Lisa L. Dutton, PT, PhD

Dr. Lisa L. Dutton is Dean of the College of Health Professions at Rosalind Franklin University (RFU). Dr. Dutton joined RFU in 2022 from St. Catherine University where she served as Dean of Health Sciences with the Henrietta Schmoll School of Health and was responsible for more than 17 health science degree programs, 1500 students and 100 full-time faculty and staff. Dr. Dutton’s tenure at St. Catherine’s also included service in a variety of other leadership roles including Director of the Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, Department Chair, and Associate Dean. Prior to joining St. Catherine’s, Dutton served as the founding director for the physical therapy programs and later as founding dean of the College of Health Professions at The University of Findlay.

Dr. Dutton is a physical therapist whose areas of teaching content expertise involve rehabilitation, neurologic physical therapy and motor learning. Her record of scholarship includes published book chapters, peer-reviewed manuscripts and refereed presentations. In 2018, Dutton received the Stanford Award from the Journal of Physical Therapy Education, which recognizes authors of a paper containing the most influential educational ideas. The article, co-authored with Debra Sellheim, PhD, explored how students experience and cope with the differences between their didactic curriculum and clinical practice. She was also the principal investigator for an $18 million grant from the GHR Foundation where she led curricular, research and faculty development initiatives designed to improve societal health and well-being through the preparation of high-quality practitioners with a focus on collaborative practice, cultural fluency and ecological approaches to health.

In the area of service, Dr. Dutton has been active in elected positions with the Minnesota and Ohio Physical Therapy Associations, Minnesota Catholic Health Association Board, Minnesota Department of Health, the Academy of Physical Therapy Education Board, and Association of Schools Advancing Health Professions. She also serves as a manuscript reviewer for several journals and is an editorial board member for the Journal of Physical Therapy Education.

Dr. Dutton earned her bachelor’s degree in physical therapy at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. She received her master’s in neurologic physical therapy from Rosalind Franklin University, and a doctorate in higher education administration from Bowling Green State University.