Dr. Matthews completing a Ph.D. in Special Education (Gifted) in 1990 at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto (OISE/UT). She has worked in many capacities to support high-level development in diverse populations, including academic research and publishing; consulting to parent, education, and government organizations; teaching at the University of Toronto, Ryerson Polytechnic University, and the University of British Columbia; initiating and directing an extracurricular program for academically gifted children at the University of Toronto Schools; and conducting a private practice in psychoeducational assessment and counseling. She hasworked with many schools and boards of education to assist them in adapting programming to meet the learning needs of their gifted students. She came to Hunter College in September of 2003 to be the first Director of the Center for Gifted Studies and Education.