2026 Award Recipients & Honorees

Distinguished Lifetime Contribution to Neuropsychology Award

NAN’s most prestigious award is given to a senior scholar who has made significant scientific, intellectual, and training-related contributions to the field of neuropsychology. LEARN MORE ABOUT PAST RECIPIENTS

2026 Recipient | Ronald M. Petersen, MD. Ph.D.

Dr. Ronald C. Petersen received a Ph.D. in Experimental Psychology from the University of Minnesota and graduated from Mayo Medical School in 1980.  He completed an internship in Medicine at Stanford University Medical Center and returned to the Mayo Clinic to complete a residency in Neurology.  That was followed by a fellowship in Behavioral Neurology at Harvard University Medical School/Beth Israel Hospital in Boston, Massachusetts.  Dr. Petersen joined the staff of the Mayo Clinic in 1986 and became a Professor of Neurology in 1996.  In 2000 he was named the Cora Kanow Professor of Alzheimer’s Disease Research and Mayo Clinic Distinguished Investigator in 2011. He is currently the Emeritus Director of the Mayo Alzheimer’s Disease Research Center and the Director of the Mayo Clinic Study of Aging and has authored over 1500 peer-reviewed articles on memory disorders, aging, and Alzheimer’s disease.  Dr. Petersen is one of the recipients of the 2004 MetLife Award for Medical Research in Alzheimer’s Disease and the 2005 Potamkin Prize for Research in Picks, Alzheimer’s and Related Disorders of the American Academy of Neurology.  In 2012 he received the Khachaturian Award and the Henry Wisniewski Lifetime Achievement Award in 2013 from the Alzheimer’s Association.  In 2011 he was appointed by the Secretary of Health and Human Services to serve as the Chair of the Advisory Committee on Research, Care and Services for the National Alzheimer’s Disease Plan, and in 2014, he was appointed to the World Dementia Council by the UK government.

Jeffrey T. Barth Award for Distinguished Service

This award is designed to recognize NAN’s most dedicated leaders who have a longstanding career of exemplary and distinguished service to NAN. LEARN MORE ABOUT PAST RECIPIENTS

2026 Recipient | Beth C. Arrendondo, Ph.D., ABPP

Dr. Beth Arredondo practices clinical and forensic neuropsychology at Ochsner Health in Covington, Louisiana. She is board certified in clinical neuropsychology. She completed a Ph.D. in clinical psychology at Sam Houston State University and internship and fellowship at the University of Massachusetts Medical School. Dr. Arredondo co-directs the Clinical Neuropsychology Postdoctoral Fellowship at Ochsner. She is actively involved in professional service in national neuropsychology and forensic psychology organizations.

Tresa Roebuck Spencer Award for Excellence in Advocacy

Awarded to an individual who has exhibited dedication and excellence in advocacy for neuropsychology as a science and practice. The recipient of this award has engaged with decision-makers and other stakeholders outside of neuropsychology to promote brain science and inspire change, beneficially raising the public awareness of the practice of neuropsychology. LEARN MORE ABOUT PAST RECIPIENTS

2026 Recipient | Gerard A. Gioia, Ph.D.

Gerard A. Gioia, PhD, is a pediatric neuropsychologist and the founder and emeritus chief of the Division of Pediatric Neuropsychology at Children’s National Hospital in Washington DC. He is a Professor of pediatrics and psychiatry at the George Washington University School of Medicine & Health Sciences. His roles include clinician, researcher, teacher/trainer, and public health advocate.  His research has spanned a number of different pediatric populations including learning disabilities, ADHD, autism, NF1, brain tumors, concussion, severe TBI, as well as with typical children.

Dr. Gioia has been active across his career with program development and advocacy, working with organizations at the local, state and national levels, advancing care for children with traumatic brain injury/ concussion, epilepsy, brain tumors, neurofibromatosis, and ADHD to name a few. He established the first pediatric concussion clinic in the United States—the SCORE Program—and has developed more than a dozen widely used clinical measures to assess executive functions and concussion outcomes. He has played a major role in national concussion policy, including youth “Return to Play” legislation, CDC’s Heads Up educational toolkits, and multiple evidence based guideline panels. 

Dr. Gioia provides concussion consultation across youth, collegiate, and professional sports, including roles with the Baltimore Ravens, Washington Capitals, and Major League Rugby. A past president and Fellow of the Sports Neuropsychology Society, he was honored with its 2025 Harvey Levin Distinguished Career Award.

Excellence in Advocacy Award

Awarded to an individual who has exhibited dedication and excellence in advocacy for neuropsychology as a science and practice. The recipient of this award has engaged with decision-makers and other stakeholders outside of neuropsychology to promote brain science and inspire change, beneficially raising the public awareness of the practice of neuropsychology. LEARN MORE ABOUT PAST RECIPIENTS

2026 Recipient | Jessica Knurick, Ph.D.,RDN

Dr. Jessica Knurick is a science communicator and nutrition scientist, specializing in chronic disease prevention. She educates on nutrition science, food and nutrition policy, and how these forces shape public health.

