Dr. Kathy Irene Kennedy is a public health scientist and educator who has conducted numerous studies in reproductive health, especially in the areas of lactation, fertility, and contraception.  She has directed several multi-center international studies, and has written on women's health, on human immunodeficiency virus, and on postpartum issues.  She has worked in over fifteen countries and several American Indian reservations.  She also has directed health and environmental leadership development programs for two decades.  Currently Dr. Kennedy is most active in education and public health practice.     

In research, Dr. Kennedy has worked as an advisor to the WHO Reproductive Health Research Programme in Geneva, Switzerland, where she directed data analysis and report writing for a large international prospective study.  She has served on the Technical Advisory Boards for research for the Linkages project of the Academy for Educational Development in Washington, DC and for the Institute for Reproductive Health at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington, DC. She provides peer review of scientific papers to a number of journals and reviews research proposals for several foundations and institutions.  She also publishes on leadership development topics.   

Dr. Kennedy has extensive experience as a presenter for in-service training and continuing education.  At the Colorado School of Public Health, Dr. Kennedy founded the Master of Public Health in Maternal and Child Health Programs and the Certificates in Global Public Health and Maternal and Child Health.  As a consultant to clinical practice, Dr. Kennedy served on the Advisory Panel of the International Lactation Consultants Association from 1992-2011.  She is a frequent presenter for continuing education for health care systems.   

In public health practice, Dr. Kennedy is Director of the Regional Institute for Health and Environmental Leadership (RIHEL).  RIHEL is the CDC-founded regional public health leadership development institute for Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico. RIHEL provides leadership training and other professional development experiences for the public health, environmental health and environmental professionals in the region. With over some 1000 graduates of its flagship Advanced Leadership Training Program, RIHEL is also an association of vibrant, forward-looking professionals dedicated to the health and environment of the region. RIHEL is a model of inter-sector collaboration for professionals in the public and private sectors and in the health and environment professions.  Dr. Kennedy is also a member of the Trailhead Institute, which she led as president from 2010-2012.  She served on the Board of the Center for Global Health of the University of Colorado for twelve years, and currently serves on the Community Advisory Committee of the Center for Public Health Practice at the Colorado School of Public Health.