How does your background qualify you for this office?
My qualifications for this office reflect both longstanding service to NAN and executive leadership experience within an integrated healthcare system. Since my trainee years, I have been actively engaged in the Academy, helping establish NAN's first trainee track and subsequently serving as DistanCE Chair, Program Chair for the 2024 Annual Conference, and currently Chair of the Awards Committee. These experiences have provided a deep understanding of NAN's mission and the vital role it plays in advancing neuropsychological science, practice, education, and advocacy. Beyond NAN, my career has centered on leading clinical, operational, and strategic transformation while remaining grounded in neuropsychological practice. Beginning with the development of a neuropsychology clinic and comprehensive psychology training program, my leadership responsibilities have expanded to my current role as Senior Medical Director for Behavioral Health within an integrated healthcare system, where I oversee outpatient mental health, addiction medicine, integrated behavioral health, and inpatient services. Through these executive and governance roles, I have gained experience in healthcare finance, policy, quality improvement, population health, and organizational transformation. To further strengthen these skills, I earned a Master of Science in Healthcare Administration from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The integration of my experiences within NAN and healthcare leadership is reflected in my forthcoming co-edited book exploring how neuropsychology can adapt and thrive within a population health framework. Collectively, these experiences have prepared me to help position NAN—and its members—to remain influential, innovative, and essential within an evolving healthcare landscape.
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?
Neuropsychology is entering one of the most consequential periods in its history. Over the next five years, I believe we must address three interconnected challenges: demonstrating value within a rapidly evolving healthcare environment, expanding access to services, and ensuring that our science reflects increasingly diverse populations and care settings. NAN has positioned itself as a respected voice through strong relationships with legislators, payers, healthcare organizations, and advocacy groups. My goal is for policymakers, guideline developers, healthcare systems, and payers to view NAN as the trusted voice on issues affecting brain health and cognition. Achieving this requires strengthening existing partnerships while preparing members to thrive in an evolving healthcare environment. Expanding access will also remain critical. Neuropsychology has tremendous opportunities to contribute earlier across the continuum of care through prevention, early detection, pediatric practice, and integrated care models. Supporting these evolving models will improve access while maintaining the scientific rigor and clinical excellence that define our profession. Finally, our science must evolve alongside our increasingly diverse patient populations. Continued research examining social determinants of health, environmental influences, and other factors affecting cognitive outcomes will strengthen both the validity and applicability of our work. Through Archives, our educational programs, and strategic partnerships, NAN can help advance this important scientific dialogue. My experience leading healthcare transformation, developing collaborative partnerships, and advancing population health has prepared me to help NAN meet these challenges while ensuring NAN continues to equip its members to innovate and demonstrate the value of neuropsychology.
How would you promote professional practice?
One of the most important professional decisions of my career was integrating neuropsychology into primary care. That experience fundamentally changed how I think about collaboration, referral relationships, access, and the practical realities of delivering neuropsychological services within modern healthcare systems. It reinforced for me that excellent science and clinical expertise alone are not enough; neuropsychologists must also be equipped to demonstrate value, communicate effectively with partners, and adapt their practices to meet the needs of the communities they serve. My efforts to promote professional practice have taken several forms. Through participation in NAN’s Hill Day, I have advocated for neuropsychology with policymakers and legislators. Through publications and national presentations, I have shared practical approaches to practice transformation and integrated care. Through leadership roles within NAN, including DistanCE Chair and Program Chair, I have prioritized educational opportunities that help clinicians navigate emerging challenges and opportunities in practice. As President, I would focus on empowering NAN members with practical tools that support success throughout their careers. This includes continuing to expand resources such as HONE-IN, strengthening leadership development opportunities through programs such as LEAD, and fostering collaborations with partner organizations that broaden our understanding of diverse communities and care settings. By investing in our members’ growth as clinicians, leaders, educators, and advocates, NAN can continue to strengthen professional practice while expanding the impact of neuropsychology nationwide.
How do you plan to bridge science and practice?
Science improves patient care only when it can be translated into everyday practice. Bridging science and practice, therefore, requires more than generating evidence—it requires effective dissemination, implementation, and leadership. NAN is uniquely positioned to support this process through its educational programs, publications, and professional development initiatives. As President, I would focus on strengthening the pathways that help members translate emerging evidence into meaningful changes in clinical care. Archives serves as a critical source of scientific advancement, while DistanCE and the Annual Conference provide opportunities to disseminate new knowledge. The next step is ensuring clinicians have practical tools to implement what they learn within their own settings. One area of particular interest is expanding resources that incorporate implementation science and quality improvement principles. Neuropsychologists are increasingly being asked to improve access, demonstrate outcomes, and lead system-level change. Providing members with practical frameworks, case examples, and implementation tools can help bridge the gap between evidence and action. I would also continue to support leadership development initiatives such as LEAD and advocacy resources such as HONE-IN, which empower members to apply scientific knowledge within healthcare organizations, communities, and policy environments. Finally, continued collaboration with organizations representing diverse populations and perspectives will strengthen both the science informing our work and its application across varied care settings. By helping members move research into practice, practice into outcomes, and outcomes into advocacy, NAN can continue to strengthen neuropsychology's impact on the patients and communities we serve.
Dr. Fallows is a member of the following organizations:
- National Academy of Neuropsychology, Fellow
- American College of Healthcare Executive, Affiliate Member
- American Board of Professional Psychology, Member
- American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology, Member
- American Psychological Association, Member