Executive Director, West Virginia State Medical Association
By Samantha Cart
Danny Scalise’s background in business administration, economics and health policy and his experience in finance and public administration set the stage for him to become one of West Virginia’s leading advocates for public health and health care access. As the executive director of the West Virginia State Medical Association—the largest physician, patient and public health advocacy organization in the state—he helps develop policies and draft legislation that truly make a difference in the lives of West Virginians.
“Being in health policy, I get to use the skills from my professional life to help people right here in West Virginia,” says Scalise. “The idea that one person may live a little longer or get the care they need because of something I worked on is a powerful motivator.”
Even though he has degrees in public health, business administration and management and is certified in public health by the National Board of Public Health Examiners, Scalise still believes his career was built on trial and error.
“In college, I assumed I would work in a large corporate setting like a bank,” he says. “Becoming a health policy expert was almost an accident and a product of being in the right place at the right time. I’d say it was divine intervention.”
Growing up in East Bank, WV, Scalise looked to his family’s Italian roots for career inspiration.
“I wanted to run a restaurant like my family and honestly still think that is one of the greatest jobs,” he says. “My grandfather, Frank, knew everyone in the community because he fed them all.”
The environment in which Scalise was born and raised and now works planted in him an inherent desire to care for and serve others, and it has influenced every area of his life. “Many of my values come from the communities of which I am a part as well as my Catholic faith,” he says. “We believe God has called us to participate in the community. That doesn’t mean just going to church on Sunday—it means being part of the whole.”
Whether he is managing his lobbying team, representing the interests of physicians and patients in the Mountain State or planning a community fundraiser, these instilled community values are evident. Scalise serves on the board of trustees for Thomas Health System, the public health advisory commission for the West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources and the pastoral council for Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church. He is the secretary for Saint Francis Hospital, a policy committee member for the West Virginia Rural Health Association, a member of the essay review committee for the Mensa Foundation Scholarship and a model for the American Cancer Society’s Real Men Wear Pink fundraiser. Scalise has also served as the first professional development chair for the Young Professionals Organization, now known as Generation Charleston, and on the board of governors for West Virginia Institute of Technology.
Deeply rooted in his community, he is quick to point out that every element of his success is thanks in part to his network of family, friends and colleagues.
“I’m not typically a warm and fuzzy person,” he says. “I take pride in my ability to handle adversity, and I learn more from failure than from success. But the most important thing I can attribute my success to is the people I’m surrounded with. Vanderbilt, Rockefeller, Carnegie, Jobs, Musk and Ford all had people that helped them before they became titans. They were brilliant, but they knew they couldn’t do it by themselves.”
At the end of the day, Scalise can’t imagine living or working anywhere else. Despite various opportunities to leave the Mountain State, he remains dedicated to the people of West Virginia.
“My father’s family came here from Italy in the early 20th century,” he says. “They came here for opportunity and left everything they’d known to make certain their ancestors would be able to do so much. I’m proud to call this my home.”
