As vice provost for student affairs, Carla Panzella provides leadership for innovative co-curricular developmental programs, activities and services that promote student well-being, sense of belonging, engagement and diverse learning experiences at the University of Pittsburgh. She is responsible for the strategic direction and management of the Division of Student Affairs, which comprises over 200 professional staff members in 23 offices. Panzella also serves on the chancellor’s senior leadership team and provides leadership for the student affairs offices at Pitt’s regional campuses.
She joined Pitt in fall 2022 as dean of students and was promoted to associate vice provost and dean of students in 2023. In those roles, Panzella was integral in implementing a division-wide reorganization for Student Affairs to create departments, programs and services meeting the needs of a new generation of students and in collaborating with the Office of the Provost on data-driven academic initiatives. Student-centered work is at the forefront of her portfolio.
Panzella brings over 20 years of student affairs experience to her current role. Prior to joining Pitt, she was the senior student affairs officer serving as the associate vice president for student life and dean of students at Salem State University in Salem, Massachusetts. Panzella holds a Ph.D. in higher education from Seton Hall University, where she completed her dissertation research on postsecondary pathways to higher education for historically marginalized students; a master’s degree in organizational psychology and leadership from the Teachers College of Columbia University; and a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Saint Peter’s University. She also taught psychology courses at previous institutions and is teaching a graduate seminar in Pitt’s School of Education.