Imam Dr. Jawad Bayat '15 to Co-Chair Alumni Council, Join Board of Trustees

We are pleased to welcome alum Imam Dr. Jawad A. Bayat ‘15 as the newest member of the Board of Trustees. He will serve as Co-Leader of the Alumni Council along with Rev. Dr. Sheila Harvey '07.

Dr. Bayat brings a wealth of academic and professional experience to the board, with a strong background in chaplaincy, education, and leadership. He holds a Doctor of Ministry degree from the Ecumenical Theological Seminary in Detroit, where his dissertation focused on advancing Clinical Pastoral Education (CPE) theory through the lens of Hajj. Additionally, he earned a Master of Arts in Religious Studies with a concentration in Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations from Hartford International University, along with a Graduate Certificate in Islamic Chaplaincy. His academic foundation also includes a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Elementary Education from William Paterson University, where he graduated summa cum laude.

Professionally, Dr. Bayat has extensive experience in chaplaincy education and spiritual care. He currently serves as the Manager of Clinical Pastoral Education at Trinity Health Mid-Atlantic, overseeing CPE programs across the greater Philadelphia region. His previous roles include Associate Director for Clinical Pastoral Education at Penn Medicine Princeton Health and Certified Educator at Cleveland Clinic, where he was instrumental in supervising chaplain interns and residents. Dr. Bayat’s leadership in chaplaincy extends to his work as an ACPE Certified Educator and National Faculty member, as well as his involvement in global interfaith dialogue and chaplaincy education initiatives.

Dr. Bayat’s expertise in chaplaincy, leadership in spiritual care education, and commitment to interfaith engagement make him an invaluable addition to the HIU Board of Trustees. We look forward to the insights and contributions he will bring to the university’s mission and growth.

Welcome, Jawad!