Chancellor Establishes Healthcare Advisory Group to Guide University of Pittsburgh Operations in Response to COVID-19

University of Pittsburgh Chancellor Patrick Gallagher has established the Chancellor’s Healthcare Advisory Group (HCAG) to guide University decisionmakers in their ongoing response to the COVID-19 virus.  

This group of experts, chaired by Anantha Shekhar, Pitt’s new senior vice chancellor for health sciences and the John and Gertrude Petersen Dean of the School of Medicine, is charged with recommending University-wide health standards and guidelines needed for immediate planning around returning operations to the University’s campuses as well as for monitoring and revising those requirements as the University adapts to the changing environment.

HCAG members:

• John Williams, Henry L. Hillman Endowed Chair in Pediatric Immunology; professor of pediatrics, School of Medicine; an infectious diseases expert.
• Mark Roberts, professor and chair, health policy and management, Graduate School of Public Health, a public health modeling expert.
• Anne Newman, Katherine M. Detre Endowed Chair, population health sciences; professor and chair, epidemiology; Graduate School of Public Health; a public health epidemiology expert.
• Sally Wenzel, Rachel Carson Chair of Environmental Health; professor and chair, environmental and occupational health, Graduate School of Public Health; an environmental health expert.
• Jay Frerotte, assistant vice chancellor for environmental health and safety, an emergency preparedness expert.
• Kimberly Moses, senior associate legal counsel.
• Maggie McDonald, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs and international programs, health sciences; associate professor of epidemiology, Graduate School of Public Health, HCAG coordinator.

Policy specialist Tyler Tenney will help facilitate and support the work of the HCAG.   

The HCAG is part of the University’s resilience framework, a process and structure for continuing the University’s operations and activities during the COVID-19 pandemic. This framework addresses how to maximize the University’s ability to continue its vital mission in a safe and responsible way, in recognition of the changing constraints and associated risks related to the virus’ presence.