After an expansive nationwide search, the Kennedy Krieger Institute Board chair Howard B. Miller today announced the appointment of Bradley (Brad) L. Schlaggar, M.D., Ph.D., as the organization's next president and CEO. He will assume this position this summer, continuing the organization's longstanding mission of improving the lives of children and adolescents with disorders and injuries of the brain, spinal cord and musculoskeletal system.

Dr. Schlaggar joins Kennedy Krieger after 19 years on the faculty of Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, where for the last four years he served as division head of pediatric and developmental neurology, co-director of the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Center and neurologist-in-chief at St. Louis Children's Hospital. Prior to becoming division head, Dr. Schlaggar directed the pediatric neurology residency program for eight years.

"Brad Schlaggar is an amazing professional with incredible credentials," said Dr. Nancy Grasmick, co-chair of the CEO search committee. "He currently leads one of the finest pediatric neurological centers in the nation."

"Dr. Schlaggar will be an asset to the team of brilliant minds at Kennedy Krieger who are all dedicated to advancing care, education and research to help the young people we serve," Miller said. "He is an exemplary physician, researcher, and leader."

"Dr. Schlaggar and Kennedy Krieger are in a unique position to collaborate with others around the world to advance discoveries that will change children's lives for the better," said Dr. Gary Goldstein, the current president and CEO of Kennedy Krieger. "Just as importantly, he is caring and supportive of others, qualities that will make him a particularly good fit within the culture here at Kennedy Krieger."

Dr. Schlaggar earned his Bachelor of Science degree from Brown University, and his Doctor of Medicine and Doctor of Philosophy degrees from Washington University in St. Louis School of Medicine, where, after residency, he ascended the ranks to become the A. Ernest and Jane G. Stein Professor of Developmental Neurology, and professor of neurology, psychiatry, radiology, neuroscience, and pediatrics.

He currently serves as the chair-elect of the St. Louis Children's Hospital medical executive committee and is a member of many organizations including the American Neurological Association, Society for Pediatric Research and the Child Neurology Society. He is a co-founder and vice president of the Flux Society for Developmental Cognitive Neuroscience. His research using neuroimaging to investigate cognitive development has been recognized with several awards including the 2009 Norman Geschwind Award in Behavioral Neurology from the American Academy of Neurology and the 2013 E. Mead Johnson Award from the Society for Pediatric Research.

"I am honored to join Kennedy Krieger and to be a part of a community that works tirelessly to ensure each patient has the opportunity to embrace their full potential," Dr. Schlaggar said.

Dr. Schlaggar will replace current president and CEO Dr. Goldstein, who will transition to a new role at Kennedy Krieger Foundation.

About Kennedy Krieger Institute:

Internationally recognized for improving the lives of children and adolescents with disorders and injuries of the brain, spinal cord and musculoskeletal system, Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, serves 24,000 individuals a year through inpatient and outpatient clinics, home and community services, and school-based programs. Kennedy Krieger provides a wide range of services for children with developmental issues, from mild to severe, and is home to a team of investigators who are contributing to the understanding of how disorders develop, while at the same time pioneering new interventions and methods of early diagnosis. Visit KennedyKrieger.org for more information about Kennedy Krieger.