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Candidate for NAN Member-at-Large
Heidi Rossetti, Ph.D.
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Candidate Statement:
I am honored to be nominated to serve as Member at Large (MAL) for the National Academy of Neuropsychology. I know the integral role that NAN provides to its members and our field and understand the importance of Members at Large as liaisons between the membership and leaders of NAN.
NAN provides practitioners with consistently stellar education programming and strong advocacy. This requires significant time and coordination on the part of the Board of Directors (BOD) and the many committees, each tasked with distinct missions that complement NAN’s overall vision. The MAL is responsible for staying up to date with the Academy’s activities and keeping a pulse on the organization’s strategic plans. MALs often participate in special projects, assist with committee activities, and facilitate communication among the BOD and the membership.
In my view, an effective MAL is passionate about the organization’s goals, able to hold themselves and others accountable for achieving those goals, and willing to see and communicate differences of opinion in a way that maintains trust and respect. I believe I am well-suited for that role and have had a variety of experiences that prepare me for the MAL role. I served a 3-year term on NAN’s Women in Leadership (WIL) committee and as Chair of this committee for another 3 years. I then had the honor of serving as NAN’s Secretary from 2021 to 2023, a role that requires organization and efficiency to ensure the Academy’s business runs smoothly. I have also participated on program committees for both APA’s Division 40/SCN and INS and am involved locally and regionally, serving on the Advisory Board for the Dallas Neuropsychological Association. If elected, I promise to draw on these experiences and advocate earnestly for us, the NAN membership.
I welcome the opportunity to serve you as an active member of the NAN Board of Directors in the role of Member at Large and hope you will consider me when you cast your vote.
Dr. Rossetti is a member of the following organizations:
- National Academy of Neuropsychology (Fellow)
- American Academy of Clinical Neuropsychology (Member)
- Society for Clinical Neuropsychology/APA Division 40 (Member)
- Dallas Psychological Association (Member)
- Dallas Neuropsychological Association (Member)
Candidate Positions on the Issues:
How does your background qualify you for this office?
I have been involved in professional service since graduate school when I served as student representative of the Dallas Psychological Association Board, and I have since continued volunteering at the local and national level. Being on NAN committees since 2014, serving as committee chair, and filling the role of BOD Secretary for 3 years afforded me the opportunity to become familiar with the different facets of NAN’s operations and goals. My personal values and strengths include attention to detail, organization, teamwork, and efficiency, and these service experiences have refined that skill set. In my professional practice at an academic medical center, in private practice, and an active member of multiple professional organizations, I have gained experience in a variety of settings and situations that require healthy communication, creativity, flexibility, and teamwork. These are important abilities for a Member at Large, who is in the unique position of being called upon to perform any number of tasks deemed necessary by the Board leadership. I believe I will work well with other BOD members, transition smoothly into the role of Member at Large, and participate enthusiastically where needed.
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?
Pressing challenges include empirically demonstrating the efficacy and additive value of neuropsychological services to payors and other disciplines, maintaining clear boundaries between our field and other professions and non-doctoral providers, and continued innovation and adaptation in the face of an ever-changing healthcare system. NAN is on the forefront of promoting our specialty to the public, fostering inter-organizational relationships, and responding to reimbursement/insurance changes. As MAL, I will do my best to actively support existing programs and new initiatives, facilitate the goals of our committees, and listen to and communicate the needs of stakeholders and the membership so that NAN remains an effectual and responsive force for the field.
The future of NAN depends not only on its national status but also on young professionals. Through WIL, I continued our long-standing commitment to encourage and mentor students and professionals to become leaders in NAN and the field via opportunities such as the Kaplan Scholarship and our annual conference networking event, which in my two years featured the first Presidential Perspectives Panel and a Carnegie-Mellon expert in diversity issues in negotiation. I enjoyed collaborating with other committees, such as the Student and Post-Doc Committee in implementing an initiative helping trainees find and develop relationships with sponsors. As a Board Member, I will continue to engage and promote students and early career professionals in the Academy.
How would you promote professional practice?
NAN has been a cornerstone of my own educational and professional arc, and I have a sustained commitment to NAN’s mission “to advance neuropsychology as a science and health profession, to promote human welfare, and to generate and disseminate knowledge of brain-behavior relationships.” As committee chair and BOD member, I’ve had the opportunity to see the BOD in action. What I observed was earnest commitment to the membership and diligent teamwork. NAN’s devotion to promoting clinical practice is illustrated in quality annual conferences, relevant continuing education programs, public education and outreach through the NAN Foundation, the advocacy of the PAIC and LAAC, the Clinical Research Grants Program, and impactful collaborations such as the Geriatric Summits. As someone who recently made a transition from academic medicine to private practice, I have a wide perspective on the varying needs of our professional members in different practice settings. I am excited about the chance to draw on this perspective to engage the membership and liaise among the BOD, other committees, and our members.
How do you plan to bridge science and practice?
The effectiveness of our clinical work hinges on the integration of science and practice, as does the growth of our profession. The composition of the Academy reflects this, and there are multiple NAN initiatives that either directly or indirectly bridge science and practice. For example, NAN’s recent brain health initiatives, including NAN’s education paper on lifestyle science, the digital magazine BrainWise, and the Brain Health Hub on the website are exciting, tangible ways in which NAN is deploying neuropsychological science to advance clinical practice and public education. Another excellent example is NAN’s Geriatric Summit, which brought together stakeholders invested in the care of older adults to arrive at general principles for cognitive screening and to identify future research directions to address knowledge gaps in this area. As MAL, I would strive to support the success of such endeavors and use my BOD position to promote evidence-based practice.