Dr. Kelly L. Matson

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Director of Clinical Evaluation and Youth Advocacy

Kelly Matson, PharmD, is a Clinical Professor and Board-Certified Pediatric Pharmacy Specialist. Her work focuses on the intersection of adolescent health and the implementation of high-integrity clinical assessment. She serves as a national authority on the management of high-risk medication therapies in youth populations, specifically regarding opioid stewardship and metabolic health. Her focus is on ensuring that clinical programs are supported by both evidence-based outreach strategies and precise digital evaluation frameworks.

Throughout her career, Dr. Matson has led grant-funded initiatives to address adolescent substance misuse and has directed international medical missions to provide pharmaceutical care in low-resource environments. She manages the implementation of computer-based testing and assessment protocols, providing the quantitative data needed to verify clinical competency. Her work bridges the gap between community-based youth advocacy and the systematic evaluation of healthcare education.

A detailed infographic highlighting achievements in clinical, academic, outreach, and research efforts. It includes milestones such as 24 years of clinical impact as a pediatric specialist, over $200,000 in youth grants, and specialized outreach for opioid and obesity issues. Academic and analytic accomplishments include 75 plus scholarly outputs, a 14 on the H-Index, and 12 years of assessment leadership. Outreach and research impact features 13 years of international outreach, FPPA honors, over 1,000 youth educated, and co-authorship guidelines contributions.
Infographic highlighting Kelly Matson, PharmD's professional credentials and focus areas, including adolescent health, data-driven assessment, and clinical leadership, with icons representing medication management, data analysis, global impact, and pediatric safety.

Academic & Institutional Leadership

  • Clinical Professor, University of Rhode Island; directing advanced pediatric     and infectious diseases pharmacotherapy curricula.

  • Lead for Technology-Enabled Assessment; overseeing the transition and maintenance of computer-based testing (ExamSoft) for professional degree programs.

  • Founder and Director, "Jamaican A Difference" Pharmacy Mission; leading international clinical outreach and service-learning initiatives.

Clinical & Operational Expertise

  • Principal Investigator, RAMS-PEER Program; managing state-funded initiatives for adolescent opioid misuse prevention and community education.

  • Infectious Disease Clinical Specialist; providing expertise in antimicrobial stewardship and pediatric pathogen defense.

  • Specialist in Adolescent Metabolic Health; managing the clinical complexities of childhood obesity and Type 1 Diabetes.      

National Service & Advocacy

  • Associate Editor, Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology (ASHE); providing national editorial oversight for infectious disease research.

  • Co-Author of National Pediatric Safety Benchmarks; contributing to the peer-reviewed development of inappropriate medication lists for children.

  • National Committee Leadership, Pediatric Pharmacy Association (PPA); serving on the Board of Directors and advocating for adolescent health policy.

National Library of Medicine Publication list
Google Scholar profile