#MeetUsMonday - Meet PhD Student Kelly Reed
Meet Kelly Reed.
PhD student whose research is focused on digital health technology and how it can be used to support cancer patients and their informal caregivers. Williamsburg native turned Waynesboro local after falling for the Blue Ridge while an undergrad at James Madison University. Worked at UVA’s Cancer Center before finding her way to UVA School of Nursing’s PhD program, and says it’s been “an incredible place to grow.” Proud hobby enthusiast who loves trying just about everything: gardening, cooking, backpacking, reading, painting (especially wall murals). Once backpacked Scotland’s West Highland Way and finished as the slowest hiker on the trail, a title she still wears proudly! Known to grow and can fruits and vegetables, cook a mean peanut soup or pot roast, and repaint the same canvas four or more times because “I don’t always need to have an outcome I can display for it to be a valuable investment of my time.” Recently added her favorite new role: mom. Kelly, her husband, and their beagle welcomed their son Simon on Halloween 2025, and she loves “rediscovering life’s wonders through his eyes.”
“I went into nursing on a hunch that it was the right fit. I viewed nurses as savvy, ethically minded, and empowered human beings… and I wanted to be that type of person. I am still working to become that type of person."
Kelly Reed, PhD student
PATH TO NURSING
“I went into nursing on a hunch that it was the right fit. As a teenager, one of my close family members faced unexplained yet significant health concerns, and compassionate clinicians who believed them made a world of a difference for their journey. I viewed nurses as savvy, ethically minded, and empowered human beings… and I wanted to be that type of person. I am still working to become that type of person. I went to get my BSN at James Madison University and had the opportunity to work as a Nursing Care Partner while I was a student nurse. I graduated in 2017 and worked bedside prior to transitioning into research.”
EARLY NURSING CAREER
“I started on a Burn, Trauma, Neuroscience, and Epilepsy Monitoring floor in Norfolk, and learned A LOT. I then transitioned to a general medical ICU in Williamsburg. I love working bedside, and I worked alongside an incredible nursing team there. While working there, I attained my critical care nurse certification (CCRN). I worked there when the global pandemic spread to the U.S., and I witnessed both the heartbreak and strengths of humanity. More recently, I transitioned into working as a Licensed Clinical Research Coordinator in UVA's Cancer Center, where I worked on studies for patients with blood cancers. In the Fall of 2023, I began my PhD in Nursing Program here at UVA.”
HER PIVOT TO RESEARCH
“As I worked more in healthcare, I started to realize two things. First, there’s a really uneven distribution of access to resources in the U.S. And second, nurses need to be more present in the places where decisions are being made. I wanted to do something that could actively improve those issues.”
“I decided to explore the opportunities for nurses in research, and that's why I pursued the job in UVA's Cancer Center. At UVA, I discovered nurse scientists who were actively working to overcome these issues. I discovered Dr. Virginia Lebaron, whose work and priorities deeply resonated with me. I met her at her office and began volunteering with her research team. This experience solidified my passion for research and my desire to become a nurse scientist. Thus, I enrolled in the PhD in Nursing program, and I am so glad that I did!”
"As I worked more in healthcare, I started to realize two things. First, there’s a really uneven distribution of access to resources in the U.S. And second, nurses need to be more present in the places where decisions are being made. I wanted to do something that could actively improve those issues...My research focus is on digital health technology, such as remote health monitoring systems, and how they can be used to support cancer patients and their informal caregivers."
Kelly Reed, PhD student
HER RESEARCH
“My research focus is on digital health technology, such as remote health monitoring systems, and how they can be used to support cancer patients and their informal caregivers. In my PhD program, I have worked with Dr. LeBaron, other clinicians, engineers, data analysts, and a coordinator on technology to improve patient care…you can look into the TECC lab to learn more.”
“I learned in my Historical Inquiry course that nurses were not historically included in the research and design of health technology, but I believe that landscape has been changing. I believe nurses can be great leaders in the design and development of health technology.”
“In the ICU, I worked with digital health technology such as telestroke. As a CRC, many of my cancer patients used remote health monitoring devices during clinical trials. I have also worn heart monitors for my own heart arrhythmias. This technology was an incredible means of connecting people from their own homes to healthcare. My patients and caregivers loved it, and I had peace of mind that I could frequently monitor their health from afar.”
“Personally, I have had family in urban, suburban, and very rural areas. I witnessed both for my patients and my family how their healthcare was severely impacted by where they lived. Access to healthcare is challenging in those rural areas, and that includes digital health technology. I want this technology to be accessible to all our U.S. populations, and not just the wealthy, educated, or fortunate few who live in the "right" places.”
WHAT’S NEXT
“I passed my comprehensive exam this past fall, and I am now working towards my PhD dissertation proposal. I plan to further my current research on the design and use of remote health monitoring systems for cancer patients and informal caregivers. I hope to pursue a career in research for improving use and access of digital health technology. I also love to teach nursing students, so I hope to do that one day as well!”
UVA SCHOOL OF NURSING IN A WORD?
“Nexus. A central link or connection of many things. I feel as though this school is a nexus for so many diverse, wonderful people who come together in this special space for common goals. These common goals are right at the heart of nursing—integrity, compassion, autonomy, altruism, and social justice. UVA School of Nursing is a nexus for all of that.”
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