Leamor Kahanov is the new president of Notre Dame de Namur University in Belmont, California. The primarily graduate institution enrolls roughly 30 undergraduates and almost 300 graduate students. Dr. Kahanov began her presidency on July 1.
“I am honored to join Notre Dame de Namur University as its twentieth president and to become part of a community with such a rich history and commitment to social justice, education, and service,” said Dr. Kahanov. “NDNU is a forward-looking, student-centered institution, which resonates deeply with my passion for creating accessible, high-impact educational opportunities. I look forward to working with the NDNU community to build an innovative and sustainable future.”
Prior to her new role, Dr. Kahanov served as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Alvernia University in Reading, Pennsylvania. She has held the same role at Stockton University in New Jersey and the State University of New York at Oneonta. Earlier in her career, she was dean of the College of Health Sciences and Education at Misericordia University in Dallas, Pennsylvania. A scholar of health and exercise science, Dr. Kahanov is the co-author of Athletic Training and Therapy: Foundations of Behavior and Practice (Human Kinetics, 2021).
Dr. Kahanov is a graduate of Indiana University, where she earned her bachelor’s degree in exercise science and athletic training. She holds a master’s degree in exercise and sports sciences from the University of Arizona and a doctorate in curriculum and instruction from the University of San Francisco.


