Raphael Bernier, PhD, Professor in the UW Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and Clinical Director of the Seattle Children’s Autism Center, has accepted the position of Executive Director of the Autism Center at Seattle Children’s Hospital. In this role, he will lead a collaborative effort between the Autism Center at Seattle Children’s and autism-related research at the University of Washington to capitalize on current strengths, bridge work across institutions, and look towards building an integrated and coordinated program that best serves the needs of our community.

Over the past four years, Dr. Bernier has helped evolve the Seattle Children’s Autism Center by streamlining and innovating clinical services, building and expanding research infrastructure, and supporting community capacity building through training, support, and novel dissemination approaches to reach the broader community. The national and international reputation and reach of the Center has grown tremendously with programs around the world looking to the Center as a model for supporting individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Dr. Bernier also directs autism research in the UW Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences where he has 12 active research grants focused on understanding ASD diagnosis and treatment through collaborations with scientists and clinicians across the nation and by using approaches such as imaging, genetic sequencings and behavioral assessment.

Dr. Bernier received his PhD at the University of Washington, completed his clinical training at UCLA, and holds additional degrees from the University of Wisconsin and Tufts University. He has built his career working at the intersection of the science and practice of ASD and constantly looks for ways to bring the sometimes disparate worlds together. Dr. Bernier is the author of over 100 scientific papers and the book Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Reference Handbook, the Principal Investigator of several NIH and privately-funded studies focused on the etiology and neuroscience of Autism Spectrum Disorders, and an active clinician who continually learns from his patients. Please join us in congratulating Dr. Bernier and looking forward to a future where clinicians, families, and scientists work together to support individuals with autism and their families with groundbreaking science; state of the art, team-based, multidisciplinary treatment; and family-centered care.