National Society of Autism Professionals (NSAP) forms first board of directors

Eight leaders representing diverse disciplines will help guide the organization's goal to unite the autism field and advance meaningful change

WALNUT CREEK, Calif., Nov. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Bringing together expertise from across healthcare, research, education, policy, business and advocacy, the National Society of Autism Professionals (NSAP) officially assembled its first board of directors this month.

The move comes ahead of NSAP's inaugural board meeting on Nov. 17 in Dallas, where the newly minted directors will review governance documentation, and establish meeting procedures and communication protocols.

Six months after its foundation, the announcement marks another milestone for NSAP in its mission to create a unified voice capable of advancing meaningful change for autism professionals as well as autistic individuals and their families.

"The challenges facing the autism field don't exist within the boundaries of any one profession and neither should the solutions," said NSAP President and CEO Robin McLeod, Ph.D. "We've brought together leaders who approach this work from very different perspectives while sharing a commitment to improving the lives of autistic individuals and their families. Their collective expertise will be instrumental in helping NSAP build a stronger, more connected field that is both guided by evidence and responsive to the people it serves."

The eight inaugural board members are:

Jeff Beck – CEO and co-founder of AnswersNow, a virtual platform providing individualized, BCBA-led autism therapy and caregiver support. A licensed clinical social worker and former in-home therapist, he founded the company to address longstanding barriers to accessing high-quality services. Under his leadership, AnswersNow has expanded to serve thousands of families across six states.

Neil Hattangadi, M.D. – co-founder and CEO of Cortica, a physician-led provider of multidisciplinary, whole-child autism care serving more than 20,000 patients annually across eight states. A physician and healthcare entrepreneur, he has helped advance integrated care models, clinical research and value-based partnerships designed to improve access, outcomes and affordability. He earned degrees from Duke University, Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar, and Harvard Medical School.

Megan Henshall – founder and chief impact officer of The Neu Project, an organization focused on advancing neuro-informed design strategies and practices. She also leads partnership strategy for workplace experience at Google and is the founder and co-lead of the Google Experience Institute, a global interdisciplinary coalition. Her work explores how intentional design can better support human needs, connection and organizational performance.

Ben Pfingston – a researcher at Catalight, one of the largest nonprofit behavioral health networks in the Unites States, and an autistic self-advocate whose work focuses on improving the scientific rigor and real-world impact of autism research. His research spans social cognition, intervention outcomes and the measurement of wellbeing among autistic individuals. He holds a master's degree in social-personality psychology from the University of Oregon.

Mai Pham, M.D. – president of the Institute for Exceptional Care, a nonprofit dedicated to transforming healthcare for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. A physician and national health policy leader, she previously served as chief innovation officer at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation and vice president at Anthem, where she led value-based care initiatives. Her work has helped shape national approaches to healthcare quality, payment reform and access.

Amanda Philp, Ph.D., BCBA – the state coordinator of autism programs for the New Jersey Department of Education's Office of Special Education. With more than 20 years of experience in K-12 and higher education, she works in the fields of research, policy and practice to improve educational systems and outcomes for students with autism and other disabilities. She earned her doctorate from Teachers College, Columbia University.

Steven Merahn, M.D. – enterprise chief medical officer of Perimeter Healthcare and a nationally recognized leader in whole-child care for children with complex needs, particularly autism and intellectual and developmental disabilities. A pediatrician with expertise spanning behavioral health, population health and value-based care, he is active in national policy through the American Academy of Pediatrics Council on Children with Disabilities. He is also the author of "Care Evolution: Essays on Health as a Social Imperative."

Micheal Sandbank, Ph.D. – an internationally recognized researcher specializing in early interventions for autistic children. She leads Project AIM, an ongoing comprehensive meta-analysis of nonpharmacological interventions for young autistic children that was recognized among the top advances in autism research by the federal Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee in 2020. Her research has appeared in leading scientific journals and informed clinical guidelines for autism care and support.

The board will help guide NSAP's strategic direction as the organization works to strengthen professional standards, define quality care, strengthen accountability, advance evidence-based practices and advocate for policies that improve outcomes for autistic individuals and their families across the lifespan.

"From the beginning, we've said that NSAP must be shaped by the professionals it represents," McLeod said. "Establishing this board is an important step toward making that vision a reality. Our directors will help us build an organization that not only brings together cross-disciplinary leaders but gives them the structure and collective influence to move the field forward."

Launched with support from The Catalight Group, NSAP is a first-of-its-kind professional society working to advocate for autism care as a whole field – not the too often fragmented sum of its parts. The organization continues to welcome members interested in helping shape its direction and priorities.

For more information, visit NSAP's Board of Directors page.

About the National Society of Autism Professionals 

The National Society of Autism Professionals (NSAP) is a member-driven professional society uniting cross-disciplinary professionals whose work focuses on bettering the lives and futures of autistic individuals and their families. NSAP exists to break down silos, define shared standards and strengthen objective accountability – creating a unified professional voice to improve outcomes across the lifespan. The organization was launched with founding support from The Catalight Group, a nonprofit behavioral health organization dedicated to expanding access to evidence-based, outcomes-driven care.

SOURCE National Society of Autism Professionals (NSAP)