Cutaneous Lymphoma Summit 2009 was held in New York City on October 9-11, 2009. The idea for the Summit was generated three years ago by the leadership of the Cutaneous Lymphoma Foundation, whose vision was that the cutaneous lymphoma community would benefit from an inclusive gathering to identify unifying issues important to all stakeholders. This vision is captured in the Summit’s tagline: “community, cooperation, cure.” The major goal of the Summit was to serve as a forum for the discussion of bold ideas, explore controversial or poorly developed areas of research, and spark lively discussion among leading investigators from both within and outside the field. We hoped to broaden the cutaneous lymphoma community’s scientific horizons and enhance the application of new concepts in immunology, genetics, pharmacology, and imaging. The Cutaneous Lymphoma Foundation is grateful to the leadership of the United States Cutaneous Lymphoma Consortium (USCLC), the International Society of Cutaneous Lymphomas (ISCL), and the Cutaneous Lymphoma Working Group of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) for their participation in the program. The following pages present critical topics addressed by faculty who participated in the Summit. This issue also contains an editorial by the Summit’s scientific program co-chairs, Drs. Stuart Lessin and Pierluigi Porcu. It serves as a white paper that identifies important needs and opportunities in research, clinical care, and education. These represent strategic targets to be rapidly tackled by the cutaneous lymphoma community and to be reassessed annually for progress. It is my hope that these proceedings and white paper will spark the creation of a more collaborative research community and that its emergent ideas and commitments will garner greater attention and resources from the public sphere, thus offering greater hope to patients and families. My gratitude and thanks are extended to all who contributed to Cutaneous Lymphoma Summit 2009 and these proceedings.