2021 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. Recipients give an invited address at the Annual Conference, which is subsequently published in Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology. LEARN MORE ABOUT PAST RECIPIENTS

2021 Recipient |  Allan F. Mirsky, Ph.D.  | View Distinguished Lifetime Contribution to Neuropsychology Address 

Allan F. Mirsky received a Ph.D. in psychology from Yale University, where he conducted research on effects of limbic system brain lesions on primate social behavior. He also studied the effects of human brain injury on a task of sustained attention. This led to development of the Continuous Performance Test (CPT), a quantifiable measure of attention. He continued his research on normal and impaired attention in the Intramural Research Program of the Laboratory of Psychology at NIMH. After eight years, he moved to Boston University, where he was Professor of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neurology, and directed a research program on disordered attention in humans and in monkey models of brain disorder. After 20 years, he returned to NIMH as Chief of the Laboratory of Psychology and Psychopathology, expanding his research on attention and information processing in terms of both assessment techniques (adding event related brain potentials and neuroimaging to neuropsychological measures) and clinical groups (adding schizophrenia, mood disorders, epilepsy, attention deficit disorder, eating disorders and traumatic brain injury). In addition to the development of the CPT, which is a widely used measure of sustained visual and auditory attention, he is best known for his model of the “elements” of attention. This model proposes a set of independent aspects of attention supported by different brain structures and assayed by different tests. His current focus is the clinical evaluation of brain disorders.

Distinguished Service Award

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

2021 Recipient |  Robert L. Denney, Psy.D.

Dr. Robert L. Denney is board certified in forensic psychology and clinical neuropsychology by the American Board of Professional Psychology.  His presentation and publication career has been focused on bridging the criminal forensic psychology with clinical neuropsychology. He has had a long span of service to neuropsychology, particularly the National Academy of Neuropsychology. He is a fellow and past president (2009) of the NAN and fellow of APA Division 40 (Society for Clinical Neuropsychology). He was Program Chair for the NAN annual conference in 2004 and served on the NAN Board of Directors for five years (2008-2012). He was chair of the Policy and Planning Committee from 2014 through 2018. For several years, he was in charge of organizing NAN Forensic Grand Rounds presentations at the annual conferences. He was forensic psychologist and neuropsychologist at the U.S. Medical Center for Federal Prisoners in Springfield, for over 20 years. He was Director of Neuropsychology at the School of Professional Psychology at Forest Institute, Springfield for 16 years attaining rank of Professor by Distinction.  In addition to teaching forensic and neuropsychology related courses at Forest Institute, he supervised neuropsychology practicum students, forensic interns and post-doctoral fellows at the U.S. Medical Center throughout his career. He currently maintains a consulting private practice for prosecuting and defense attorneys, judges, and the insurance industry, in addition to holding a neuropsychology staff position at the Missouri Memory Center and Neurology Clinic at Citizens Memorial Hospital, Bolivar, Missouri.  He has presented internationally on the application of neuropsychology to criminal and civil forensic matters, neuroanatomy, brain injury, performance validity and malingering, and admissibility of scientific evidence. He has published over 55 peer reviewed papers and book chapters in the scientific literature. He was co-editor of Detection of Response Bias in Forensic Neuropsychology (2002; Haworth) and Clinical Neuropsychology in the Criminal Forensic Setting (2008; Guilford), as well as co-author of Detection of Deception (2007; Professional Resource Press) and Ethical Practice in Forensic Psychology: A Systematic Model for Decision Making (2006; 2nd edition 2020; APA).

