In a Penn State Board of Trustees race where everyone has an opinion on everything — Commonwealth Campuses, budgets, university governance, and more — Joe DeRenzo doesn’t want to be judged on his opinions. He wants to be judged on his skill sets.

DeRenzo is a two-time graduate of Penn State, receiving his bachelor’s degree in 1998 and his MD degree in 2001. He works as the chief anesthesiologist at the UPMC Magee-Womens Hospital and as an associate professor at Pitt. His professional expertise, DeRenzo says, is more important than any one opinion he has.

“When you look at opinions in isolation, they’re really of limited value. They really need to be integrated into a diverse committee with well-rounded skill sets,” DeRenzo said. “That’s how you really affect meaningful change.”

DeRenzo cites analysis done by the board to see which industries it should pull its trustees from and where the board is underrepresented. According to the most recent skills report, the board should have six more members from healthcare backgrounds and four more from higher education backgrounds. DeRenzo fits both.

“We have a critical gap in both academia and healthcare, and being immersed in both together on a daily basis, working on these collaborative committees, I can contribute, certainly, to both,” DeRenzo said. “There are multiple complexities to this, and in modern healthcare, we need strategic decisions and research funding.”

His experience in healthcare and academia is at the crux of DeRenzo’s campaign. He won’t make promises about a grand plan to save the Commonwealth Campuses or save Penn State’s budget crisis. He will just bring his experience to the table, hope other trustees can bring their experiences to the table, and together, they can find the right solution.

However, with his experience, DeRenzo does have one major policy proposal regarding Penn State’s healthcare education. The university, DeRenzo says, needs more unique programs that can will establish Penn State as a leader in healthcare education instead of competing with universities across the country that are teaching the same material.

“I really want to focus on unique programs that can attract individuals who are interested in healthcare, from medicine to nursing to health policy and biobehavioral health, trying to develop unique programs and making sure that the board, the board recognizes the value of those. And the funding needed to make those happen is of critical importance,” DeRenzo said.

“Given the fact that I’m immersed in teaching medical students, residents, students, nurses, anesthetists, and paramedic students every day, not only in my specialty, but I see trainees and other specials as well, I really have a good understanding of what resonates with them and what their goals are… It’s really important that we align our goals with their goals to really have shared decision-making and build a sustainable product that can resonate with those up-and-coming students of Pennsylvania.”

As a medical professional and professor working for Pitt, DeRenzo doesn’t see a potential role serving on Penn State’s Board of Trustees as a conflict of interest. Rather, he sees it as a way to improve two universities he cares about, taking the skills he learned at one to help build the other.

As both universities play a role in improving life in Pennsylvania, DeRenzo wants to be a part of a positive change orchestrated by the two.

“I think the University of Pittsburgh has a vital role in improving academia and healthcare and all that, and Penn State does of its own,” DeRenzo said. “And I never think of it as one competing with the other, but really, what I can do with my expertise in a genuine, transparent way to improve both institutions. Because I think as healthcare representation improves, healthcare representation improves everywhere we help each other and foster that collaboration.”

---

Editor’s note: DeRenzo’s interview is one of a multi-part series aiming to feature alumni running for open seats on the Board of Trustees. Onward State does not, and will not, endorse any candidate(s) in this election. Check out our site to read more about the remaining candidates vying for spots on the board throughout this year’s election cycle.