For over two decades Joy Russell has led teams focused on advancing Genentech advocacy and policy goals on behalf of patients.
Currently serving as Head of US External Affairs for Genentech, Joy is focused on driving change in the healthcare ecosystem to maintain critical relationships with Genentech’s external partners and develop forward-looking policy solutions that protect innovation while improving access to our medicines.
Joy oversees all of Genentech’s federal, state and local lobbying efforts and US Government Affairs teams, Patient Advocacy Relations, Population Health, Issue Advocacy & Alliance teams and the U.S. Policy and Evidence team.
Joy directly leads all engagement efforts with external stakeholders and key opinion leaders, including national, state, and local executive agencies, patient advocates, legislatures, and trade associations. Under her leadership, these teams drive transparency, adopt a patient-centric approach to market innovation, and enhance Genentech’s reputation through an innovative strategy that not only navigates the complex healthcare landscape but actively shapes it, ensuring patient access to life-altering medicines and paving the way for groundbreaking scientific advancement.
Since joining Roche in 2002, Joy has held a number of roles in the Government Relations sphere. She was promoted to head of State and Local Government Affairs in 2011 and to Vice President in 2018. Her experience prior to Genentech and Roche – as a Senior Lobbyist and Pennsylvania consultant at a private firm as well as within government working for former Governor Tom Ridge – have afforded her critical insights into the impact of healthcare policy and access on patients, and she is dedicated to creating positive change on their behalf.
As a leader, Joy is results-driven and a well-known mentor, as evidenced by her 2021 Genentech Women Leadership Excellence Award. As an Officer, she leads the Asian Pacific Islander Association Genentech group (APAC2) as well as a founding sponsor of the gASCEND mentorship program and executive sponsor of Leadership Accelerator.
Joy is a graduate of Penn State University. She serves as a Genentech Patient Foundation Board Member, Chair of Genentech’s Political Action Committee (GenenPAC), and California Life Sciences Association Chair in the second half of 2026.