Nisha Sajnani

Nisha Sajnani is an Associate Professor and Director of the Drama Therapy Program at the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development (New York University). She also serves as Co-Director of the Jameel Arts & Health Lab, collaborating with the World Health Organization (WHO) on global health initiatives. Additionally, she holds faculty positions at NYU Abu Dhabi and the Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma. Her primary affiliations include NYU’s Aging Incubator and the World Alliance of Drama Therapy, alongside roles with KenVak and the Interdisciplinary Research-Based Theatre collective at the University of British Columbia.

Dr. Sajnani earned her Ph.D. in Interdisciplinary Studies from Concordia University, Montreal, combining Drama Therapy and Community Economic Development. She further pursued the Climate Change and Health program at Yale School of Public Health. Her teaching includes courses like Can Art Save Lives? and Improvisation and Leadership, and she advises Ph.D. students in Rehabilitation Sciences and Educational Theatre.

Her research focuses on the transformative potential of drama therapy in mental health and social justice contexts, emphasizing intercultural practice, climate change resilience, and equity in healthcare. She led the Lancet global series on arts benefits with WHO and pioneered Healing Arts New York. Key achievements include producing award-winning documentaries like Behind Blue Sky and co-editing influential works such as Trauma-Informed Drama Therapy.

Scientific awards include the Gertrud Schattner Award (highest honor from NADTA) and APA’s Corann Okorodudu Global Women’s Advocacy Award. Her grants and advising span interdisciplinary collaborations, while her curation efforts include exhibits like Assemblage on arts and displacement. She actively bridges arts and health policy through global partnerships with organizations like WHO Europe and University College London.