Pediatric psychology researcher David Janicke, Ph.D., ABPP, stepped into his new role as chair of the department of clinical and health psychology on August 1. He succeeds Glenn Smith, Ph.D., ABPP-cn, who continues on the department faculty.

A member of the college faculty since 2003, Janicke has served the department as a professor, associate chair and doctoral graduate program director. Moving into the chair role allows Janicke to give back to the department in a leadership role and provides the opportunity to support faculty and department growth and be an even greater advocate for students and trainees, he said.

“I am also excited by the challenge and opportunity for continued personal growth,” he said, citing the support and encouragement of his wife and family in his decision.

Janicke is a Fellow of American Psychological Association Division 54 (Society of Pediatric Psychology) and is the principal investigator on multiple National Institutes of Health- and Medicaid-funded trials examining the effectiveness of community-based behavioral family interventions for addressing obesity in youth who are underserved or at-risk. He is the author or co-author of 137 peer-reviewed publications and was named a UF Research Foundation Professor for 2011-2013.

Janicke has served as a dissertation and thesis committee chair or member for 153 doctoral, master’s and undergraduate students and is the 2014 recipient of the college’s Doctoral Mentor of the Year award. His clinical work has centered on assessment and treatment of pediatric-related health conditions and adjustment to such conditions.

Janicke received his doctorate in clinical psychology from Virginia Tech and completed a postdoctoral fellowship in pediatric psychology at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital.

As chair, Janicke plans to focus on continuing to enhance training programs so the department is a top destination for graduate students, interns and postdoctoral fellows. In addition, he envisions expanding and enhancing services to best meet the needs of patients and the community through collaborations across UF Health and community partnerships. Other areas of focus include creating an environment for junior faculty to flourish with strong mentorship and developing a more diverse faculty and student body.

“I see now as an important time and opportunity to enhance the richness and diversity of our student body and department faculty,” Janicke said.