Tracy Klein

Dr. Tracy Klein is an Associate Professor at the Washington State University (WSU) College of Nursing-Vancouver and currently serves as Assistant Director of the WSU Center for Cannabis Policy, Research and Outreach. She holds a dual role in clinical practice and policy analysis, with over 20 years of experience as a Family Nurse Practitioner. Klein is also pursuing a master’s degree in pharmacy at the University of Maryland, focusing on medical cannabis therapeutics.

• Affiliations: WSU College of Nursing-Vancouver, WSU Center for Cannabis Policy, Research and Outreach
• Interests: Cannabis policy, advanced practice nursing, medication management, opioid stewardship, nurse practitioner scope of practice, and healthcare ethics
• Leadership: Co-leads the WSU Center for Cannabis Policy with Professor David Gang, succeeding Michael McDonnell

Her research focuses on optimizing healthcare policies and practices related to controlled substances, including cannabis therapeutics and opioid use disorder management. She has explored barriers to interprofessional mentorship, rural mental health access, and open payment transparency in pharmaceutical-industry relationships. Klein emphasizes evidence-based guidelines for prescribers and advancing nurse practitioner autonomy in clinical decision-making.

Grants & Advocacy: Active in policy advocacy through her center’s 70+ researchers addressing health, policy, economics, and agriculture. Her work integrates clinical practice insights with systemic policy analysis.

Labs/Teams: Collaborates with the WSU Center for Cannabis Policy, interdisciplinary health sciences teams, and community stakeholders.