NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences Founding Dean Named to City & State’s ‘Trailblazers’ List

June 4, 2025: Dr. Kavita Dhanwada, founding dean of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, has been named to City & State’s “Trailblazers in Higher Education,” a distinguished list recognizing high-performing leaders from across New York State.
“Higher education isn’t just about earning a degree or getting a credential – it’s about changing lives,” write the publication’s editors. “City & State’s annual Trailblazers in Higher Education features many notable leaders at colleges and universities in New York who are giving students a leg up and getting them to broaden their horizons.”
Appointed as founding dean in July 2022, Dhanwada brings over 30 years of academic and leadership experience to Iona, including previous roles at the University of Northern Iowa and Dominican University, where she was the founding dean of the Borra College of Health Sciences.
With a bachelor’s degree in microbiology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and a Ph.D. from Loyola University Chicago, Dhanwada is recognized for advancing health care education through interprofessional collaboration, community engagement and evidence-based teaching. At Iona, she is committed to creating a student-centered environment that prepares ethical and compassionate health care professionals.
Since becoming founding dean of the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences, Dhanwada has led strategic expansion across academic programs and partnerships, growing student enrollment in the process.
The school now offers 12 undergraduate and graduate degrees in high-demand fields, notably launching two Master of Science programs in Nursing and a Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness under her leadership. She also partnered with Iona’s Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation and the LaPenta School of Business to develop a new Master of Science in Healthcare Leadership and Innovation.
“Thank you to City & State for this recognition,” Dhanwada said. “It is an honor to be included in such a distinguished list, and an even greater privilege to dedicate my work to transforming lives through health science education. As the need for high-quality health care continues to rise in New York, our mission at Iona becomes even greater.”
Learn more about the NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Health Sciences.









