Biography
Dr. Melessa Kelley is an Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Austin, School of Nursing. Dr. Kelley is Native American (Keetoowah-Cherokee) and one of 25 with a Doctorate in Nursing Research. Dr. Kelley’s overall program of research focuses on conducting culturally congruent research to improve the health and well-being among Native Americans and Indigenous populations with cardiometabolic risk factors for obesity and diabetes. Understanding and eliminating health disparities among Native Americans and Indigenous populations is the first step toward achieving health equity.
Dr. Kelley’s current funded projects include a project partnering with the Indiana University Foundation and Indiana University Public Health titled“Incidence of Infection or Re-infection in Healthy Adults with or Without Prior SARS-CoV-2 Infection: The AEGIS Study” This current project is allowing for the expansion of community work with a Native American community in Oklahoma.