Rachael Keefe, MD, MPH, FAAP

Rachael J. Keefe, MD, MPH, FAAP, is a physician leader, advocate, and national expert on the healthcare needs of youth in foster and kinship care. She is an associate professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, Texas, where she founded and directs the Foster Care Clinical Service at Texas Children’s Hospital. In this role, she provides consultative care to children in foster care, kinship care, and those at risk of entering the child welfare system across the state.

Dr. Keefe’s influence extends beyond clinical care through her active involvement in state and national advocacy. She co-chairs the Texas Pediatric Society Foster Care Committee and serves on the executive committees of both the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Council on Foster Care, Adoption, and Kinship Care and the AAP Council on Child Abuse and Neglect. In these roles, she collaborates with pediatric leaders across the country to inform policy, shape clinical guidelines, and promote reforms that center the health and well-being of children and families.

Dr. Keefe’s commitment to advancing systems of care is further demonstrated through her leadership in research and policy. She has led multiple research initiatives focused on improving health care delivery and outcomes for children in out-of-home care. Currently, Dr. Keefe serves as the AAP Child Welfare and Health Policy Fellow, a national fellowship in partnership with Casey Family Programs. Through this role, she continues to advocate for systemic change at both the state and federal levels to strengthen supports for children and families impacted by the child welfare system.

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/rachael-keefe-md-mph-faap-38a828