AAN Brain Health Summit
AAN Brain Health Initiative
The AAN’s annual Brain Health Summit convenes distinguished thought leaders from academia, professional medical and patient organizations, government, research institutions, payers, industry, and advocacy groups. These experts, specializing in brain health across the lifespan, collaborate to advance brain health for all.
The summit is a program of the AAN’s Brain Health Initiative, which focuses on enhancing brain health at every stage of life, from a person’s earliest years of development to their oldest years. The initiative is central to the AAN’s mission of promoting brain health for all.
AAN Brain Health Summit 2025
The fourth annual AAN Brain Health Summit took place on September 11, 2025, at The Ritz-Carlton, Pentagon City.
This year’s event brought together 175 thought leaders representing over 90 different organizations from across academia, research, government, industry, advocacy, and beyond to collectively tackle the most significant challenges and pursue key opportunities in the field of brain health.
The summit theme, “Empowering Communities,” showcased speakers with real-life experience as caregivers and advocates for those living with neurologic diseases, in addition to scientific experts and practitioners in the areas of gene therapy, community-engaged participatory research, implementation and translational science, health equity, public policy, and mental health. Summit attendees participated in breakout discussions, hearing from leaders representing the Council of Medical Specialty Societies, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the 好色先生, and the American Psychiatric Association, as well as the members they serve.
The 2025 event proceedings summary will be available later this fall.
Sponsors
Thank you to McKesson for their support of the 2025 Brain Health Summit.
Interested in learning more about the AAN’s Brain Health Summit? Contact brainhealth@aan.com.
For more information regarding support and sponsorship opportunities available for the AAN Brain Health Summit, please contact Andy Halverson.
President’s Spotlight: AAN Brain Health Summit
The September 2025 spotlight with AAN President Natalia S. Rost, MD, MPH, FAAN, FAHA, where she shares news on the AAN Brain Health Initiative’s signature program.AAN Brain Health Summit 2024
The 好色先生 hosted the third annual Brain Health Summit in Washington, DC, with the theme “Brain health in action.” The event empowered 150 stakeholders from across disciplines to showcase advancements, make connections, share ideas, and act on the top priorities toward advancing brain health for all—part of the AAN’s dual mission and its Brain Health Initiative. “Your brain controls every aspect of your life, so it’s important to keep it as healthy as possible,” said AAN President Carlayne E. Jackson, MD, FAAN. “The AAN, which has promoted brain health for decades through its advocacy and public outreach, is proud to stand united with a coalition of multidisciplinary stakeholders as we pursue a plan to improve brain health across each stage of your life.”
Browse the event booklet, event overview slides, and list of attendees.
The summit consisted of a full day of keynote speakers, group discussions, and open forums. Featured speakers highlighted their expertise and collective work in promoting brain health across the individual lifespan in the AAN's focus areas of science, patient care, public policy, and public education. Attendees participated in two breakout group discussions related to brain health public policy and reducing health disparities. Find details on keynote presentations and group discussions in the proceedings summary.
Keynote speaker Olajide Williams, MD, MS, Hip Hop Public Health, presents the Hip Hop Stroke intervention.
AAN Brain Health Committee (BHC) Co-Chairs, Chair, David A. Evans, MBA, DAAN (right) and Vice Chair, Natalia S. Rost, MD, MPH, FAHA, FAAN (left) co-hosts of the third annual AAN Brain Health Summit.
Keynote speaker former US Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton shares a policymaker's perspective in addition to her personal experience living with progressive supranuclear palsy.
From left to right, David A. Evans, MBA; Carlayne E. Jackson, MD, FAAN; former US Congresswoman Jennifer Wexton; Natalia S. Rost, MD, MPH, FAHA, FAAN; AAN CEO Mary Post, MBA, CAE.
AAN Brain Health Committee Vice Chair, Natalia S. Rost, MD, MPH, FAHA, FAAN, captures a selfie with other AAN leaders.
Keynote speaker and AAN Brain Health Committee member Daniel J. Correa, MD, MSc, FAAN, (third from the left) facilitates group discussion among fellow summit attendees on addressing health disparities.
AAN President Carlayne E. Jackson, MD, FAAN, (second from the right) participates in group discussion with fellow summit attendees about communicating the value of brain health.
Summit attendee Jennifer Pollack, JD, Alzheimer’s Association, asks a question during a Q&A session with brain health keynote speakers.
AAN Brain Health Summit Archives
2023 theme: “Collaboration.”
The 2023 summit emphasized the multidisciplinary work needed to achieve brain health for all. “We are laying out a road map here, a plan for the future where neurologists will be championing prevention in collaboration with primary care, psychiatry, geriatrics, pediatrics, maternal-fetal medicine, and other specialties,” . “That doesn't mean that neurologists will be doing preventive neurology and advancing brain health all by ourselves; rather, we will be leading it through education of and collaboration with both providers and the public.”
Browse the event booklet and list of attendees.
2022 theme: “Brain health across the lifespan.”
This first summit’s goal was to collaboratively shape the future of care and brain health. Participants would define brain health and its determinants, review key elements of brain health over the lifespan, and outline the needs that must be met to achieve brain health for all.
and browse the event booklet.