UTICA, NY – SUNY Polytechnic Institute (SUNY Poly) is pleased to announce that Dr. Mark J.  Kittleson has been chosen as the university’s Dean of the College of Health Sciences. He will begin his post as a member of the President’s Cabinet on July 18.

“Dr. Kittleson is a proven educator with a track record in managing and growing programs, as well as leading successful reaccreditation efforts,” said SUNY Poly President Dr. Winston Soboyejo. “We welcome him to SUNY Poly and know he will continue the positive momentum in our College of Health Sciences that recently saw historic investments made by Governor Kathy Hochul, which will update nursing labs, bring in state-of-the-art equipment and establish the Center for Healthcare Innovation – a collaborative center to address the increasing mental health, physical health, and environmental health needs.”

“SUNY Poly is excited to have Dr. Kittleson join our faculty and leadership team, as we know he will be a valuable asset as we continue to grow new programs within the College of Health Sciences, and take our place as the state and nation’s premier public polytechnic,” said SUNY Poly Provost Dr. Andrew Russell. “We also want to acknowledge and thank Dr. Joanne Joseph for her critical leadership as interim dean of the College of Health Sciences, and for being a thought leader and advancing several key initiatives during a pivotal time in our university’s history.” 

“I’m very humbled that the search committee, administration and faculty at SUNY Poly have asked me to assume this role,” said Kittleson. “SUNY Poly is a globally-recognized leader in higher education and technology innovation, research and development, and I am thrilled to be part of this exciting university. Moreover, I look forward to leading and contributing to the continued growth of the College of Health Sciences, which already boasts several impressive accredited programs, and adds to a workforce whose services are needed now more than ever. I’m also fortunate to be able to work with both exceptionally talented administrators and faculty at SUNY Poly that are the best of the best.”  

Kittleson recently chaired the Department of Public Health at New York Medical College (NYMC) where he was able to secure a full seven-year reaccreditation from the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH) for their MPH and DrPH degrees. Prior to NYMC, Dr. Kittleson served as Dean of the School of Health & Human Performance at SUNY Brockport. He oversaw a School with some of the largest majors at the College– Nursing; Kinesiology, Sport Studies, and Physical Education; Public Health & Health Education; Healthcare Studies; and Recreation & Leisure Studies. Preceding his arrival at Brockport, Dr. Kittleson served as the Department Head for Public Health at New Mexico State University (January 2011 - July 2015), where he oversaw both an accredited Bachelor's and Master's of Public Health (offered online and traditional face-to-face format).  

Dr. Kittleson is most noted for his research and service in the use of technology within the profession of health education/health promotion and public health. He created the HEDIR (a large health education listserv) that has been used by the profession for over 30 years (with a membership of nearly 2,000); he created the first completely online peer-reviewed health education journal in 1997 (The International Electronic Journal of Health Education), which he sold to the American Association in Health Education in 2001. He has also been one of the country’s foremost leaders in developing and delivering online programs. Besides technology, Dr. Kittleson is interested in developing strong mental health skills, especially in children and adolescents.