2026 Award Winners
AANS Honors 2026 Award Winners
The American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) will present several major awards during the 2026 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting in San Antonio, Texas. These awards honor the lifetime contribution of members for their surgical, scientific and humanitarian accomplishments.
Humanitarian Award
Philipp Aldana, MD, FAANS, FAAP
Since January 1987, the AANS has conferred its Humanitarian Award to members who have given their time and talents to charitable or public service and whose actions have brought honor to the neurosurgical specialty.
Dr. Aldana is Chief of the Division of Neurosurgery at Nemours Children’s Health Jacksonville, holding the H.E. James Endowed Chair in Pediatric Neurosurgery at Wolfson Children’s Hospital. His work spans pediatric neuro-oncology, stroke prevention in sickle cell disease and neuro-endoscopy, including nationally recognized research through the Lucy Gooding Pediatric Neuroscience Research Center. Dr. Aldana co-founded the Neurosurgery Outreach Foundation, which has strengthened neurosurgical capacity in underserved regions such as the Philippines, Mongolia, Jamaica and Ethiopia.
Cushing Medal Award
Anthony Asher, MD, FAANS, FACS
The Harvey Cushing Medal, the highest honor the AANS can bestow on a member, was established in 1976. Given annually, this award recognizes AANS members for distinguished service and accomplishments in the field of neurosurgery. The Board of Directors selects the recipient upon the recommendation of the Awards and Honors Committee in recognition of their extraordinary efforts to advance the field of neurosurgery.
Dr. Asher is a pioneer in advancing multidisciplinary neuro-oncology care and neurosurgical data science. He is the founder of Quality and Outcomes Database (QOD)™ and inaugural co-chair of the American Spine Registry (ASR)™, which now shapes national standards and provides accreditation pathways. A past president of the AANS, Dr. Asher currently serves as president of the Prisma Health Neuroscience Institute.
International Lifetime Recognition Award
Alim Louis Benabid, MD, PhD
The International Lifetime Recognition Award honors a neurosurgeon outside the United States and Canada whose leadership, innovation and lifelong contributions have advanced neurosurgery globally. These individuals have shaped the field through scientific discovery, clinical excellence and international influence. Their careers reflect decades of impact across borders and disciplines.
Dr. Benabid, who studied at Grenoble Joseph Fourier University, is a distinguished neuroscientist and Full Professor of Biophysics. His landmark work involved the discovery and development of High-Frequency Deep Brain Stimulation (HF DBS) as surgical therapy. This revolutionized the treatment of movement disorders, including Parkinson’s disease, Essential Tremor and Dystonia, and was later extended to manage conditions like epilepsy and certain forms of depression. Dr. Benabid was honored with the Lasker Prize and the Breakthrough Prize for these achievements. He also founded and developed the Clinatec Research Institute within the Grenoble Research Institute.
Distinguished Service Award
John Knightly, MD, FAANS, FACS
The Distinguished Service Award is one of the highest honors given by the AANS, recognizing exemplary service to the AANS and the field of neurosurgery. The award pays tribute to the contributions of remarkable people within their profession.
Dr. Knightly is a practicing neurosurgeon with three decades of experience in minimally invasive and complex spine surgery and a national leader in neurosurgical quality improvement. He has held major leadership roles including Chair of the AANS/CNS Neurosurgical Quality Council, Past Chair of NeuroPoint Alliance and founding executive committee member of the American Spine Registry. Dr. Knightly has also served in leadership across the AANS, ABNS and National Quality Forum.
Cushing Award for Technical Excellence and Innovation in Neurosurgery
Kevin Tracey, MD, FAANS(L)
The Cushing Award for Technical Excellence and Innovation in Neurosurgery was established in 2013 to honor an AANS member for technical prowess and skill and/or innovation in the development of new procedures, which have become part of the arsenal neurosurgeons use to treat disease or trauma.
Dr. Tracey is President and CEO of The Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research and a global leader in neuroimmunology and bioelectronic medicine. He discovered neural circuits that regulate immune responses, mapped inflammatory reflex pathways and helped develop first-in-class neuromodulation therapies now used clinically. Dr. Tracey holds more than 120 U.S. patents and has authored over 400 publications.
Distinguished Advocate Award
Alex Valadka, MD, FAANS, FACS
The AANS Distinguished Advocate Award recognizes an individual who has served as a strong advocate for neurosurgeons, their patients, and the profession at the national, state or local level. Nominees will have demonstrated a commitment to promoting sound legislative and regulatory health policy by consistently engaging in the legislative, regulatory and/or political processes.
Dr. Valadka is Professor of Neurological Surgery at UT Southwestern Medical Center and Chief of Neurological Surgery at Parkland Memorial Hospital. A leading neurotrauma and neurocritical care specialist, he has served as president of the AANS, vice chair of the ABNS and chair of the AANS/CNS Washington Committee. His national leadership and advocacy efforts span NIH study sections, federal policy initiatives and regulatory engagement.