NSAP names eight members to its first board of directors

The directors are due to meet for the first time on Nov. 17 in Dallas. They will review governance documents and set meeting procedures and communication protocols, NSAP said. The organization describes the board’s formation as a step toward creating a unified voice for autism professionals, autistic people and their families.

The board includes Jeff Beck, CEO and co-founder of AnswersNow; Neil Hattangadi, M.D., co-founder and CEO of Cortica; Megan Henshall, founder and chief impact officer of The Neu Project and a Google workplace-experience partnership leader; and Ben Pfingston, a Catalight researcher and autistic self-advocate.

The other directors are Mai Pham, M.D., president of the Institute for Exceptional Care; Amanda Philp, Ph.D., BCBA, New Jersey’s state coordinator of autism programs in the Department of Education’s Office of Special Education; Steven Merahn, M.D., enterprise chief medical officer of Perimeter Healthcare; and Micheal Sandbank, Ph.D., an early-intervention researcher who leads Project AIM.

NSAP President and CEO Robin McLeod, Ph.D., said the board brings together leaders with different perspectives and a shared commitment to improving lives. The directors will help set the organization’s strategic direction as it works to strengthen professional standards, define quality care, promote evidence-based practices and advocate for policies aimed at improving outcomes across the lifespan. Launched with support from The Catalight Group, NSAP says it is a member-driven society seeking to reduce fragmentation in autism care.