SACRAMENTO, Calif. & SAN DIEGO & SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--California Life Sciences Association (CLSA), the trade association representing California’s life sciences sector, today announced it has appointed Patrick Henning as CLSA’s Senior Vice President, Government Relations and Public Affairs starting January 6, 2020. CLSA advances California’s world-leading life sciences sector by advocating for effective national, state and local public policies and supporting entrepreneurs and life sciences businesses, a sector that employs more than 300,000 Californians.
Based in CLSA’s Sacramento Office, Henning will oversee CLSA’s integrated government relations, advocacy, policy, communications, and political operations at the federal, state, and local levels on behalf of California’s life sciences sector.
“I’m pleased to welcome Patrick Henning to CLSA. As California’s life sciences sector continues to grow and flourish, it is critical that policymakers in Washington, Sacramento and throughout California understand and value the science and hard work our members are engaged in to drive life sciences innovation, investment and job creation,” said Mike Guerra, President & CEO, CLSA. “Patrick brings over 25 years of seasoned public policy experience to CLSA, including meritorious service to a President of the United States, Members of Congress, the State Legislature, and as an appointee of the last four California Governors. He is uniquely qualified to take our policy and advocacy efforts to the next level as we grow California’s life sciences community and support our members.”
Henning joins CLSA from the California Employment Development Department, where he most recently served as director since 2014. Henning had served as chief deputy appointments secretary in the office of California Governor Jerry Brown from 2011 to 2014. He was the legislative advocate at the California Council of Laborers from 2004 to 2011, and prior to that was appointed by the California Governor as the assistant secretary for legislation and intergovernmental affairs at the Labor and Workforce Development Agency from 2003 to 2004, and deputy director at the California Department of Industrial Relations from 2000 to 2003. Henning held various positions in Washington D.C. from 1995 to 2000, including special advisor and congressional liaison to President Bill Clinton and legislative assistant to Congressman Vic Fazio. He recently served as the elected Secretary for the National Association of State Workforce Agencies. Previously, Henning was an appointed member of the California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (Prop. 63), the California Career Technical Education Standards and Framework Advisory Group and the California Assembly Speaker’s Commission on Labor Education. He has also served as the chairman of the Economic Development Advisory Commission of West Sacramento, CA. Henning holds a bachelor’s degree in government and journalism from California State University, Sacramento.
“I’m excited to join the California Life Sciences Association, and look forward to working with the CLSA team, the board, membership and officials in Sacramento, throughout California and in Washington, D.C., to drive impactful public policies that help patients and ensure California and the United States continue to be the worldwide leader in life sciences innovation,” said Patrick Henning, Senior Vice President, Government Relations and Public Affairs, CLSA. “I’m eager to bring my experience at various levels of local, state and federal government and my knowledge of California policies, politics and practices to CLSA to bring added value to its diverse membership of life sciences innovators.”
Learn more about CLSA’s team. For high resolution headshot, contact Will Zasadny, CLSA’s Director of Communications (wzasadny@califesciences.org).
- Learn More about the California life sciences sector
- View CLSA’s Legislative Action Center
- Watch CLSA’s Faces of California Biomedical Innovation Web Series
- View CLSA’s Advocacy Priorities
- View upcoming CLSA events
- Meet the CLSA Board of Directors
About California Life Sciences Association (CLSA)
California Life Sciences Association (CLSA) is the state’s largest and most influential life sciences advocacy and business leadership organization. With offices in Sacramento, San Diego, South San Francisco, Los Angeles and Washington DC, CLSA works closely with industry, government, academia and others to shape public policy, improve access to innovative technologies and grow California’s life sciences economy. CLSA serves biotechnology, pharmaceutical, medical device and diagnostics companies, research universities and institutes, investors and service providers throughout the Golden State. CLSA was founded in 2015 when the Bay Area Bioscience Association (BayBio) and the California Healthcare Institute (CHI) merged. Visit CLSA at www.califesciences.org, and follow us on Twitter @CALifeSciences, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube.