Dear Members,

I am delighted to share important news about the future leadership of the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. The AACAP Board of Directors has selected Kathryn R. Cullen, MD, as the next Editor-in-Chief of the JAACAP journal family, which includes JAACAP, JAACAP Open, and JAACAP Connect. Dr. Cullen will begin her initial five-year term in January 2028, with the opportunity for reappointment to a second five-year term.

Dr. Cullen is Professor and Division Director of Child and Adolescent Mental Health in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Minnesota Medical School. For more than a decade, she has provided outstanding leadership to her division while building an exemplary career as a clinician, investigator, educator, and academic leader.

A nationally recognized researcher, Dr. Cullen has led federally funded research programs for nearly two decades. Her work has advanced our understanding of adolescent depression, self-injury, suicide risk, neurodevelopment, and neuroscience, while contributing to the development and evaluation of a broad range of clinical interventions. Through her combined experience as a clinician, scientist, educator, and leader, she brings a deep appreciation for both the challenges and opportunities facing child and adolescent psychiatry today.

Dr. Cullen also brings a longstanding commitment to the scholarly mission of AACAP and its journals. She served on the JAACAP Editorial Board from 2019 through 2025 and has earned the respect of colleagues throughout the field for her thoughtful editorial leadership, sound judgment, and dedication to advancing high-quality scholarship. These experiences, together with her distinguished academic career, make her exceptionally well prepared to lead the next chapter of JAACAP.

“It is an incredible honor to serve as the next Editor-in-Chief of JAACAP,” said Dr. Cullen. “I look forward to building on the Journal’s extraordinary tradition of scientific excellence, editorial integrity, and clinical relevance that has long made it a leading voice in child and adolescent psychiatry. I am excited to work with the editorial team to expand its reach, welcome diverse perspectives, inspire intellectual curiosity, foster thoughtful debate, and ensure that the science we publish continues to advance our field and improve the lives of children and families.”

Dr. Cullen will succeed Douglas K. Novins, MD, who has served with distinction as Editor-in-Chief since January 2018. Under Doug’s leadership, the JAACAP journals has strengthened its position as one of the most influential scientific voices in child and adolescent psychiatry. His vision, wisdom, and unwavering commitment to excellence have expanded the reach and impact of our publications while preserving the high standards that have long defined them. We are deeply grateful for his extraordinary service to AACAP, its journals, and the field.

I am thrilled to welcome Dr. Cullen to this important leadership role. As she assumes stewardship of the JAACAP journals, I am confident she will build on their distinguished legacy while guiding them through the opportunities and challenges of a rapidly evolving scientific and clinical landscape. At a time when strong scholarly leadership has never been more important, AACAP and our field will benefit greatly from her vision, judgment, and commitment to excellence.

Please join me in congratulating Dr. Cullen on this well-deserved appointment.

I would also like to express my sincere appreciation to Jeremy Veenstra-VanderWeele, MD, and the members of the AACAP Ad Hoc Committee on Editorship and Publications for their thoughtful, thorough, and dedicated work throughout this process. In addition, I extend special thanks to Carmen Thornton, AACAP’s Chief of Workforce Development & Health Equity, for her leadership, guidance, and support during the editorial search.