Felipe Henao and Patricia Napolitano have joined New York Institute of Technology as dean of students and associate dean of students, respectively. As dean of students, Henao reports to Assistant Provost for Student Engagement and Development Tiffani L. Blake, M.S. Ed.M., and will supervise Napolitano. Together, the new additions to the administration will lead the Office of Student Life at New York Tech’s two New York campuses.

 “The Office of Student Life’s new leadership underscores the university’s commitment to the development of the whole student, ensuring they have the resources and support to succeed and helping prepare New York Tech students to positively impact and change the world,” Blake said.

Dean of Students

As a key member of the student affairs leadership team, Felipe Henao is responsible for championing New York Tech’s goal to be a student-centered institution that promotes inclusion and diversity, stimulates innovation and entrepreneurship, and promotes personal and professional student growth and development. Additionally, he will collaborate with university leaders on policies, practices, assessment, and plans for the institution and will work closely with academic partners and others to enhance the New York Tech experience for students through shared programs, services, resources and initiatives. 

Henao joins New York Tech from Dobbs Ferry, N.Y.-based Mercy College, where he spent seven years in various roles including assistant dean of student affairs since 2020 and executive director of student life and health and wellness programs for the three preceding years. Prior to joining Mercy, Henao served as associate director of student affairs and residence life and as assistant director of student life at Chatham University in Pittsburgh from 2009 to 2014.  

He earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Fairleigh Dickinson University and a master’s degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. He is currently pursuing a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Innovation at New York University. 

Associate Dean of Students

In her new role, Patricia Napolitano's responsibilities include supervising the Residence Life and Student Engagement offices and overseeing student conduct and emergency response processes by working closely with campus administrators. She will coordinate traditions, events, resources, and experiences for students such as new student orientation; the Bear Bytes initiative, which provides food and other health and wellness resources; and the Leadership Development program to enhance the overall New York Tech student experience.  

Napolitano joins New York Tech from Alfred, N.Y.-based Alfred University, where she has served as associate dean of students since 1996, responsible for supervising student activities, student diversity and inclusion, the student leadership center, new student orientation, academic support and disability services, and career services. Additionally, she has served on the NASPA (Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education) Region II Board since 2018, currently serves as the regional awards coordinator and is co-chairing the organization’s June 2022 conference.  

She also serves on the board of the Alfred Almond Central School and is treasurer for the Alfred Almond Community Chest that annually raises funds for local community agencies and non-profits. She is a founding member of The Allegany-Cattaraugus-Chautauqua Fund for Women, which invests in the lives of women in those communities in order to promote sustained self-sufficiency.

Napolitano earned a bachelor’s degree from Mount Saint Mary College and a master’s degree from Alfred University.

About New York Institute of Technology

New York Institute of Technology offers 90 undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs in more than 50 fields of study, including computer science, data, and cybersecurity; biology and biomedical studies; architecture and design; engineering; health professions and medicine; IT and digital technologies; management; communications and marketing; education and counseling; and energy and sustainability. A nonprofit, independent, private, and nonsectarian institute of higher education, New York Institute of Technology welcomes nearly 8,000 students worldwide. The university has campuses in New York City (Manhattan) and Long Island (Old Westbury), New York; Jonesboro, Arkansas; and Vancouver, British Columbia, as well as programs around the world.

New York Institute of Technology embraces its mission to provide career-oriented professional education, give all qualified students access to opportunity, and support research and scholarship that benefit the larger world. More than 107,000 alumni comprise an engaged network of doers, makers, and innovators prepared to change the world, solve 21st-century challenges, and reinvent the future.

Media Contact

New York Tech Media Relations
mediarelations@nyit.edu