Kelsie D. Kelly Smith

Kelsie D. Kelly Smith, PhD, MPH is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Public Health Sciences at the University of Virginia's School of Medicine. She serves as Global Public Health Studies Advisor and Associate Dean for First-Year and Transfer Students in the Office of African American Affairs. Her work focuses on health disparities among minority populations in urban and rural communities, emphasizing qualitative research and community-based participatory approaches.

• Education:
  • B.S. Psychology, Virginia State University
  • MPH, University of Virginia
  • Ph.D. in Community Health, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Dr. Kelly's research examines racism, stress, and trauma in public housing residents, sexual health education for adolescents, and culturally respectful interventions in global health contexts. She directs the Pathways Scholars Program recruiting HBCU students and leads the Westhaven community after-school health education initiative.

Her publications span maternal health disparities, transnational immigrant stress, CBPR methodologies, and diabetes epidemiology in Caribbean populations. Awards include the Agriculture Safety and Health Traineeship and NIHLBI COMRADE Fellowship.

• Teaching: PHS 5015/7015, PHS 5815/7815, PHS 7610, and PHS 7060
• Grants: Active projects include NIH-funded health equity initiatives and community partnerships

She leads the Peer Advisors Program and collaborates with HBCUs to advance underrepresented student pipelines into public health.