Dr. Kendall was born and raised in Merrick, New York and graduated from Chaminade High School. His bachelor’s degree is from Old Dominion University and his doctorate in clinical psychology is from Virginia Commonwealth University where his work emphasized research in clinical child and adolescent psychology. He has been honored with the Outstanding Alumnus Award from each of these institutions. After promotion to Full Professor and appointment as Director of Clinical Training at the University of Minnesota, Dr. Kendall joined the faculty at Temple University where he has spent his academic career.

His accomplishments are numerous: 400+ publications, including 30+ books and 20+ treatment manuals and workbooks translated into dozens of languages, 20+ years of uninterrupted grant support from various agencies (i.e., NIMH, MacArthur Foundation). He is widely cited: among an elite handful of the most frequently-cited individuals in all of the social and medical sciences. In a recent quantitative analysis of the publications by and citations to all members of the faculty in the 157 APA-approved programs in clinical psychology, Dr. Kendall ranked 5th.

Dr. Kendall has garnered prestigious awards: Fellow at the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences, inaugural Research Recognition Award from the Anxiety Disorders Association of America, “Great Teacher” award from Temple University, identified as a “top therapist” in the tristate area by Philadelphia Magazine, and the Society of Clinical Psychology 2006 Award for Distinguished Contributions to the Science of Clinical Psychology. He has been president of the Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology (Division 53) of APA as well as President of the Association for the Advancement of Behavior Therapy (AABT, now ABCT).

Dr. Kendall has designed and evaluated treatment programs for youth. His programs have been identified as empirically-supported, have been translated and implemented in over a dozen countries, and are the focus of numerous federally-funded research initiatives in treatment and prevention across the globe.
Others describe Dr. Kendall as someone who is known for his clinical sensitivity, rigorous research methodology, creative and integrative approaches, and commitment to graduate mentoring. He plays basketball twice a week, is a crossword puzzle addict, and enjoys time with wife and two children.