Kathleen Anne Crowley, DrPH, MPH, PA-C

Roles and Responsibilities

Dr. Kathleen Crowley
Vice President, Environmental Health & Safety
Adjunct Assistant Professor, Mailman School of Public Health
Columbia University

As Vice President, Dr. Kathleen Crowley leads Columbia University’s comprehensive Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) program, providing strategic direction and fostering a proactive, collaborative safety culture. She oversees an integrated, team-based approach spanning all University campuses and affiliated institutions, including the Irving Medical Center, Morningside Heights, Manhattanville, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Nevis Laboratories, Barnard College, New York State Psychiatric Institute, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital – Columbia campus, and ColumbiaDoctors Faculty Practice Radiation Clinical Programs.

Under her leadership, EH&S operates as a centralized resource for a wide range of safety and compliance programs, including biosafety, chemical and radiation safety, laser and MRI safety, industrial hygiene, indoor air quality, fire and life safety, controlled substances, hearing conservation, shop safety, environmental protection, emergency spill response, and incident investigation. EH&S also oversees integrated waste management strategies for hazardous, radioactive, universal, and regulated waste, with an emphasis on reduction, reuse, and recycling. These efforts have positioned Columbia as a model of excellence in environmental health and safety within higher education and healthcare.

Biography

Prior to joining Columbia University, Dr. Crowley held multiple leadership roles at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, including Director of Occupational Health Services, Administrator for House Staff, and Physician Assistant. She holds both Master of Public Health (MPH) and Doctor of Public Health (DrPH) degrees from Columbia’s Mailman School of Public Health, where she received the I. Bernard Weinstein Academic Excellence Award in Environmental Health Sciences. A board-certified physician assistant, she completed her undergraduate and clinical training at Stony Brook Health Sciences Center.

Her professional interests include occupational medicine, workplace safety and injury prevention, environmental stewardship, emergency management, and leadership in academic and healthcare settings.

Dr. Crowley is a dedicated Columbia alumna and University citizen. She is a past president of the Mailman School Alumni Board, founding editor of e-Mailman, and has served on key committees including Governance and DrPH Strategic Planning. She currently sits on the Columbia Alumni Association (CAA) Board, serves as Scholarship Ambassador for Mailman, and chairs the CAA Program Events Committee. She also represents Mailman on the CAA Women’s Leadership Advisory Group and was the inaugural co-chair of the She Opened the Door initiative, including Columbia’s first women’s conference of the same name. She regularly speaks on panels for Women Leading Change and is deeply engaged in student mentorship, alumni relations, and public health scholarship fundraising. She has served as a presenter for MSPH NYC Admitted Students Day, Closing Commencement speaker, and moderator at the Alumni Summit.

Dr. Crowley’s contributions have been recognized with Columbia’s highest alumni honor, the Alumni Medal, along with the Department of Public Safety’s Exceptional Service Award and the Allan Rosenfield Distinguished Alumni Award for her leadership, mentorship, and unwavering commitment to the Mailman School. Externally, she has served as president of the American Association of Physician Assistants in Occupational Medicine, and on the boards of the Hospital Employee Health Directors of Greater New York and the Mount Sinai Irving J. Selikoff Occupational Health Clinical Center.

Outside of her professional life, Dr. Crowley enjoys time with family and friends and is an avid skier, hiker, and long-course triathlete.