Christina Schwenck is professor for Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology at the University of Giessen, Germany. She studied psychology at the Universities of Würzburg and Madrid and completed her PhD in Developmental Psychology at the University of Würzburg. She worked at the Departments of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy of the University Hospitals of Würzburg, Munich and Frankfurt.

She is a trained child and adolescent psychotherapist (specification behaviour therapy) and a trained supervisor. Her research interests include selective mutism, conduct disorder and children of parents with mental illness. In her free time, she follows her passion for photography around the globe.

Prof Schwenck was Secretary-General of IACAPAP between 2018-2022 and is currently on the IACAPAP Executive as co-coordinator of the HRRS programme. Her vision is to strengthen the training and promotion of child and adolescent mental health professionals, particularly in low- and middle-income countries, including long-term mentorships for early career scientists and clinicians in this important field.

Furthermore, she aims to attract more allied professionals into IACAPAP to enhance active collaboration between professions in order to provide optimal care for children and adolescents with mental health problems.