Dear Colleagues,
I am pleased to announce the appointment of Dr. Melissa A. Napolitano as Dean of the College of Education, effective July 25, 2026. Dr. Napolitano brings to this role an exceptional record of academic leadership, distinguished scholarship, dedicated teaching, and sustained service to the academy and the profession. In this founding dean role, she will be responsible for building a new college housings programs in the areas of education and human development and strengthening existing programs in the Department of Athletics, Health, and Physical Education, the Department of Education, and the Department of Nursing.
Dr. Napolitano is currently a Professor with tenure in the Department of Prevention and Community Health, with a secondary appointment in Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at The George Washington University. She earned her B.A. in Psychology from Yale University, her M.A. and Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from Duke University, followed by extensive postdoctoral and clinical training at Brown University. Her academic preparation reflects a strong interdisciplinary foundation spanning psychology, physical activity, public health, and behavioral medicine.
An internationally recognized scholar, Dr. Napolitano’s research focuses on social connection, physical activity, obesity prevention, multi-level health behavior change, and the use of technology to improve health outcomes. She has served as principal investigator or co-investigator on more than two decades of externally funded research, including major awards from the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, and other federal and foundation sponsors. Her funding portfolio includes large-scale randomized controlled trials, translational research initiatives, and community-engaged interventions addressing cardiovascular and metabolic health across the lifespan.
Dr. Napolitano has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications in leading journals such as JAMA, Health Psychology, Preventive Medicine, Obesity, Annals of Behavioral Medicine, and Translational Behavioral Medicine, and has contributed to influential chapters in foundational texts and to national guidelines and position stands in physical activity and obesity. Her work has been widely cited and has shaped both research and practice in her field.
Her contributions have been recognized through numerous honors and awards, including selection as a Fellow of the Society of Behavioral Medicine, finalist for the George Washington University Research Mentor Award, and recipient of multiple excellence in teaching and student-nominated awards. She has also held significant leadership roles in national professional organizations, including elected and appointed positions with the Society of Behavioral Medicine, the American College of Sports Medicine, and the International Society for Physical Activity and Health.
An accomplished educator, Dr. Napolitano has taught extensively at the undergraduate, master’s, and doctoral levels across multiple institutions. She has developed and led courses in health promotion, behavioral medicine, scientific writing, and grant development, and is widely regarded as an outstanding mentor. Over her career, she has advised dozens of graduate and doctoral students, chaired multiple dissertations, and played a central role in the development and accreditation of doctoral programs.
Dr. Napolitano brings deep and demonstrated administrative leadership experience to the deanship. Most recently, she served as Interim Department Chair at the Milken Institute School of Public Health, where she led a complex academic unit comprising 27 faculty, multiple degree programs, and a multimillion-dollar operational and research portfolio. In that role, she strengthened governance structures, guided faculty promotion and tenure processes, improved instructional planning and resource stewardship, and enhanced transparency and communication within the department.
Previously, she served for six years as Director of both the Ph.D. Program in Social and Behavioral Sciences and the DrPH Program in Health Behavior, leading program development, accreditation, and curricular revision. Her leadership experience also includes directing clinical training programs, chairing and serving on numerous faculty search, curriculum, admissions, and promotion committees, and participating in school- and university-level strategic planning initiatives.
Dr. Napolitano is known as a collaborative, student-centered, and mission-driven leader whose work reflects a deep commitment to academic excellence, inclusive leadership, and the preparation of future educators, scholars, and practitioners. I am confident that she will provide outstanding leadership for the college and will be an engaged and thoughtful partner across the university.
Please join me in welcoming Dean Melissa A. Napolitano to her new role.
Sincerely,
Timothy M. O’Donnell
Provost
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