Department Head, Health Policy and Administration

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.

The Department of Health Policy and Administration (HPA), located in the College of Health and Human Development (HHD) at The Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), University Park, invites applications for the position of Department Head.

The Department of Health Policy and Administration (HPA) in the Penn State College of Health and Human Development is a nationally recognized academic unit focused on improving health care delivery, health outcomes, public health, and health policy through excellence in teaching, research, and outreach. The department prepares future health care leaders, administrators, researchers, and policymakers through a multidisciplinary curriculum that integrates health services management, health policy, economics, public health, and health services research.

HPA offers more than 400 undergraduate and graduate students a comprehensive portfolio of academic programs, including the residential and online Bachelor of Science in Health Policy and Administration, the residential and online Master of Health Administration (M.H.A.) programs, and graduate programs leading to the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Health Policy and Administration. In Fall 2026, the department added an undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Public Health to the curriculum.

Through collaboration with health care organizations, government agencies, and community partners, HPA advances innovative solutions to some of the most pressing challenges facing health systems today, including health care access, quality, cost, population health, and workforce development.

The department is home to 13 tenured and tenure-track faculty members and 18 teaching and research faculty members who contribute to a vibrant culture of scholarship, student mentorship, and professional engagement. Faculty expertise spans health services research, health economics, health policy, population health, health care management, organizational leadership, and rural health. Academic leadership within the department includes oversight of undergraduate education, graduate education, online learning initiatives, research activities, and extensive community and professional partnerships.

The department is supported by a team of staff members and includes a robust network of adjunct faculty, preceptors, alumni, and health system partners who contribute to its educational and professional mission.

The Department Head serves as the chief academic and administrative officer for the department, providing strategic leadership for faculty, staff, students, academic programs, research initiatives, and external engagement activities across both residential and online educational environments.

The Department Head oversees an active research portfolio in the department, including NIH, state, and foundation grants. Department faculty also collaborate with the College’s three research centers and with Penn State’s multidisciplinary research institutes, including the Social Science Research Institute (SSRI), the Penn State Cancer Institute, and the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI).

The department provides administrative oversight for the Pennsylvania Office of Rural Health (PORH), whose director reports directly to the Department Head. As Pennsylvania's designated state office of rural health, PORH is recognized nationally for its leadership in advancing rural health through research, education, technical assistance, workforce development, policy initiatives, and community partnerships.…