Dear Colleagues,
It is with great sadness that we learned of the passing of a beloved NAN member and long-time supporter of NAN, Dr. Drew Gouvier. Please read the dedication below provided by Dr. Ben Hill.
Professor Wm. Drew Gouvier, PhD, passed away on May 9, 2025, surrounded by his family. He leaves behind his beloved wife, Rebecca "Becky" Gouvier, and three children, Charlotte (Rob), Owen (Lillie), and Lainey (Micah). He also leaves nieces Julie and Veronica (Piam), and a nephew Jim.
Drew was born in 1953 in Haddonfield, New Jersey. His father was a retired Naval officer who later worked as an engineer. Drew grew up in New Jersey and Texas before moving to Ohio for his senior year of high school. He attended Kent State University for one year before transferring to the University of Arizona where he completed his bachelor's degree in 1976. He then earned his doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology with a subspecialty in neuropsychology in 1983 under Dr. Charles Long at Memphis State University (now the University of Memphis). His dissertation focused on the effect of brain injury on recognition memory. Drew completed his internship at the University of Mississippi Medical Center before taking his first clinical appointment with the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at UAB-Spain Rehabilitation Center from 1983-1985 where he was the co-director of the Head Trauma Rehabilitation Unit.
Dr. Gouvier took a clinical faculty position at Louisiana State University (LSU) in 1985. He was a faculty member at LSU for 28 years where he trained many doctoral students, was a popular lecturer, and well-loved graduate mentor. He had numerous contributions at LSU including serving as the Director of Public Service for the Department of Psychology, coordinator for the Continuing Education in Psychology Workshop Series, and Director of the Psychological Services Center. He was honored with the title Professor Emeritus when he retired in 2013. Drew was influential in academia, and was considered an expert in neuropsychological assessment, brain injury rehabilitation, and forensic neuropsychology. He gave over 180 conference presentations and authored 108 peer-reviewed scientific articles and 22 book chapters. He was a dedicated member of the National Academy of Neuropsychology (NAN) and fellow of the organization. He served on the NAN Board of Directors (2001-2003), chaired the NAN awards committee (1997), and was program chair for two NAN conferences (1995 and 1996). He was awarded the NAN Distinguished Service Award in 2018. He was the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology from 2003-2007. He also served on many editorial boards or as consulting editor for journals such as Psychological Assessment, Journal of Head Injury, Applied Neuropsychology, Journal of Attention Disorders, and Rehabilitation Psychology. After he retired from LSU, he was the Chief Psychologist at Matrix, Incorporated in Baton Rouge, LA. During this phase of his career, he was active in consulting with law enforcement and refining selection methods for public safety positions, until he retired again in 2020.
Drew was devoted to his family, particularly his wife, Becky, whom he always referred to as "my bride." He was loved and adored by his many doctoral students, whom he tirelessly promoted and assisted throughout their careers. He had a uniquely unabashed commitment to his students, and did not hide his pride in their success. Despite his academic credentials, he had a rare, down-to-earth quality that allowed him to connect with anyone. He could talk as easily about reading a dime store western as he could discuss the most recent work on fractals and chaos theory. He was always available to help a friend or lend a receptive ear. He never missed an opportunity to share a new joke or recommend a recent book he had read. Drew was always looking for new adventures and appreciated a good road trip. He was famous for knowing every exceptional off-the-map restaurant or sandwich shop in Louisiana. He was a connoisseur of music, particularly from the 60s and 70s, and also enjoyed tinkering on projects around his home or fishing camp. He was an enthusiastic outdoorsman and had a passion for fishing the lakes and bayous of Louisiana, competing in fishing tournaments such as the Tarpon Rodeo. Drew Gouvier was a uniquely dedicated and exemplary husband, father, mentor, and friend. He was an exceptional person and will be exceptionally missed.
Dr. Wm. Drew Gouvier's family would like to thank the staff of the Diane and Bruce Halle Arizona Burn Center for their care and assistance. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in Drew's memory to the Arizona Burn Foundation at azburn.org.