Dr. Karen Friend

Biography

Karen Friend is an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Human Behavior at Brown University and a Senior Scientist Associate Center Director at the Pacific Institute for Research and Evaluation. She has a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Maryland and a B.A. in psychology (honors) from Yale University. Dr. Friend has over two decades of experience in behavioral health prevention, policy, enforcement, and media, working with a diverse array of populations as both a practitioner and researcher. Her work primarily focuses on health care quality, with research aimed at improving treatment quality and client outcomes in substance abuse settings. She has previously worked in state mental medical hospitals, addressing the needs of clients with persistent mental illnesses. Dr. Friend has directed several training, technical assistance, and evaluation projects as part of her role at PIRE-Rhode Island. Additionally, she has conducted research on tobacco, alcohol, drug, obesity, and Alzheimer’s policies to inform federal, state, and local efforts to prevent and reduce associated harms. She serves on the International Editorial Board for the journal Drugs: Education, Policy and Prevention and is an Associate Editor for the Journal of Primary Prevention, contributing significantly to the field through her scholarly work. Moreover, she is committed to mentoring undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral students.

Research Interests

Experience