American Neurological Association Announces New Leadership

[MOUNT LAUREL, NJ, October 24, 2022] — The American Neurological Association (ANA), the professional organization representing the world’s leading academic neurologists and neuroscientists, has appointed Brenda Orffer, CAE, as its new Chief Executive Officer and Nadine Goldberg, PhD, MS, as Chief Program Officer.

“We are delighted to welcome Brenda to the ANA and Nadine to a newly created role in the ANA,” said Frances E. Jensen, MD, FANA, FACP, president of the ANA and chair of the neurology department at the University of Pennsylvania. “The appointments of these accomplished professionals position our organization for continuity and strength as we look to the future.”

Orffer will be responsible for overall operations of the ANA, including governance, budgeting, and financial oversight. She comes to the ANA from the Washington Health Care Association, where she served as executive vice president of the statewide nonprofit organization representing more than 500 assisted living and skilled nursing facilities.

A graduate of Kent Christian College with a bachelor’s degree in theology, Orffer also served as mayor of the City of McCleary, Washington, and as a member of its city council. She currently volunteers as a member of the quality improvement committee at Summit Pacific Medical Center, giving her a perspective on the work that community hospitals do to improve the patient experience.

“I’m excited to be part of an organization with a rich history and to help ensure its bright future,” Orffer said. “When I think about the discoveries being generated in neurology today, it’s just fascinating. I now have a front row seat to some of the most innovative technologies and advances in medicine.”

Changing Hats

Formerly executive director of the ANA, Goldberg will now set her focus on delivering the outstanding programming — both at the Annual Meeting and throughout the year — for which the ANA is known. As Chief Program Officer, she will play a key role in the development, strategy, and management of the organization as it supports academic neurologists and neuroscientists nationwide. She will oversee organizational partnerships and initiatives as well as all programming, including the ANA’s prestigious Annual Meeting. Building on her established work in professional education, she will continue to develop and manage membership programming that hones career skills and keeps members up-to-date on current issues, from online education and CME to the Research Careers Reimagined course for early-career professionals.

Prior to joining the ANA in 2016, Goldberg held executive positions with the Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association and First Candle, a maternal and child welfare nonprofit. A graduate of the University of Greenwich with a bachelor’s degree in sociology, Goldberg earned a master’s degree in criminology from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore and a doctorate in medical sociology from Howard University.

During her tenure as executive director, Goldberg stewarded the ANA’s continued growth, collaborating with industry leaders and cross-functional teams to develop innovative services and research that advanced the field of neurology. She expanded educational opportunities, cultivated participation of early-career academic neurologists, and implemented new awards programs to recognize and advance the work of ANA members from backgrounds that are under-represented in medicine.

“It’s the ANA’s priority to ensure that our members have programming that supports them throughout their careers,” Goldberg said. “The ANA is driving a future of constant improvement and innovation across the fields of neurology and neuroscience. We must ensure that ANA members — including those who are in leadership positions, those just starting out, and those who are traditionally underrepresented — have the resources, support, and networks they need to make an impact.”

About the American Neurological Association (ANA)

From advances in stroke and dementia to movement disorders and epilepsy, the American Neurological Association has been the vanguard of research since 1875 as the premier professional society of academic neurologists and neuroscientists devoted to understanding and treating diseases of the nervous system. Its monthly Annals of Neurology is among the world’s most prestigious medical journals, and the ANA’s Annals of Clinical and Translational Neurology is an online-only, open access journal providing rapid dissemination of high-quality, peer-reviewed research related to all areas of neurology. The acclaimed ANA Annual Meeting draws faculty and trainees from the top academic departments across the U.S. and abroad for groundbreaking research, networking, and career development. For more information, visit www.myana.org or @TheNewANA1 on Twitter.