Dr. Laura Kelly has served as Editorial Review Group Chair for Psychiatric Nursing since 2015. Of the 34 books we have sent her in that time, Dr. Kelly has personally reviewed 31.

Dr. Kelly is an advanced practice nurse and associate professor and director of the psychiatric DNP program at Columbia University School of Nursing in New York City. She received her MS and PhD degrees from Rutgers University and has been in academia and practicing as an advanced practice nurse for over 30 years.

Her nursing practice experience includes working with transgender clients who are transitioning, primary care and sexual health screenings for vulnerable communities via mobile health units, and psychiatric assessment and psychoeducation in the corrections system.

Her teaching experience includes both online and in-person course development, management of a forensic graduate program, and integration of LGBTQ curriculum into undergraduate and graduate nursing education.

Dr. Kelly is presently the clinical director of the only perinatal mood and anxiety disorder center in New Jersey. At the center, she provides psychiatric assessment and management to women who have mental health disorders and wish to become pregnant and women who struggle with mental health symptoms postpartum. She also has an active private practice providing psychotherapy and medication management of mental health disorders to clients across the lifespan.

Her research has focused on LGBT health issues, particularly the health issues of mid- and late-life lesbians. She has published in peer-reviewed journals, presented on these topics both nationally and internationally, and recently was awarded a Columbia University Provost grant to create the first post-graduate transgender healthcare certificate for nurse practitioners, which will be offered entirely online.

Dr. Kelly participated in the Edmond J. Safra Visiting Nurse Faculty (VNF) Program at the Parkinson’s Disease Foundation at New York University in 2015 and is the recipient of their 2016 Alumni Award.