Today, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) announced the selection of James Perrin, M.D., F.A.A.P., as the academy’s president-elect. Dr. Perrin will take office as president-elect at the AAP National Conference this October. His presidency will span 2014.
Dr. Perrin directs the Clinical Coordinating Center of Autism Speaks Autism Treatment Network (ATN). He also leads Autism Speaks ATN’s Autism Intervention Research Network on Physical Health (AIR-P), a federally funded program.
A primary care physician, Dr. Perrin teaches pediatrics at Harvard Medical School. He also heads the Division of General Pediatrics at MassGeneral Hospital for Children. He has spent a career advocating for children and teens with chronic conditions such as autism.
“I want to help the Academy address important problems like obesity, asthma, mental health conditions and developmental disorders, given their growing prominence among children and adolescents,” Dr. Perrin says. “We can help such children develop healthy lives.”
Dr. Perrin’s leadership within Autism Speaks ATN focuses on improving healthcare and quality of life for those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Dr. Perrin has chaired the AAP Committee on Children with Disabilities. He also served on the AAP task force on mental health and committees on government affairs and genetics. Dr. Perrin’s wife, Ellen, is also a pediatrician.
“We were thrilled to be sitting next to Jim at an ATN leadership meeting when he got the news,” says Autism Speaks Chief Science Officer Geraldine Dawson, Ph.D. “We know Jim as a tireless advocate for children with autism and their families. We congratulate him and look forward to his leadership at the American Academy of Pediatrics.”
You can read more about Dr. Perrin, his autism-related research and his leadership role with Autism Speaks here.