Kavita R. Dhanwada, Ph.D., has been named founding dean of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences. Serving since 2017 as founding dean of the Borra College of Health Sciences at Dominican University in River Forest, Illinois, Dhanwada joins Iona effective July 1.
“”¦Iona College President Seamus Carey, Ph.D., said “Dean Dhanwada”™s strong reputation for collaborative innovation and proven track record of thoughtful leadership will continue to elevate the Iona experience for our students, faculty and the communities we serve.”
Established in July 2021 and supported by a $20 million gift, the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences will be primarily located on Iona”™s new 28-acre campus in Bronxville, New York.
As founding dean of the Borra College of Health Sciences, Dhanwada was responsible for the college”™s strategic vision, new program development and faculty recruitment and training.
Aligning with Iona”™s interdisciplinary approach, Dhanwada”™s experience has focused on promoting interprofessional education to build practical knowledge through experiential learning. She also collaborated with faculty to sustain, develop and grow numerous academic programs.
Previously, Dhanwada served as associate provost for academic affairs and dean of the Graduate College at the University of Northern Iowa.
In addition to being widely published for her research work, Dhanwada is a member of many professional organizations. She received a Bachelor of Science degree in microbiology from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and a Ph.D. in microbiology/immunology from Loyola University of Chicago.
Founded in 1940, Iona College is a master’s granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers.
