July 10, 2024 | For Immediate Release

IACC Chairship Assumed by Dr. Shelli Avenevoli

Shelli Avenevoli, Ph.D., the Acting Director of National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), is the new Chair of the Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) following the departure of Joshua Gordon, M.D., Ph.D., from NIMH. Dr. Avenevoli will serve in this role until a new NIMH Director is named.

Dr. Avenevoli came to NIH in 2001, joining the NIMH Intramural Research Program as a staff scientist. She was a co-investigator on several studies, including the National Comorbidity Survey-Adolescent Study, which aimed to gather information about the prevalence and course of mental health conditions in children and adolescents. She moved to NIMH’s extramural program in 2005, ultimately becoming chief of the Developmental Trajectories of Mental Disorders Branch. While there, she led the reorienting of NIMH’s pediatric translational research portfolio towards an emphasis on brain and behavioral development, trajectories of mental health conditions, and the identification of early biological or behavioral markers of risk and intervention. She developed several research programs focused on depression, anxiety, and bipolar disorder in youth and chronic irritability in children.

Dr. Avenevoli was appointed deputy director of NIMH in 2017. In this role, she played a pivotal part in defining the institute's research priorities, policies, and strategic initiatives and oversaw various aspects of NIMH's operations, including the development and implementation of research programs on youth development, mental health, and suicide prevention. As Acting Director of NIMH, she has oversight over the entire NIMH portfolio of basic and clinical research that seeks to transform the understanding and treatment of mental health conditions, paving the way for improving mental health and wellness for all.

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The IACC is a federal advisory committee that was created by Congress in order to accelerate progress in autism research and services. The IACC works to improve coordination and communication across the federal government and work in partnership with the autism community. The Committee is composed of officials from many different federal agencies involved in autism research and services, as well as adults on the autism spectrum, parents and family members of individuals on the autism spectrum, advocates, researchers, providers, and other public stakeholders. The documents and recommendations produced by the IACC reflect the views of the Committee as an independent advisory body and the expertise of the members of the Committee but do not represent the views, official statements, policies, or positions of the federal government. For more information on the IACC, please visit: iacc.hhs.gov.