Roberta S. Matthews is Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Brooklyn College. She served as the first University Director of the CUNY Honors College: University Scholars Program. During 1999-2000 she served as Interim President at LaGuardia Community College / CUNY. Prior to that, she was Vice President for Academic Affairs and Dean of the Faculty at Marymount College in Tarrytown New York. Matthews spent many years in high-level administrative positions and as a Professor of English at LaGuardia Community College. Her experience spans public and private, small and large colleges.

Matthews has published widely and offered workshops on learning communities and active learning at colleges and universities across the country. Throughout her career, Matthews has focused on curriculum and program development, school-college collaboration, and international education. She served on the national advisory board for the Policy Center on the First Year of College, and Brooklyn College was among the initial group chosen to participate in the Foundations of Excellence project.