Prof de Vries has just reached the end of his two-year term as president of the prestigious International Society for Autism Research (INSAR, 2023-2025). He served as President-Elect for the year before his term as president (2022-2023), and will now serve as Past-President for the next two years (2025-2027). As Past-President he will oversee the Global Portfolio including the Global Senior Leaders Initiative and the Cultural Diversity Committee.

In the same month, Prof de Vries was unanimously elected as President of the Society for the Study of Behavioural Phenotypes (SSBP). The SSBP is a small, highly interdisciplinary society for people interested in the neuropsychiatric difficulties of individuals with rare diseases. Prof de Vries has been a member of the SSBP since 1998 and previously served in leadership roles (including as Treasurer and as Chair). He takes over as President from Prof Patricia Howlin (UK) who has been elected as Life President of the Society.

We as CARA are very proud of Prof de Vries' achievements and for representing South Africa and all low- and middle-income nations in his role as President both in INSAR and the SSBP.