Colleges and Universities Appoint Four Women to Dean Positions

Gladys M. Ayala is the new dean and chief academic officer at the New York University Long Island School of Medicine. She had been serving as vice dean and professor of medicine at the medical school. Earlier in her career, Dr. Ayala was the vice chancellor for university student affairs and interim vice dean at New York Medical College’s School of Medicine in Valhalla, New York.

A native New Yorker, Dr. Ayala is a graduate of Long Island University, where she majored in biology. She holds a master of public health degree from Columbia University and a medical doctorate from the Mount Sinai School of Medicine.

Patricia Bruckenthal has been named the new dean of the School of Nursing at Stony Brook University in New York. After working as a registered nurse, Dr. Bruckenthal became a clinical instructor in the department of neurology in the School of Medicine at the university in 1989 and later joined the School of Nursing as a clinical assistant professor in 1993. She became chair of the department of graduate studies in advanced practice nursing in 2010, and in 2016 was promoted to associate dean for research and innovation and a full professor at the School of Nursing.

Dr. Bruckenthal holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in nursing from Stony Brook University. She earned a Ph.D. in nursing at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

Danelle Stevens-Watkins was named acting dean of the College of Education at the University of Kentucky. She is the first woman of color to serve in this role for the College of Education. Dr. Stevens-Watkins is a professor in the department of educational, school, and counseling psychology, as well as the university’s associate vice president for research, diversity, and inclusion.

Dr. Stevens-Watkins is a graduate of the University of Louisville, where she majored in psychology. She holds a master’s degree in clinical psychology from Spalding University in Louisville and a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Kentucky.

Khrystyna Sanborn was promoted to dean of adult education at Heartland Community College in Normal, Illinois. She had been serving as associate dean and then interim dean. Sanborn has been on the staff at the college since 2008.

Sanborn holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Kyiv National University in Ukraine.