Shelli Avenevoli is an American epidemiologist working as acting director[1] of the National Institute of Mental Health.

[3] Avenevoli completed an National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)-funded postdoctoral fellowship in psychiatric epidemiology at Yale School of Medicine.

In 2005, she moved to the NIMH division of extramural research as chief of the Emotion, Mood, and Depressive Disorders Program.

In 2008, Avenevoli became chief of the Developmental Trajectories of Mental Disorders Branch.

[4] Avenevoli is involved in NIMH efforts, including revising the strategic plan, re-defining the Institute’s approach to supporting research in neurodevelopment and bipolar disorder, and serving as a liaison to other agencies for special initiatives.