caldeira, President and CEO, Consumer Specialty Products Association.
  • The Honorable Henry Cisneros, former Secretary, United States Department of HUD
  • Clint Eastwood, Actor, Director and Producer
  • Dr. David P. Gardner, former President,  University of California
  • Richard A. Grasso, former Chairman & CEO, New York Stock Exchange
  • Dr. Philip R. Lee, Director, Institute for Health Policy Studies, University of California, San Francisco
  • Laura A. Liswood, Secretary General, Council of Women World Leaders, Harvard University
  • Andrea Mitchell, Chief Foreign Affairs Correspondent, NBC News
  • Barry Munitz, former President/CEO, The Getty Trust
  • The Honorable Robert Putnam, The Peter and Isabel Malkin Professor of Public Policy, Harvard University
  • The Honorable Bill Richardson, former Governor, New Mexico
  • Bob Schieffer, former Host, Face the Nation, CBS News 
  • The Honorable Donna Shalala, former Secretary, United States Department of Health and Human Services
  • The Honorable Alan Simpson, former United States Senator, Wyoming
  • Dr. Peter Smith, former Assistant Director-General for Education, UNESCO
  • The Honorable Clifton R. Wharton, Jr, former Deputy Secretary of State
  • Dr. Timothy P. White, Chancellor, California State University
  • Rhonda Williams, Broker Associate, Carmel Realty Co., Carmel, California