Trenton, July 22, 2026 ― The HealthCare Institute of New Jersey (HINJ – www.hinj.org) released the following statement on the election of new officers of its Board of Trustees and the leadership of its Steering Committee, effective July 1.
Charles “Chuck” Leitgeb, Deputy Director of State Government Relations, Bayer US, was elected Chair of the Board.
Mr. Leitgeb joined Bayer’s government relations team in 2014 and is responsible for all state government and legislative activity relevant to Bayer’s Pharmaceutical, Consumer Health and Crop Science businesses in the Northeast Region. He also serves as state government relations team lead for Bayer’s Radiology business.
Prior to joining Bayer, Mr. Leitgeb was Vice President of the Insurance Council of New Jersey – a Trenton-based trade organization representing the property and casualty insurance industry. He also previously served as deputy communications director, and eventually communications director, for the Assembly Republican Office in the New Jersey Legislature. Mr. Leitgeb holds a BA in English/Journalism and a minor in history from Rutgers University.
Mr. Leitgeb succeeds Leo Farber, formerly of Novartis and now Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, BD.
The HINJ Board also elected Adam Brand, Vice President, Government Affairs and Public Policy Corporate Affairs, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc., to serve as Vice Chair. The Treasurer is Christopher Guiton, Head, Home State Initiatives, Johnson & Johnson. The Board Secretary is Derek Naten, Vice President, Government Affairs & Advocacy, Keenova Therapeutics.
HINJ also has announced that Adam Taliaferro, Director, State & Community Engagement, Johnson & Johnson, has been reappointed Chair of the HINJ Steering Committee, and George Coutros, Director, State Government Relations, Sanofi US, has been reappointed Vice Chair.
A full listing of the Board is below and can also be found here.
Charles “Chuck” Leitgeb, Chair, Deputy Director of State Government Relations, Bayer US
Adam Brand, Vice Chair, Vice President, Government Affairs and Public Policy Corporate Affairs, Otsuka America Pharmaceutical, Inc.
Christopher Guiton, Treasurer, Head, Home State Initiatives, Johnson & Johnson
Derek Naten, Board Secretary, Vice President, Government Affairs & Advocacy, Keenova Therapeutics
Andrew Antrobus, Regional Lead, State Government Affairs, Novo Nordisk, Inc.
Domenick Argento, Director, Government Affairs, Merck & Co., Inc.
Adam Lotspike, Senior Director, U.S. Government Relations, BD
Joseph McGowan, Head, Federal Government Affairs, Novartis Pharmaceuticals Corporation
Melissia Whitmarsh, Director, State Government Affairs, Daiichi Sankyo, Inc.