Dear Members,

As the year ends, we are pleased to reflect on the remarkable achievements of the past twelve months and to share NAN’s strategic plan for the future. This year marked NAN’s 50th Anniversary, five decades of leadership in professional training, scientific advancement, and advocacy for our field. As we look toward the future, we recognize the need to further expand our essential role as experts in brain disease, brain health, and treatment in novel ways.

In recent years, NAN has focused on enhancing member benefits, expanding global membership, offering high-quality training and education for both trainees and seasoned professionals, strengthening our advocacy efforts, and supporting research in brain health and disease.

A primary strategic goal is to provide exceptional membership value while supporting the professional growth of all neuropsychologists, with particular attention to groups historically marginalized within the field. We remain deeply committed to collaborate within the neuropsychological community, especially with identity-based organizations. NAN provides opportunities for the Hispanic Neuropsychological Society (HNS), Asian Neuropsychological Association (ANA), the Queer Neuropsychological Society (QNS), and the Society for Black Neuropsychology (SBN) to be represented at our Annual Conference. Additionally, we look forward to partnering with HNS to co-host an immigration evaluation webinar series in 2026. In collaboration with Neuropsychology Learning, this year we offered three Spanish-language webinars, reaching more than 400 participants to date. To improve access to our annual conference, we introduced livestreaming options for those unable to attend in person. At this year’s Annual Conference, we announced the Bigler Legacy Library, an extraordinary imaging archive developed by NAN Past President, Dr. Erin Bigler. Launching in 2026, this resource, exclusive to NAN members, will allow NAN members to explore imaging of various brain conditions and related neuropsychological findings to inform teaching, clinical work, and patient education.

NAN continues to expand its Special Interest Groups, now including NeuroRehabilitation and Brain Health, with Pediatrics and Elevating Women in Neuropsychology scheduled to launch in early 2026. We encourage all NAN members, including trainee members, to consider joining and contributing to these SIGs, which are designed as informational resources for all members and are not exclusive to those who happen to practice in those areas. SIGs complement the work of NAN and the committees, and provide an opportunity for ongoing communication and community development among members interested in these topics.

We remain a leader in continuing education, constantly refreshing our programming to meet evolving needs. Given that a major function of NAN is to provide professionals with needed continuing education material, this year, we offered a two-part live Ethics webinar series, which joined the 16 existing offerings in our forensic/ethics catalog. We are launching Neuroimaging: Brain Structure and Function, a six-week course developed by Dr. Erin Bigler, which will begin in January 2026. Additionally, in collaboration with the Sports Neuropsychology Society (SNS), we are developing a two-week introductory course and an eight-week masterclass in sports neuropsychology, set to begin in Summer 2026. These online courses build upon a long-standing education partnership with SNS after co-hosting multiple webinars and two pre-conference workshops in 2023 and 2025. Finally, we will introduce a professional development series covering topics such as retirement planning and practice management.

Advocacy remains central to our mission. Neuropsychology plays a crucial role in ensuring access to essential services, educating the public and other professionals, and shaping policy to address systemic inequities. NAN has dedicated legislative resources to protecting medically necessary care and advancing funding for neuropsychological services. As a member of the Federation of Associations in Behavioral & Brain Sciences (FABBS), we participate in efforts to inform Congress and federal agencies about the importance of research in the behavioral and brain sciences. Through our annual Day on the Hill, NAN met with 42 legislative offices this year. Recognizing the importance of this work, the Board has committed to hiring year-round advocacy and lobbying support to promote policy development, strengthen relationships on Capitol Hill, and build strategic coalitions. This expanded effort will complement our collaboration with APA, with a distinct focus on the core priorities of neuropsychology.

NAN’s success as a leading authority on brain science, neuropsychological conditions, and brain health has gained the attention of international organizations seeking collaboration. Our global partnerships continue to grow. This year, several international organizations, including the College of Clinical Neuropsychology (CCN), the Australian Psychological Association (APS), the South African Clinical Neuropsychological Association (SACNA), and the Ukrainian Psychotherapeutic League (UPL), signed memoranda of collaboration and will finalize their organizational memberships in 2026. NAN has deepened its relationship with the European Brain Council (EBC), and we participated in the Brain Days Science Summit at the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA80) as their guests this year. Over the coming year, we will work closely with EBC on international initiatives focused on brain health. These efforts complement our expanding collaborations with national organizations including Alzheimer’s-focused organizations such as UsAgainstAlzheimer’s, the Global CEO Initiative on Alzheimer’s Disease (CEOi), the Women’s Alzheimer’s Movement (WAM), and the Ann S. Bowers Women’s Brain Health Initiative. We continue our longstanding partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association, with whom we have promoted findings from the recipients of our joint grant on the cognitive consequences of COVID-19 among diverse older adult populations.

In this era of emerging pharmacological treatments for cognitive conditions, it is essential for neuropsychology to work collaboratively with industry. NAN has made significant progress in supporting the development of new treatments by sharing our expertise in cognition, behavior, brain function and measuring cognitive functioning. These partnerships strengthen clinical trial design, improve diagnostic tools, promote brain health across aging populations, and ultimately advance patient outcomes. Our collaborations now include Acadia Pharmaceuticals, Eisai, Haleon, Lilly, and Teva Pharmaceuticals.

NAN remains committed to supporting research demonstrating neuropsychology’s vital role in brain health, patient outcomes, and quality of life. In our annual Clinical Research Grants program, this year, we emphasized research on the role of technology (e.g., digital tools, artificial intelligence) in neuropsychological assessment and intervention. To commemorate NAN’s 50th Anniversary, we dedicated an additional $20,000 to graduate student research grants. In 2026, we will focus on funding research on women’s brain health, and we are working to partner with additional organizations to expand available funding.

Our strategic plan is transformational, designed to elevate our impact, expand our reach, and strengthen our community. Our progress, however, depends on a shared commitment to working collectively, both within NAN and across organizations. NAN remains committed to ensuring that all voices are included, and to reducing duplication of efforts that diminish our collective effectiveness. Neuropsychology faces major challenges, including integrating AI responsibly, promoting access to care through appropriate reimbursement for services, maintaining valid and equitable assessments, addressing workforce gaps, and staying aligned with rapid advances in neuroscience. To address these challenges effectively, stronger inter-organizational alignment around the scientific foundations of our field will be essential to our shared success.

In closing, we are thankful for you, our members, and your support. Our strategic plan is inspired by optimism, powered by collaboration, and designed to spark meaningful change. We look forward to another productive year of exciting accomplishments and advances for our field.