General Information

Background

Organization	Penn State University
Professional Title	Smeal College Faculty Member
Bio and Background	Passionate about the power of education, my work focuses on using experiential and activity-based learning to provide Penn State students with knowledge and skills that will enable their dreams and aspirations. As Faculty Director of the Nittany Lion Consulting Group, I lead programs in which teams of students take on live consulting engagements and apply their classroom knowledge to real world business challenges. An Assistant Teaching Professor in the Management & Organization Department, I teach in the areas of Leadership, Management, Organizational Change, Project Management, Entrepreneurship and Consulting. Before joining Penn State, David served as Chief Operating Officer for the Friedman Real Estate Group, was Sr. Manager of Global Strategy for Global Crossing’s corporate real estate function, and had an independent consulting practice. Early in his professional career, he worked with Xerox and with McDevitt & Street Company. In addition, I have taught at both the graduate and undergraduate level in the College of Engineering at Penn State. I am a proud Penn State alumnus having earned both a Bachelor of Architectural Engineering and a Master of Business Administration from the University I currently live in State College, Pennsylvania, with my wife, Dr. Lisa Firing Lenze
Why I am a Force for Health® Member...	Happy to partner with Force For Health to make a difference in the wellness of our communities while also creating a great learning experience for my students at Penn State.
How I use the Force for Health Network Tools	through easy access to reliable health information and a like-minded community to enable my own wellness journey.
My inspiration	I am inspired by those members of family who are supporting their wellness through their good habits around what they eat and how they stay active.
Location	Penn State
What would you like people to know about your community?	This is a great place to live, work, and learn. There are lots of reasons why it is called Happy Valley.

My Citizenship Health Factors

Some of the factors that have been challenging for me have been...	Declining joint health — looking forward to getting both knees replaced in the coming year!
It's important for me to be part of my community's health because...	Physical and mental health are foundational to a happy and productive community. Certainly worth investing time and effort to make that happen.
Some of the strength of my community health factors are:	A healthy economy and job market with robust access to healthcare services.
Some of the challenges in my community regarding certain health factors are:	High levels of individual stress among students as well as Penn State employees working with those students. Stigmas around mental health problems that limit individuals seeking support they need to prevent or treat mental illness.
I believe I can help improve my community's health by...	being an advocate for people proactively engaging with their health.

Advancing the DREAM

Advancing the DREAM - What it means to me	Advocating for reform to our healthcare system to focus on staying well (rather than treating illness) and to provide greater access to healthcare at all income levels.
My Action Pledge to Advance the DREAM?	Support our local Centre Volunteers In Medicine — a local non-profit committed to providing healthcare to uninsured and underinsured members of our community.