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Tina Sadarangani, Ph.D., RN, ANP-C, GNP-BC and assistant professor, has demonstrated a commitment to improving the health of marginalized, older adults. And she wears many hats to prove it: tenure-track assistant professor at New York University, nurse practitioner, thought leader, researcher and published scholar.

Her career is a unique blend of anthropological research and nursing science. Having majored in anthropology at Georgetown University, Sadarangani discovered her interest in understanding how social, political and cultural factors may contribute to the health of certain vulnerable populations. After graduating, she then decided to pursue her passion for senior living and care and became a gerontological nurse practitioner. 

Tina Sadarangani headshot
Tina Sadarangani, ANP-C, GNP-BC, Ph.D., RN

Sadarangani then pursued her Ph.D. at New York University and completed a doctoral thesis funded with a $100,000 award from the National Hartford Centers of Gerontological Nursing Excellence. She graduated from NYU as valedictorian and was awarded a prestigious Provostial Post-Doctoral Fellowship for Academic Diversity. 

Upon completing her advanced degree, she began post-doctoral research that has been especially important in improving the standards of care for older, vulnerable adult populations. Her partnership with the California Association for Adult Day Services involved  research to evaluate its community-based health home model, which received $1 million in funding from the National Institute on Aging. The research explored how adult day centers could be better integrated into the healthcare system to reduce avoidable emergency department usage and hospitalizations via mobile care.

Sadarangani’s work with the CAADS is ongoing as she strives to highlight the value of academic and community partnerships surrounding the topic of improved adult care for marginalized communities. She also is the lead author on a manuscript, currently in press, entitled “Identifying Research Priorities in Adult Day Centers to Support Evidence-Based Care of Vulnerable Older Adults.”

Sadarangani has given multiple presentations in various venues — from national meetings such as the Gerontological Society of America Annual Meeting to individual adult day providers, explaining her research and communicating the care needs of older adults.  

In addition to her professional accomplishments, the mother of three children also is the president of the board of directors of a local nonprofit that serves families in her community facing serious illness or the sudden death of a parent or child.

The McKnight’s Women of Distinction program is jointly administered by McKnight’s Long-Term Care News and McKnight’s Senior Living. The program’s Diamond sponsor is PointClickCare, and the Roundtable Sponsor is Paycor.