Known for her clear, evidence-based communication, Dr. Jessica helps people navigate nutrition information with a critical eye, breaking down complex topics and addressing common misconceptions. As a science communicator, she is passionate about making science accessible, practical, and grounded in real-world impact.

Ralph M. Reitan Award for Clinical Excellence

This award is given to an individual who has made a significant contribution to the clinical practice of neuropsychology. The recipients of this award have significantly influenced the methods, settings, and/or persons involved in clinical practice, resulting in noteworthy benefit to the profession and its clients; and/or demonstrated significant leadership as a teacher, clinician, and/or theorist in public and/or professional arenas of clinical neuropsychology; and/or had a notable effect on clinical practice or training in the field of clinical neuropsychology. LEARN MORE ABOUT PAST RECIPIENTS

2026 Recipient | Erin D. Bigler, Ph.D.

Erin D. Bigler is an Emeritus Professor of Psychology and Neuroscience from Brigham Young University (BYU), who served as Chair of the Psychology Department from 1996 through 2002.

In 1990, he established the Brain Imaging and Behavior Laboratory at BYU, which studied the role of neuroimaging variables in cognitive and neurobehavioral disorders such as traumatic brain injuries, neurodevelopmental disorders including autism and learning disabilities, anoxic brain injuries and other acquired injuries of the brain as well as aging and Alzheimer's disease. In 2013, he was the Founding Director of BYU's Magnetic Resonance Imaging Research Facility. 

Dr. Bigler has been practicing since 1975 and is a Diplomate in clinical neuropsychology from the American Board of Professional Psychology. He was Past President of the International Neuropsychological Society (2014-2015), and National Academy of Neuropsychology (1989-1990). He has written several neuropsychological tests, authored and/or edited 11 textbooks and published over 300 peer-reviewed articles. He was one of the founding associate editors for two journals in the field - the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society (JINS) and Brain Imaging and Behavior.

In 1999, he received the Distinguished Clinical Neuropsychologist award from NAN and also in 1999, he was the recipient of the Karl G. Maeser Distinguished Faculty Lecturer Award, BYU's top faculty honor.

Early Career Award

This award is given to someone who has made substantial scholarly contributions to the field of neuropsychology within 10 years of receiving their doctoral degree. LEARN MORE ABOUT PAST RECIPIENTS

2026 Recipient | Diego Rivera, Ph.D.

Dr. Diego Rivera, Ph.D. is Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at the Public University of Navarre (Spain), where he directs the research methods area and leads the research line "Neuropsychology and Measurement." He holds a Ph.D. in Psychology from the University of Deusto (2016, international distinction), a Master's in Public Health, and a Master's in Biostatistics from the Universitat de València.

His programmatic research addresses neuropsychological assessment and psychometrics, with particular emphasis on the development of normative data for Spanish-speaking populations. Between 2013 and 2017 he coordinated a multicentre study of 12,000 participants across 30 cities in 12 Latin American countries and Spain, generating norms for 13 neuropsychological tests and addressing a longstanding gap that had obliged clinicians to rely on English-language norms. He also led an international survey on training, practice, and ethics in neuropsychology, translated into 10 languages and administered in more than 40 countries.

Dr. Rivera has published over 100 JCR-indexed articles, edited three books, and co-authored 37 book chapters. He has held postdoctoral appointments at the universities of Oslo, Ghent, and Göttingen, and previously received NAN's Student Diversity Poster Award (2014).

Early Career Service Award

This award is designed for someone who is within 10 years of receiving their doctoral degree and who has made substantial early career service contributions to NAN. LEARN MORE ABOUT PAST RECIPIENTS

2026 Recipient | John B. O'Hara, Psy.D

John O’Hara, PsyD, is a clinical neuropsychologist at the Institute of Living/Hartford Hospital in Hartford, CT. He also holds an academic appointment as Assistant Professor in Psychiatry at the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and maintains a private practice. His areas of clinical specialization include dementia, stroke, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).

Originally from Chicago, Dr. O’Hara earned bachelor’s degrees in psychology and music from Loyola University Chicago, followed by his doctorate in clinical psychology from Midwestern University. His training includes advanced clinical experience at University Pain Centers (Rush University Medical Center, Chicago, IL), a predoctoral internship in geropsychology at the William S. Middleton Memorial Veterans’ Hospital (Madison, WI), and a postdoctoral residency in adult neuropsychology at the Institute of Living/Hartford Hospital.

Dr. O’Hara has demonstrated a strong and sustained commitment to leadership beginning early in his career, including serving as Class President of his graduate cohort, Secretary of Midwestern University’s Psi Chi chapter, and Campus Representative to the Illinois Psychological Association’s Graduate Student Section. He has been actively involved in the National Academy of Neuropsychology since 2020, first as a member of the Student and Post-Doctoral Resident Committee and subsequently through the Leadership Ambassador Development (LEAD) Program and Education Committee. He currently serves as Co-Chair of both the Education Committee and the LEAD Program.

Nelson Butters Award

This award is given for the best research paper published in the Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology over the preceding year. LEARN MORE ABOUT PAST RECIPIENTS

2026 Recipient | Caterina Obenauf, M.A.

Caterina Obenauf, M.A., is a sixth-year doctoral candidate at the University of Tennessee. She is currently completing her pre-doctoral internship at Emory University School of Medicine on the Adult/Geriatric Neuropsychology Track.

