IAOTP names Dana Kamal Global Leader of the Year in Healthcare Engineering & Life Safety

The International Association of Top Professionals will honor Eng. Dana Kamal at its annual awards gala in New York City this December. The award recognizes her work leading NFPA’s international development in MENA and her impact on healthcare engineering, fire safety and public safety across the region.

Why it matters: - IAOTP’s recognition spotlights a healthcare engineering leader whose work has shaped fire and life safety standards across the Middle East and North Africa. - The award also underscores the growing link between healthcare infrastructure, emergency preparedness and public safety in the region.

What happened: - The International Association of Top Professionals selected Eng. Dana Kamal as Global Leader of the Year in Healthcare Engineering & Life Safety for 2026. - IAOTP will honor Kamal at its annual awards gala at the Plaza Hotel in New York City this December. - IAOTP President Stephanie Cirami said the panel found Kamal’s selection an easy decision because of her leadership, vision and dedication.

The details: - Kamal has led the International Development of NFPA in MENA. - Her work centers on advancing international fire protection, building and life safety codes and standards across the Middle East and North Africa. - Kamal works with government authorities, regulatory agencies, healthcare organizations and industry leaders on policy, training and education. - IAOTP said honorees are chosen for professional accomplishments, academic achievements, leadership, longevity in the field, affiliations and industry and community contributions. - The award-gala information is available at More information. - Kamal played a key role in establishing NFPA’s first international regional office in MENA. - That expansion helped build partnerships with government and private-sector leaders and support a culture of safety and emergency preparedness. - Her regional work has focused on stakeholder engagement, resilience, regulatory compliance and operational excellence. - Kamal has also driven business development efforts that supported regional growth and collaboration between government agencies, healthcare institutions and industry stakeholders. - Before NFPA, she spent more than a decade at Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi as Senior Manager of Facilities Systems & Programs Support. - At Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, she supported the hospital from construction and commissioning through full operational readiness. - She developed and implemented hospital-wide programs for Fire-Life Safety, Emergency Preparedness, Business Continuity, Hospital Occupancy, Wayfinding, Asset Management, Facilities Training and Utility Systems Management. - Kamal also worked with government authorities to uphold international healthcare and safety standards. - She was part of the operations team that helped achieve Joint Commission International hospital accreditation. - Earlier roles included leadership positions at Emaar Healthcare, Dubai Healthcare City and Gulf Medical Equipment Company. - Those roles covered clinical engineering operations, biomedical engineering projects, healthcare facility development, commissioning and the WAREED hospital information system rollout. - The WAREED project connected more than 13 government hospitals and over 80 ambulatory care centers in the UAE. - Kamal holds a bachelor’s degree in biomedical engineering from Ajman University and a master’s degree in healthcare management from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland. - She also completed Cornell University’s Healthcare Facilities Planning and Design Program, earned a Certified Executive Director Diploma and received certifications in NFPA 101 Life Safety Code, Healthcare Safety, Emergency Management and Fire Safety through IBFCSM. - Kamal is a member of the American Society for Health Care Engineering and the American Hospital Association. - Her awards include a Women Trailblazer in Security and Fire Safety nomination and a Highly Commended Award at the Intersec Dubai Awards 2024. - In 2025, she was nominated for White Pages International’s Global 200 Women Power Leaders and for Prime Awards’ Distinguished Leader in Fire and Life Safety Innovation. - Kamal will also be considered for inclusion in TIP Magazine this year. - Her LinkedIn profile is available here.

Between the lines: - IAOTP’s honor reflects recognition of professionals who combine technical expertise with cross-border influence and industry-building work. - Kamal’s career path shows a shift from hospital operations to regional standards-setting and policy support, which likely helped expand her impact beyond one institution. - The repeated emphasis on partnerships and education suggests the award is as much about systems change as individual achievement.

What's next: - Kamal will be honored in December at IAOTP’s gala in New York City. - She says she will continue advancing healthcare engineering, international fire and life safety standards and strategic partnerships that strengthen healthcare systems and protect communities worldwide. - More information on IAOTP is available at IAOTP.