Reitan Clinical Excellence Award

NAN's newest 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 

2021 Recipient | Dean C. Delis, Ph.D.

Dean C. Delis, PhD, ABPP, is professor emeritus of psychiatry at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine (UCSD). For over 25 years, he served as codirector of training in neuropsychology in the joint doctoral program in clinical psychology at UCSD and San Diego State University (SDSU), and director of the Psychology Assessment Unit at the San Diego Veterans Affairs Medical Center. He has published over 200 research articles, book chapters, and books on cognitive sequelae of various neurological or psychiatric disorders in adults and children. Dr. Delis is also the lead author of several neuropsychological tests that are used nationally and internationally, including the California Verbal Learning Test (CVLT3 and CVLT–Children’s Version), the Delis Rating of Executive Functions (D–REF children and adult versions); the Delis-Kaplan Executive Function System (D-KEFS), and the forthcoming DKEFS 2. He is the recipient of several awards, including the Edith Kaplan Award for Distinguished Contribution to Neuropsychological Test Development, from the Massachusetts Neuropsychological Society (2005); the Teacher of the Year Award, Psychology Internship Program, UCSD School of Medicine (2010); the Distinguished Lifetime Contribution to Neuropsychology Award from the National Academy of Neuropsychology (2013); and the Distinguished Career Award from the International Neuropsychological Society (2015). Dr. Delis currently has a private practice in adult and child neuropsychology in Encinitas, California, and he continues to teach a one-year practicum course in advanced neuropsychological interpretation in the joint doctoral program in clinical psychology at UCSD/SDSU.

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

2021 Recipient | Matthew Calamia, Ph.D.

Dr. Matthew Calamia earned his Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the University of Iowa. He completed his internship at the University of Illinois at Chicago and post-doctoral fellowship at Jefferson Neurobehavioral Group. He is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Psychology at Louisiana State University (LSU) where he serves as the Director of the Psychological Services Center, LSU’s training clinic for clinical and school psychology graduate students. Dr. Calamia directs the LSU Neuropsychometrics Research Group (NRG) where he and his graduate students conduct neuropsychological assessment research with an emphasis on the measurement of psychopathology and cognition in the context of aging and neurodegenerative disease. Dr. Calamia has over 65 peer-reviewed publications.  He is an Associate Editor at the Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology. He formerly served as a member of the NAN Clinical Research Grants Committee and currently serves as a Member-at-Large for the Queer Neuropsychological Society. 

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 and the field of neuropsychology in general. LEARN MORE ABOUT PAST RECIPIENTS

2021 Recipient | Elyse Parke, Ph.D.

Dr. Elyse Parke currently works as a pediatric neuropsychologist at Tampa General Hospital, is an assistant professor at University of South Florida (USF), and serves as co-chair of the NAN Leadership Ambassador Development (LEAD) Program providing leadership curriculum to early career neuropsychologists. She helped to develop and chaired the NAN Student & Post-doctoral Committee and served on the NAN Membership Committee. She completed her post-doctoral fellowship in pediatric neuropsychology at Texas Children’s Hospital / Baylor College of Medicine and internship at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP). She completed her PhD at University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) under the mentorship of Dr. Daniel Allen who was instrumental in connecting her with NAN. 

 

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

2021 Recipient |  Elisabeth Sherman, Ph.D.

Dr. Elisabeth Sherman is a clinical neuropsychologist with over 20 years of experience in clinical assessment, treatment, and research on conditions affecting the brain. Dr. Sherman directs a private practice in neuropsychology where she conducts independent neuropsychological assessments in cases of personal injury. Dr. Sherman is also the author of the Compendium of Neuropsychological Tests (Sherman, Tan, & Hrabok, in press; Strauss, Sherman, & Spreen, 2006), a major reference text in the field of neuropsychology, and is the author of Pediatric Forensic Neuropsychology (Sherman & Brooks, 2012), one of the few texts on pediatric neuropsychology in the forensic arena. Dr. Sherman is also the author of three tests published by Psychological Assessment Resources (PAR): the Child and Adolescent Memory Profile (ChAMP), the Memory Validity Profile (MVP), and the Multidimensional Everyday Memory Ratings for Youth (MEMRY).

She has also authored several book chapters and scientific articles on neuropsychological assessment, has presented at several national and international conferences, and has delivered talks on preventative brain health in corporate and community settings. She has also served as editorial board member for the Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, Child Neuropsychology, and Epilepsia, and as journal reviewer for several scientific journals in the area of neuropsychology. 

Dr. Sherman founded and led two of the few existing post-doctoral training programs in clinical neuropsychology in Canada. She has also held several research grants, served as the Director of Brain Health and Psychological Health at a preventative primary healthcare clinic, and worked as a consultant on virtual brain health and mental health applications. 