Outstanding Dissertation Award

This award is given to recognize an excellent neuropsychology-related dissertation or dissertation project. The winner is invited to present his/her study at a poster session during the Annual Conference and submit the study for publication to Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology. LEARN MORE ABOUT PAST RECIPIENTS

2026 Recipient | Le Zheng, Psy.D.

Dr. Le Zheng received her Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Oklahoma City University. She completed her doctoral internship at Oklahoma Pediatric Therapy Center and is currently completing her pediatric neuropsychology postdoctoral fellowship at Bethany Children’s Health Center. Her clinical work focuses on the neuropsychological assessment of children with complex medical conditions in both inpatient and outpatient settings, with a particular interest in bilingual assessment. Dr. Zheng’s research focuses on improving outcomes for children and families through evidence-based pediatric neuropsychological care. Her work has examined the relationships among working memory, expressive language, anxiety, and externalizing behaviors in clinical pediatric populations, as well as interventions designed to bridge the gap between neuropsychological diagnosis and treatment implementation. She is committed to advancing family-centered and culturally responsive neuropsychological services that promote meaningful clinical outcomes for children and adolescents.

Tony Wong Diversity Award

The Tony Wong Diversity Awards are granted in recognition of the applicant’s efforts to promote public education, advocacy, and research in brain health in culturally diverse and minority communities, with one award for early-career recipients and an award also recognizing outstanding mentorship in relationship to diversity. LEARN MORE ABOUT PAST RECIPIENTS

Tony Wong Diversity Award – Mentor

2026 Recipient | Antonio E. Puente, Ph.D.

Antonio E. Puente, PhD, was born in La Habana, Cuba, and emigrated to the US in 1960. Puente received his  PhD from the University of Georgia. He has taught at the University of North Carolina Wilmington (UNCW) since 1981 and previously at St. George’s University School of Medicine. His primary teaching activities include Brain and Behavior, Clinical Neuropsychology, and History of Psychology. Puente is the founding director of UNCW’s Centro Hispano, and his research focuses on the interface between culture and neuropsychology. The Roger W. Sperry Laboratory, which he directs, includes undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and visiting collaborators. Puente founded and edited the journals Neuropsychology Review and Journal of  Interprofessional Education & Practice, as well as a neuropsychology book series. He has published 10  books, 95 chapters, and 125 scientific articles in several languages and has presented close to 1,000 times statewide, nationally, and internationally.

Puente is a Professor of Psychology at the University of North Carolina Wilmington, maintains a private practice in clinical neuropsychology (Puente Neuropsychology Institute), and is the founder (2002) of mental health services at the Cape Fear Clinic, a bilingual, multidisciplinary health center serving the indigent.  

He served as APA’s advisor for 15 years to the American Medical Association’s (AMA) Current Procedural  Terminology (CPT) before serving for an additional 8 years as one of 17 members of the AMA CPT Panel. He has served as a member of the Board of Trustees for Albizu University for six years and is currently completing a term as its Past-President. 

Puente served as president of the NC Psychological Association, NC Psychological Foundation, the Hispanic  Neuropsychological Association, National Academy of Neuropsychology, North American Section of the Society for Interamerican Psychology, the  Society for Clinical Neuropsychology (Division 40 of APA),  Society for Behavioral Neuroscience and Comparative  Psychology (Division 6 of APA), Society for Global Psychology (Division 52 of APA), as well as President of the American Psychological Association.

Tony Wong Diversity Award - Early Career

2026 Recipient | Juan A. Serrano-Salcedo, Psy.D.

Juan A. Serrano-Salcedo, PsyD, is a bilingual (Spanish and English) clinical neuropsychologist at Banner Sun Health Research Institute in Sun City, Arizona, where he evaluates Spanish- and English-speaking older adults in a specialty memory and movement disorders clinic. He earned his doctorate with distinguished honors from Albizu University in Puerto Rico and completed his postdoctoral fellowship in clinical neuropsychology under Antonio E. Puente, PhD, with an emphasis on cross-cultural assessment.

He volunteers at the national level, serving the Hispanic Neuropsychological Society as Member-at-Large on the Board of Directors and as current Chair of the Communication Committee, where his work centers on raising the visibility of issues affecting Hispanic and Latinx communities in neuropsychology and amplifying the work of emerging professionals and students from underrepresented backgrounds. He is the Arizona State Representative for the Early Career Neuropsychologist Committee of APA's Society for Clinical Neuropsychology and a contributor on cross-cultural assessment to an American Psychological Association working group developing professional practice guidelines in forensic assessment. He is also a graduate of NAN's Leadership Ambassador Development (LEAD) Program, a curriculum in leadership and advocacy for early career neuropsychologists.

Student Poster Award

This monetary award is given at the Annual Conference for the most meritorious posters. READ MORE

Student Poster Award – Diversity

This award is granted at the Annual Conference for the best student poster that reflects diversity-related topics or issues. READ MORE