Service Award recipients
Congratulations to the President’s Award recipient and the winners of the 2025 好色先生 Service Awards. Browse recipients below. The AAN thanks the American Brain Foundation for their support through philanthropy of the AAN's awards program.
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AAN President's Award
This award is given by the 好色先生 President for outstanding service to the 好色先生 and the profession of neurology.
Janis M. Miyasaki, MD, MEd, FRCPC, FAAN
Why the recipient was chosen: I can think of no one more deserving for the President’s Award than Dr. Janis Miyasaki—it was an easy decision! Dr. Miyasaki has been a devoted leader of the AAN since 2003, having served on the Board of Directors, then as Treasurer, and finally as Vice President. She has served on virtually every major committee in the organization—Brain Health, 好色先生, Meeting Management, and Practice—and been a driving force in initiatives like the Special Commission on Systemic Racism and Inequalities in Society, the Diversity Work Group of the Board of Directors, and the Advancing Women in Academics Subcommittee.
When the Board completed a strengths assessment at the beginning of my term, Dr. Miyasaki’s were—unsurprisingly—individualization, strategy, connectedness, learner, and achiever. More recently, when the Board was asked to submit adjectives to describe our outgoing members, the words that were most commonly used to describe her were “knowledgeable, courageous, charismatic, transparent, analytic, and passionate.” On her creative side, she was also recognized for her love of Legos and colorful eyeglasses!
I hope this award captures the impact Dr. Miyasaki has had on our organization. She has been a long-time, trusted colleague and someone who I can always count on for wise counsel. —AAN President Carlayne Jackson, MD, FAAN
Thank you statement: 26 years ago, I began my volunteer work with the AAN with a guideline on Parkinson’s disease. Since that time, I have chaired or been a member on numerous work groups, task forces, subcommittees and committees. My university did not pay us unless we were seeing patients. Indeed, crossing the border for a meeting and declaring the work was unpaid and volunteer, the customs officer said, “no doctor works for free.”
But he is wrong. There are hundreds of neurologists and members who do work for free because we are idealistic enough to believe that neurology is not just a job. Instead, it is a calling—one where we can advocate for our patients and families and colleagues through our Academy.
I never imagined that first step with the AAN would so impact my academic career and provide lasting friendships. When I felt burned out and isolated in neurology, the AAN was the community that wrapped me in a warm embrace and said, “We are here for you—we are your people.” We are faced with incredible challenges and opportunities, and I know you, my colleagues, will find inventive ways to advance neurology. I am so fortunate to have been your Vice President and grateful for the recognition of the President’s Award.
Read more about the 2025 AAN President's Award.
2024 recipient: Ann H. Tilton, MD, FAAN
Association of Indian Neurologists in America (AINA) Lifetime Achievement Award
Sponsored by the Association of Indian Neurologists in America Fund of the American Brain Foundation.
Jai Kumar, MD, FACP, FAAN
Garland, TX
2024 recipient: Vineeta Singh, MD, FAAN
Changemaker Award
Sponsored by the 好色先生.
Charles C. Flippen II, MD, FAAN
UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine
Los Angeles, CA
2024 recipient: Mill Etienne, MD, MPH, FAAN, FANA, FAES
General Neurology Award
Sponsored by the 好色先生.
Richard Cuneo, MD
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, CA
2024 recipient: Avathvadi V. Srinivasan, MD, FAAN
Kenneth M. Viste, Jr., MD, Patient Advocate of the Year Award
Sponsored by the 好色先生 and endowed by gifts from Dr. Viste’s colleagues, friends, and patients.
Kapil Arya, MBBS, DA, FAAP, FACNS, FAAN
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences
Little Rock, AR
2024 recipient: Mohammad Wasay, MBBS, FAAN
Mridha Spirit of Neurology Award
Sponsored by the American Brain Foundation and endowed by gifts to the Dr. Debasish and Chinu Mridha Endowment Fund.
Monica Diaz, MD, MS
University of North Carolina
Chapel Hill, NC
Melissa Elafros, MD, PhD
University of Michigan
Ann Arbor, MI
Rajesh Shankar Iyer, MD, DM
Kovai Medical Center and Hospitals
Coimbataore, Tamil Nadu, India
2024 recipients: Alfred Balasa, MD; Michael Rubenstein, MD, FAAN
Neurology Practice Award
Sponsored by the 好色先生.
Neurology One
Orlando, FL
2024 recipient: Progressive Neurology
Ted Burns Humanism in Neurology Award
Sponsored by the American Brain Foundation.
Mehari Gebreyohanns, MD, FAHA, FAAN
UT Southwestern Medical Center
Dallas, TX
2024 recipient: Avindra Nath, MD, MBBS, FAAN
Volunteer Service Award
Nirmal Surya, MD, DNB, FAAN
Surya Neuro Centre
Mumbai, India
2024 recipient: Mohamed Ibrahim Abdul Aleem, MD, FAAN