With two decades in senior leadership roles across the life sciences industry, Fritz Bittenbender continually strives to develop forward-looking, collaborative solutions that drive access and improve the healthcare ecosystem on behalf of patients. Named Senior Vice President and Head of Genentech Public Affairs & Access in 2022, he leads the company’s Access & Policy Strategy, Channel & Contract Management, Charitable Giving, Corporate Communications, Evidence for Access, and External Affairs including Government Affairs & Policy and Patient Advocacy Relations. In addition to his role on the Genentech Executive Committee, he serves as a member of Genentech’s US Leadership Team. Fritz’s unique and extensive role includes oversight of multiple departments working in concert to build holistic strategies and solutions that tackle patient access issues head-on. Under Fritz’s leadership, these teams work to ensure a sustainable U.S. healthcare system that adequately balances price, access, and innovation; create effective distribution strategies; monitor supply-chain and channel management; advance meaningful policy solutions; and partner with external stakeholders including patient advocacy organizations. As a leader, he is driven by creating meaningful partnerships that promote positive change in the healthcare system and working to ensure that every patient can access Genentech’s medicines. Fritz’s career spans the healthcare industry and his vast experience—as a purchaser, partner, supplier, and within the highest levels of state government—have afforded him the opportunity to view the American healthcare delivery system comprehensively, as well as the recognition that all parts must work collectively to lower costs for patients and the government while preserving America's role as the global leader in scientific innovation. Prior to joining Genentech in 2016, he served as Executive Vice President at the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO), where he oversaw a fully-integrated Public Affairs Department, which included federal and state government relations, communications, alliance development, and membership services. Fritz served as Executive Director of the Council of State Bioscience Associations, and spent several years with Cephalon as Vice President of Global Public Affairs and President of the CephalonCares Foundation. Before joining Cephalon, Fritz served as President of Pennsylvania BIO (now Life Sciences Pennsylvania), the statewide trade association for the biopharmaceutical industry. Prior to his tenure at Pennsylvania BIO, Fritz was Secretary of Administration, the chief operating officer for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as well as Deputy Chief of Staff to former Pennsylvania Governor Tom Ridge. Fritz currently serves as Vice Chair of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization and as a Board Member of the US Chamber of Commerce. He is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and the Fels School of Government at the University of Pennsylvania.