Avenevoli Becomes Acting NIMH Director
Dr. Shelli Avenevoli became acting director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), effective June 17.
Becoming acting director is the next chapter in her long and accomplished career at NIMH, where she has been a leader and a researcher for over two decades. It is also a hallmark in NIMH’s history as the institute wraps up its 75th anniversary with the appointment of its first female director.
“I’m honored to lead NIMH at such a pivotal time,” said Avenevoli. “For 75 years, the institute has revolutionized mental health research, transforming our understanding and treatment of mental illnesses. We’ve charted numerous paths forward and I’m excited to maintain that momentum.”
The appointment follows the departure of Dr. Joshua Gordon, who had been NIMH director since 2016. Avenevoli will serve in the acting role while NIH conducts a national search for a permanent director. Her tenure at NIMH began in 2001 when she joined the Intramural Research Program as a staff scientist.
Over the years, she was a co-investigator on several studies, including the National Comorbidity Survey–Adolescent Study, which offered critical insights on the prevalence and course of mental disorders in youth.
She moved to NIMH’s Extramural Research Program in 2005, ultimately becoming chief of the Developmental Trajectories of Mental Disorders Branch. While in that role, she led the reorienting of NIMH’s pediatric translational research portfolio towards an emphasis on brain and behavioral development, trajectories of mental illnesses, and early biological or behavioral markers of risk and intervention. She developed several research programs focused on common disorders in children and adolescents, including depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder and chronic irritability.
Avenevoli became NIMH deputy director in 2017, providing scientific and administrative leadership for a range of institute activities and helping define research priorities, administrative policies and strategic initiatives.
As deputy director, she helped oversee internal operations and external collaborations. This included making major improvements to NIMH structure and processes and advancing efforts for diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility and anti-racism.
Avenevoli also expanded the scope of the NIMH grant portfolio and oversaw creation of new research programs on youth development, mental health and suicide prevention. She was instrumental in the development of cross-cutting NIMH teams to enhance progress on strategic priorities and in shaping NIMH’s role in White House initiatives focused on transforming the system of care for youth mental health and improving strategies for suicide prevention.
These efforts accompany her many contributions to urgent public health issues, including youth mental health, suicide prevention, women’s mental health, Covid-19 and more. She has worked on several large-scale NIH projects, including the Environmental Influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Study, All of Us Research Program and NIH UNITE Initiative, and served on numerous cross-NIH task forces, workgroups and committees.
“Stepping into this role gives me the opportunity to carry forward the groundbreaking work of the institute’s committed team of researchers and staff,” said Avenevoli. “I look forward to helping chart the future of NIMH while continuing to foster and empower the work we’re already doing to advance research on mental health and mental disorders.”