How does your background qualify you for this office?
My varied professional experiences, both in and out of NAN, have taught me many valuable lessons in leadership. My career has concentrated on solving problems by collaboratively developing novel clinical programs in both academic medicine and private practice settings, and conducting research aimed at improving the lives of children with complex health conditions. The real-world leadership experiences mentioned in my Candidate Statement have taught me lessons on how to: 1) lead through listening while authentically supporting others to achieve their goals; 2) solve high-stakes problems via teamwork; 3) cultivate relational connectivity among an wide-ranging mix of professionals; and 4) engage challenges with a strong mix of optimism, integrity, tenacity, flexibility, and committed effort. Like many of you reading this, I aspire to be a lifelong learner, embracing challenges and differing perspectives. Therefore, if elected, I commit to approaching the responsibility of serving NAN as a Member-at-Large with all the lessons mentioned here on full display.
What do you see as the major challenges to neuropsychology in the next 5 years? How do you believe NAN, under your leadership, can be effective in meeting these challenges?
A major challenge for neuropsychology is reimbursement. While NAN's leadership has accomplished much in this area connected to professional advocacy efforts, more needs to happen. As a field, we excel at generating data to inform care and conduct research; however, we have not leveraged those data to effectively showcase our value in fostering improved patient-centered outcomes or cost-effectiveness to healthcare systems. As such, limited data on effectiveness continues to be one of the justifications used for our relatively low (compared to many other doctoral level healthcare professionals) reimbursement rates. If neuropsychology is going to maintain relevance in the ever-expanding world of healthcare, we must innovatively evolve and continue to empirically show our value; fortunately, we have the knowledge and unique skillset to do so effectively. If elected as a Member-at-Large, I will support data driven initiatives focused on demonstrating neuropsychology’s critical role in health systems and patient outcomes. I believe that it is also important to focus our effort on addressing issues such as: 1) growing a neuropsychology workforce that more accurately represents the diverse populations we serve by implementing plans from the NAN Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Access Task Force; 2) engaging the public more effectively and directly around neuroscience and our profession; 3) advocating for regular updates to training and education guidelines, including maintaining rigorous training in brain-behavior relationships; and 4) developing empirically based public statements, presentations, guidelines, and publications focused on advances in technology that already impact or have the potential to impact neuropsychology.
How would you promote professional practice?
The promotion of professional practice is important. As a Professor of Pediatrics in an academic medical center, I regularly see patients in both inpatient and ambulatory settings, I co-lead a programmatic research lab, and I supervise/mentor trainees. Moreover, I periodically serve as an expert witness, am involved with test development, and have had experience co-developing and managing a large private practice. All these past and present professional roles have provided skills and perspectives that will be assets in helping me appreciate and foster the varied professional areas represented by NAN members. Promoting professional practice is a high priority for me. Another asset I bring is the networking skills that were honed during my service on the NAN PAIC. The PAIC is an assembly of NAN members passionate about advancing neuropsychology. It seeks to develop/provide practice-related information and resources, professionally advocate on behalf of our field, promote neuropsychology by interacting with local and national organizations directly impacting our profession, and educate the public regarding neuropsychology’s role in healthcare. Alongside other NAN leaders, I enjoyed representing the PAIC at meetings in Washington, DC three times (2022, 2023, 2024) to advance the status of neuropsychology, promote reimbursement increases, and improve access for patients via changes in trainee reimbursement policies, telehealth, and workforce expansion. Each of these target areas remains important for NAN to advance in the coming years, and if I am elected as a Member-at-Large, the priorities of PAIC will be central areas of my focus.
How do you plan to bridge science and practice?
Building bridges from science to practice to policy is a focus of my daily work. As a clinical researcher, I often lead the development, validation, and methodological utilization of contemporary baseline and outcome measures in complex medical populations. I currently co-lead an NIH and foundation funded research lab focused on characterizing and optimizing outcomes for pediatric intensive care unit survivors and their families. As part of this work, I have built collaborative bridges between medical care in the hospital and outpatient clinics, as well as Oregon’s Departments of Education and Developmental Disability Services to promote successful community reintegration for patients and families. Recently, experience in this area led to co-writing a United States Congressional Brain Injury Task Force Newsletter article (on behalf of NAN) about the importance of neuropsychology in caring for children with acquired brain injury. NAN is well-positioned to continue informing relevant parties about neuropsychology and its importance in healthcare. Therefore, working to continue showcasing the empirical basis of neuropsychology and its important clinical contributions to the healthcare landscape will be top priorities for me. In addition, I will seek to further engage with NAN members involved in novel care models, with goals to advance empirical science in areas such as (but not limited to) integrated neuropsychological care, abbreviated/targeted assessments, the use of technology, and innovative clinical intervention. I believe that enhanced/novel approaches in the delivery of neuropsychological care may represent part of the solution to problems like access, reimbursement, and visibility.
Dr. Hall is a member of the following organizations:
- National Academy of Neuropsychology, Fellow
- American Academy of Pediatric Neuropsychology, Fellow
- International Neuropsychological Society, Professional Member
- Pediatric Neurocritical Care Research Group, Professional Member
- American Psychological Association, Professional Member