To the NAN community,

It is with a heavy heart and deep sadness that we announce the passing of Dr. Jeffrey T. Barth.

Dr. Barth was an instrumental figure in NAN. He served as a Member-at-Large on the Board, President of NAN in 1996, chair of the former Policy & Planning Committee, the first Chair of the NAN Foundation, and a mentor to many of our leaders. He was widely recognized as a peacemaker, problem solver, and a great supporter of both NAN and the field of neuropsychology. In 2005, he received the NAN Distinguished Lifetime Contribution to Neuropsychology Award for his achievements in the field. In 2012, he was honored with the Distinguished Service Award for his dedication to NAN and neuropsychology. In 2017, he received the first Lifetime Achievement Award from the Sports Neuropsychology Society.

Professionally, Dr. Barth retired as the John Edward Fowler Emeritus Professor at the University of Virginia School of Medicine, Department of Psychiatry and Neurobehavioral Sciences. There, he founded the UVA Brain Injury and Sports Concussion Institute and served as the Principal Investigator and Senior Scientist for the Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center in Charlottesville.

Often referred to as the father of sports neuropsychology, Dr. Barth was a pioneer in the study of mild traumatic brain injury and sports concussion. He developed the Sports as a Laboratory Assessment Model (SLAM) for brief baseline and post-injury neurocognitive evaluation of athletes.

He co-authored or edited three books and published over 250 scholarly articles and book chapters. He was a member of the NFL Players Association Mackey-White Concussion Committee and worked with the Department of Defense and the American Academy of Neurology on concussion management guidelines.

Dr. Barth was also a steadfast champion of the NAN Women in Leadership Committee from its inception. He actively supported its mission and was a consistent presence at its events and functions, demonstrating his deep commitment to advancing leadership opportunities for women in neuropsychology.

Dr. Barth leaves behind a loving family and countless students and colleagues who adored him. In recognition of his lifetime of service and contributions to NAN and the field, the NAN Board of Directors has voted to rename our Distinguished Service Award in his honor. Moving forward, the award will be known as the Jeffrey T. Barth Distinguished Service Award.

Dr. Barth will be deeply missed for his service, guidance, and humor.