From Peds to Policy: Dr. Debra Bogen’s Journey to Transform Public Health

“I love that children develop over time, and they grow from these tiny six- and seven-pound babies to adults. That transformation process has always held my fascination,” Dr. Bogen said, adding, “I also enjoy witnessing the journey of parenting. Watching uncertain parents who start with this new baby and over time develop into confident parents. I have never regretted my career choice. I love being a pediatrician. It’s truly an honor and a privilege.”

She dedicated her career to pediatrics, caring for children and families impacted by social inequities, with her clinical research focused on the impact of mental health and substance use on families. As a member of the Pittsburgh region’s medical and research community for more than two decades, she held a primary academic appointment as Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Pittsburgh, and secondary appointments in psychiatry and clinical and translational science. Dr. Bogen also served as the Vice Chair of Education for the Department of Pediatrics at UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh.

“When I joined the faculty at the University of Pittsburgh and at Children's Hospital, I was hired to serve as a liaison from the primary care clinic to the Magee newborn nursery,” said Dr. Bogen. “This role was lifechanging. I let my clinical experiences guide and drive my work, and I have followed that pattern throughout the rest of my career.”

She remembers the role being that of a multifaceted provider, coaching new parents and guiding them into their new roles, teaching medical students and residents about newborn care, all while nursing her second child.

“I started that job, and I was sad that many of the women I was caring for in the newborn nursery weren't even thinking about nursing their babies. They had not received a lot of education about the benefits of nursing, and if they did, there was limited support to be successful at breastfeeding at that time,” Dr. Bogen said.

She confronted this blind spot in maternity care head-on, spearheading an educational effort about breastfeeding, by informing families about the benefits of breastfeeding, and most importantly, filling in the educational gaps about breastfeeding in up-and-coming doctors and clinicians. For example, she introduced breastfeeding electives for medical students and pediatric residents and was instrumental in bringing lactation consultants to the primary care clinic.

“I started on this journey around nursing and working to understand what was happening to families in the immediate postpartum period; and I observed significant struggles with maternal postpartum depression and anxiety,” Bogen said. “And, when St. Francis Hospital closed, many of the women with substance use disorder who had been cared for at their program transferred their care to Magee. Caring for them, combined with my interest in how mental health impacts parents and children, grew into a whole research agenda.”

Related to her work on maternal and child health, she also helped found the Mid-Atlantic Mothers' Milk Bank. She served as the organization's Volunteer Medical Director until assuming her role at the state.

Her research fueled her involvement in health policy. Serving on local boards and committees, like Healthy Start and the Allegheny County Health Department, and on national committees with pediatric-focused organizations, she began to realize policy’s potential to take the power of science and impact populations, at-scale. Dr. Bogen describes her move to public health as her career swerve.

Dr. Bogen was sworn in as the Director of the Allegheny County Health Department on March 4, 2020. While her official start date was May 4, the County Executive called her one week after being sworn in for a briefing about the COVID-19 pandemic.

“Just to be clear, when I applied for the job, I didn’t know there was going to be a pandemic. I had come to the Allegheny County Health Department excited to work on family health, the WIC program, and building preventative strategies to improve chronic disease, which is a huge issue in the United States and in Allegheny County,” Dr. Bogen said. “That was the plan, and then COVID hit.”

Despite the unprecedented challenges, Dr. Bogen, an avid cyclist, could still be found riding her bike to work to lead Allegheny County’s pandemic response with resilience, collaboration, and consistent, measured and common-sense public messaging. She lauds the work between the county executive, county government offices, healthcare system, and community-based organizations.

“We really worked together to respond. The connections and collaborations that endure to this day are one of the positive outcomes of the pandemic,” Dr. Bogen said adding, “The pace of information that came out in the pandemic was challenging to respond to, but we were able to show our resilience and flexibility.”

Under her leadership, the county mobilized resources to support testing, vaccination campaigns, and efforts to mitigate the spread of the virus, all while fostering partnerships across community organizations and healthcare systems. Her work during this time strengthened the region's public health infrastructure, and many of the connections she helped build continue to benefit the county today.

During the pandemic, this collaboration expanded to include vital projects, such as securing a major CDC grant to support community health workers in Allegheny County—an effort that bolstered healthcare access for underserved populations. She lauded the sizable role JHF played in applying for and receiving this grant from the CDC, while also acknowledging the organization’s continued role in recognizing and supporting community health workers locally and beyond.

A strong advocate for maternal and child health, Dr. Bogen’s partnership with JHF predates her work in public service. Her involvement with the Pennsylvania Perinatal Quality Collaborative, led by the Foundation, reflects her deep commitment to improving outcomes for mothers and infants.

Now in her current role as Pennsylvania’s Secretary of Health, Dr. Bogen continues to advocate for health equity, especially in areas such as maternal health, rural healthcare access, and emergency medical services. She is passionate about the power of public health to affect change at the population level.

“I miss seeing children every day,” she reflects, “but I feel fortunate to have the opportunity to improve the lives of children and families on a broader scale.”

JHF is grateful for Dr. Bogen’s partnership and unwavering dedication to public health. Through her leadership, passion for service, and ongoing collaboration with community organizations, Dr. Bogen continues to influence positive health outcomes for families, ensuring that communities thrive through prevention, education, and access to care.

Bogen was appointed to her post by Governor Shapiro following more than three decades as a primary care pediatrician and nearly three years as Director of the Allegheny County Health Department. Bogen said her priorities in her current role have included hearing direct feedback from health professionals, stakeholders, and legislators to identify public health priorities and challenges. Some key focus areas include implementing the State Health Improvement Plan with health equity at its core, long-term care, maternal and rural health, and EMS.

Early in her tenure, the Pennsylvania Department of Health participated in the response to the Norfolk Southern train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio. Having embraced the benefits of local response and collaborative response, the Department worked hand-in-hand with the other responding agencies, with the federally qualified health center in the area, and a host of community-based organizations.

Since becoming the Secretary of Health, she helped formally create the Long-Term Care Transformation Office, the Division of Maternal Health Services, and took action to limit illicit access to the sedative xylazine.

“There are people who make jokes about government service, but it is really an incredible opportunity. The folks who work in government are dedicated, hardworking people, and I feel very honored to work with them,” Dr. Bogen said. “I have this job for a limited time, but the ‘boots on the ground’ work of the Department is done by the people who devote their whole lives to government service. I don’t think we recognize them or thank them often enough for helping create a health Pennsylvania for all.”