Dr. Sherman holds a doctorate in Clinical Psychology with Neuropsychology Specialization from the University of Victoria, completed her internship at London Health Sciences Center in Ontario, and completed postdoctoral training at UCLA. She has served as an Adjunct Associate Professor at the University of Calgary in the Department of Clinical Neurosciences and the Department of Paediatrics, and as Adjunct Professor at the University of British Columbia.  During her career and training, Dr. Sherman had the privilege to learn and work at several universities and health centres including McGill University, UCLA, the Université de Montréal, the University of Victoria, BC Children's Hospital, Alberta Children's Hospital, the London Health Sciences Centre in London, Ontario, Riverview Hospital in Vancouver, the University of Ottawa, and the University of British Columbia, and was a frequent collaborator with colleagues from healthcare centres in the US and Canada. She is grateful to all the mentors and colleagues she has met along the way who have shared with her their wisdom, passion, and expert knowledge.

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 

2021 Recipient |  Emily E. Smith, Ph.D.

Dr. Emily E. Smith is a post-doctoral fellow in the Division of Rehabilitation Psychology and Neuropsychology in the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Clinically, she provides rehabilitation-focused inpatient and outpatient neuropsychological assessment and intervention to patients with diverse medical conditions (e.g., stroke, traumatic and acquired brain injury, cancer, post-COVID conditions, organ transplant, spinal cord injury/disorders, etc.). As a co-chief fellow, Dr. Smith is actively involved in leadership roles, including developing a post-COVID symptom management clinic, supervising pre-doctoral trainees, facilitating the Division's Multicultural Action Committee, and managing didactic series. Her practice and research emphasizes mindfulness strategies and modifiable lifestyle/health behaviors.

Dr. Smith completed her graduate training and internship in 2020 under the mentorship of Heidi Rossetti, PhD, ABPP and Laura Lacritz, PhD, ABPP at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Smith’s research adds to the growing literature that promotes optimal cognitive function through healthy lifestyle behaviors; she translates this research into practice with medical and rehabilitation populations.

Tony Wong Diversity Award

The NAN Culture & Diversity Committee is extremely pleased to announce the 8th annual diversity award in honor of Dr. Tony Wong. The Tony Wong Diversity Award was granted in recognition of the applicant’s efforts to promote public education, advocacy, and research in brain health in culturally diverse and minority communities.

Tony Wong Diversity Award- Mentor

2021 Recipient | Veronica Bordes Edgar, PhD, ABPP

Veronica Bordes Edgar, PhD, ABPP is an Associate Professor with joint faculty appointments in Psychiatry and Pediatrics at the University of Texas (UT) Southwestern Medical Center. She serves as a bilingual Pediatric Neuropsychologist at Children’s Health and is Co-Director for the Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics at UT Southwestern Medical Center. She is Board certified through the American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) in Clinical Psychology and Pediatric Neuropsychology. Her areas of interest include cultural and bilingual issues in assessment, genetic and neurodevelopmental disorders, and interdisciplinary teaching of medical and psychology trainees. Dr. Bordes Edgar currently serves as President of the Hispanic Neuropsychological Society (HNS), is on the Board of Directors for the American Board of Clinical Neuropsychology (ABCN), and on the Executive Committee for the Houston Conference Guidelines Revision Planning Commission. She was elected as American Psychological Association Council Representative for the Society for Clinical Neuropsychology (Division 40) beginning in 2022. Dr. Bordes Edgar is a Fellow of the National Academy of Neuropsychology and Hispanic Neuropsychological Society. Most recently, she was awarded the 2021 Tony Wong Diversity Award for Outstanding Work Related to Diversity as a Mentor.

Tony Wong Diversity Award- Early Career 

Alexander Tan, Ph.D., is a pediatric neuropsychologist at CHOC Children’s with expertise in the assessment of neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders in children and adolescents. Dr. Tan co-directs the CHOC Children’s Heart Institute Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Clinic and is an affiliate member of the Cardiac Neurodevelopmental Outcome Collaborative. His clinical and research interests include neuropsychological outcomes of congenital heart disease and demyelinating disorders, and he has co-authored over 40 scientific presentations and journal articles. Additionally, he is actively involved in pediatric neuropsychology internship and fellowship training and supervision.

On an international level, Dr. Tan serves on the APA Society for Clinical Neuropsychology Education Advisory Committee and is a co-founder of KnowNeuropsychology, and he is passionate about advancing neuropsychology education, training and mentorship. He also serves on the Asian Neuropsychological Association Executive Committee and is a delegate of the Cultural Neuropsychology Council, and he participates in advocacy related to cultural disparities within neuropsychology. Additionally, he is a professional member of the International Neuropsychological Society and National Academy of Neuropsychology, and an affiliate member of the American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology.

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