Broadway Veteran Marc G. Dalio Named Director of Performing Arts at Iona University
Accomplished arts leader joins rapidly growing program that now engages more than 300 students and is earning regional and national recognition
Marc G. Dalio
New Rochelle & Bronxville, N.Y. — Iona University has appointed Broadway performer, educator and arts leader Marc G. Dalio as director of performing arts, a strategic hire that will help to advance one of the University's fastest-growing areas of student engagement and experiential learning.
Bringing nearly two decades of experience in higher education, professional theatre and arts administration, Dalio will lead Iona's expanding performing arts initiatives and help position the University as a premier destination for students seeking meaningful artistic, leadership and performance opportunities.
"Marc Dalio is an accomplished leader whose experience spans performance, arts education and program development," said Joel Quintong, dean of students at Iona University. "His ability to build strong artistic communities and connect the arts with the broader student experience makes him an outstanding addition to Iona. As our performing arts programs continue to grow, Marc's leadership will help create transformative opportunities for students while strengthening Iona's reputation as a vibrant center for creativity and artistic excellence."
Over the past five years, Iona's performing arts programs have experienced remarkable growth, evolving from primarily student-run organizations into a thriving portfolio of opportunities that now engage more than 300 students annually. That momentum has generated regional and national recognition, including top rankings for the Iona Pipe Band at both the New York City and Philadelphia St. Patrick's Day parades, performances by the Iona Singers at Radio City Music Hall and Walt Disney World, appearances by the Iona Pep Band at the MAAC Tournament Band Jam and student recognition through the prestigious Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival (KCACTF).
Dalio's extensive professional experience spans Broadway, national and international touring productions and regional theatre.
As director of performing arts, Dalio will build upon that success by expanding student participation, strengthening regional performance opportunities, cultivating partnerships with high school arts educators and enhancing recruitment efforts that showcase the power of the arts as a cornerstone of the Iona experience.
For prospective students and families, Dalio's appointment signals Iona's continued investment in opportunities that foster creativity, confidence, collaboration and leadership. Working alongside directors and student performers across disciplines, he will help create pathways for students to engage in high-impact artistic experiences — regardless of major or career aspirations.
An accomplished director, conductor and performer, Dalio joins Iona from New Jersey City University, where he founded and led the university’s musical theatre program and directed more than 40 full-scale productions.
His extensive professional experience spans Broadway, national and international touring productions and regional theatre, including "Beauty and the Beast," where he performed the role of Gaston more than 2,200 times across the Broadway national tour and international productions, as well as "Les Misérables" and other major works. His work emphasizes real-world training and preparation for careers in the performing arts.
Throughout his career, Dalio has cultivated inclusive, high-performing artistic environments that empower students, engage audiences and strengthen communities through the arts. He also serves as music director and cantor at Saint Kateri Parish in Sparta, N.J., reflecting a longstanding commitment to service and community engagement.
"Iona has built an incredibly vibrant and inclusive performing arts community," Dalio said. "I am honored to join a university that values the arts as an essential part of student development and campus life. Together, we will continue to expand opportunities for students to perform, create and lead while strengthening connections with our surrounding community and positioning Iona as a national leader in supporting student-artists."
Among other productions, Dalio as performed in "Beauty and the Beast" and has played the role of Gaston over 2,200 times.
Dalio brings nearly two decades of experience in higher education, professional theatre and arts administration.
Performing Arts is one of Iona's fastest-growing areas of student engagement and experiential learning.
ABOUT IONA
Founded in 1940, Iona University is a master's-granting private, Catholic, coeducational institution of learning in the tradition of the Edmund Rice Christian Brothers. Iona's 45-acre New Rochelle campus and 28-acre Bronxville campus are just 20 miles north of Midtown Manhattan. With a total enrollment of over 4,000 students and an alumni base of 55,000 around the world, Iona is a diverse community of learners and scholars dedicated to academic excellence and the values of justice, peace and service. Iona is highly accredited, offering undergraduate degrees in liberal arts, science and business administration, as well as Master of Arts, Master of Science and Master of Business Administration degrees and numerous advanced certificate programs. Iona students enjoy small class sizes, engaged professors and a wide array of academic programs across the School of Arts & Science; LaPenta School of Business; NewYork-Presbyterian Iona School of Nursing & Health Sciences; and Hynes Institute for Entrepreneurship & Innovation. Iona also continues to be recognized in prestigious national rankings. Most recently for 2025, Iona has been named one of the nation’s best colleges by The Princeton Review, The Wall Street Journal, Forbes and others. Additionally, U.S. News & World Report recognized Iona as one of top for social mobility in the country, while Georgetown University's Center on Education and the Workforce (CEW) ranked an Iona degree in the top 6 percent nationally for long-term return on investment. Iona’s LaPenta School of Business, meanwhile, is also accredited by AACSB International, a recognition awarded to just 6 percent of business schools worldwide. In addition, The Princeton Review once again named Iona to its “Best Business Schools for 2025,” recognizing both its on-campus and online MBA programs. Connecting to its Irish heritage, Iona also opened a new campus in County Mayo, Ireland, located on the historic 400-acre Westport House Estate. A school on the rise, Iona officially changed its status from College to University on July 1, 2022, reflecting the growth of its academic programs and the prestige of an Iona education.