UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — David J. Vanness, professor of health policy and administration in the College of Health and Human Development, has been appointed senior associate dean of the J. Jeffrey and Ann Marie Fox Graduate School at Penn State. He will begin his new role on May 11.
As senior associate dean, Vanness will serve as a principal academic leader within the Fox Graduate School and a senior adviser to the vice provost for graduate education and dean. The position plays a central role in advancing graduate education across the University, overseeing the development and implementation of graduate academic policies, and leading strategic initiatives to strengthen the quality, effectiveness and long-term sustainability of Penn State’s graduate programs.
“Dr. Vanness brings exceptional depth in graduate education leadership, academic policy and shared governance,” said Levon T. Esters, vice provost for graduate education and dean of the Fox Graduate School. “His experience modernizing policy, strengthening interdisciplinary programs and advancing funding sustainability will be instrumental as we continue to elevate graduate education at Penn State.”
In this role, Vanness will help shape graduate academic policy and curriculum review, direct administrative policy development and serve on key Graduate Council committees, including Academic Standards, Programs and Courses, and the Executive Committee. He also will represent the Fox Graduate School on University-wide councils and task forces and help lead high-visibility initiatives aligned with institutional priorities.
“I am honored to serve in this role and to support the Fox Graduate School’s mission,” Vanness said. “Graduate education brings a spirit of intellectual and creative vitality to the University, and it is essential to Penn State’s research enterprise and societal impact. I look forward to partnering with faculty, staff and students across Penn State’s colleges and campuses to strengthen policy, champion interdisciplinary collaboration and sustain programs that prepare graduates to push the boundaries of knowledge and lead with confidence in a changing world.”
Vanness will serve as associate dean for graduate education for the Intercollege Graduate Degree Programs (IGDPs) administered by the Fox Graduate School, providing academic oversight for programs in Bioinformatics and Genomics; Dual-Title in Demography; Ecology; Molecular and Cellular Integrative Biosciences; Integrative and Biomedical Physiology; and Plant Biology. He will work closely with program faculty and college leaders to foster interdisciplinary collaboration and promote innovative graduate education and research opportunities.
He also will serve as principal investigator for the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) for the Fox Graduate School and will oversee the Graduate Council administration team.
Vanness brings more than two decades of sustained leadership in graduate education at research-intensive institutions. At Penn State, he recently served as chair of the Graduate Council and previously chaired its Programs and Courses Committee, where he coordinated efforts to modernize graduate academic policies and streamline curricular processes. He has contributed to University-wide strategic initiatives, including the Academic Portfolio and Program Review and the Joint Committee on the University Budget, helping ensure that funding models and planning processes support the quality and sustainability of graduate education.
He also has served as co-chair of the Graduate Student Funding Financial Sustainability Working Group and as a co-chair of the Graduate Council Ad Hoc Committee to Protect and Advance Graduate Education, addressing emerging challenges in funding, academic integrity and policy alignment.
As professor-in-charge of the doctorate program in Health Policy and Administration, Vanness has led doctoral curriculum development, coordinated faculty governance, and implemented strategies to recruit and support strong and diverse cohorts of graduate students. His experience includes mentorship through interdisciplinary and externally funded training programs.
An internationally recognized scholar in health economics and outcomes research, Vanness has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed publications and has served on editorial boards, including Value in Health. His research spans health policy, cost-effectiveness analysis, decision science and the use of advanced analytic methods to inform public health and clinical decision-making. Throughout his career, he has mentored dozens of doctoral and master’s students and postdoctoral scholars.