Associate Vice President and Dean—Student Affairs
The Culinary Institute of America
Dr. Kathy Merget is the associate vice president and dean of student affairs at The Culinary Institute of America (CIA). In this position, she is directly responsible for all student affairs at the college, including residence life, health services, counseling and psychological services, international student affairs, student activities, and athletics, recreation and wellness.
Prior to assuming her current role in 2015, Dr. Merget was dean of liberal arts and business management for 15 years. She joined the CIA in 1994 as one of 12 new faculty members designing the curriculum for the college’s then-new bachelor’s degree in management and teaching Interpersonal Communication and Psychology of Human Behavior in the program. Dr. Merget also has taught freshman- and sophomore-level Nutrition and Introduction to Management courses at the CIA. She previously taught at Marist College in Poughkeepsie, NY as an adjunct graduate instructor.
Kathy Merget earned her PhD and master’s degrees in Applied Developmental Psychology from Fordham University in Bronx, NY. She also holds a master’s degree in Counseling/Community Psychology from Marist College and a Bachelor of Science from the State University of New York at Cortland. In 2011, Dr. Merget returned to school, enrolling in Duke University’s Integrative Medicine program to become a Certified Integrative Health Coach focusing on the health and well-being of those who pursue a career in the culinary profession. She has been instrumental in introducing students, faculty, and staff at the CIA to the concept and practice of mindfulness. Additional areas of research within the food industry include emotional intelligence and non-cognitive skill sets. Kathy is a strong advocate for veterans who are returning to school.
Dr. Merget is co-author of Anorexia, Bulimia, and Compulsive Overeating (1990). Dr. Merget has 15 years’ experience in private practice as a therapist in the Hudson Valley. Dr. Merget is the former Chair of the New York State American Council on Education Women’s Network. She has served as associate state chair, regional coordinator and institutional representative for the Mid-Hudson Association of Women in Higher Education and is a founding member of the CIA’s Women in Leadership group. She was also a recipient of the 2018 Hudson Valley Magazine Women in Business award.
