3 - Shattering the Neuropsychology Glass Ceiling: Centering Community, Being Human, & Creating Societal Impact

Neuropsychology languishes behind the current public health demands in the United States and abroad. This talk centers community by telling the parallel story of systemic inequity in society and neuropsychology. We will discuss power inequities and offer a historical perspective of the field, noting longstanding trainee and workforce challenges as well as healthcare disparities, bias, and racism, all of which were exacerbated during the COVID-19 pandemic. This “Double Pandemic” became the impetus to imagine a united neuropsychology, a professional field with one voice and a more inclusive, just, and equitable space that can solve critical societal issues by going beyond an individual provider’s cultural competency focus to emphasizing structural competency. A brief overview of liberatory leadership and cultural models of leadership at all levels will be provided. We will describe the formation of the Cultural Neuropsychology Council (CNC) and its Strategic Plan to date. We will discuss strategies and methods for centering communities and creating societal impact across the areas of clinical practice, our workforce, science, education, mentoring, and policy. We will conduct polls throughout the presentation and foster discussion that invites the audience to share their expertise and lived experiences that can inform the CNC’s plan.