2025 Woman of Distinction

Dianne Lynch

Dr. Dianne Lynch is a transformational higher education leader, a former journalism dean, and an award-winning media professional with expertise in digital transformation and communications equity. She most recently spent 16 years as president of Stephens College, the second-oldest women’s college in the United States, achieving record fundraising while launching nationally recognized programs serving underserved populations, including launching Mission Promise Kept, the nation’s first comprehensive academic residential program for women veterans and their children. She also established women in STEM Research and Women in the Trades workforce initiatives, creating credentialed pathways in high-demand careers.

Lynch’s career has always been marked by forward thinking and innovative initiatives. Early on, she served as a pioneer in digital communication, providing leadership in the founding of the Online News Association and editing the first US textbook on digital media ethics. While at Saint Michael’s College, she founded the New England Center for Computer-Assisted Reporting, and at Ithica College, founded the Center for Independent Media. She has served as a member of the Kopenhaver Center Leadership Council for the past decade.