Leon Panetta, a distinguished public servant, served as the 23rd secretary of Defense from July 2011 to February 2013. Before joining the Department of Defense, Panetta served as the director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from February of 2009 to June 2011. 

Panetta has dedicated much of his life to public service. Before joining the CIA, he spent 10 years co-directing with his wife, Sylvia, The Panetta Institute for Public Policy, a nonpartisan center for the study of public policy. He is a former White House chief of staff to President Bill Clinton, a former director of the Office of Management and Budget, and served in Congress for 16 years.

He served as an Army intelligence officer from 1964 to 1966 and received the Army Commendation Medal.
He is currently a corporate director and member of the board of Oracle, and is chairman of the Corporate Credibility Advisory Practice of Fleishman-Hillard, one of the world's leading public relations firms.

Panetta earned a bachelor’s degree in political science and a law degree, both from Santa Clara University.