Preventing traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a team effort where Alex Valadka, M.D., FAANS, FACS, Professor of Neurological Surgery, continues to lead – from ballparks to national organizations.

As a longtime consultant to Major League Baseball for TBI, Dr. Valadka has played a key role in changing the rules to stop base runners from crashing into position players while trying to get on base. The rule changes have been a win for injury prevention.

“In a peer-reviewed article, we demonstrated a significant reduction in concussions caused by collisions between base runners and fielders,” he said. “Now we’re exploring other ways to reduce TBI at specific positions.”

Dr. Valadka’s advocacy efforts in neurosurgery and neurotrauma also span federal policy initiatives, regulatory engagement, and even National Institutes of Health study sections. He has served as President of the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and Vice Chair of the American Board of Neurological Surgery. Additionally, he has chaired the AANS/Congress of Neurological Surgeons Washington Committee, the Neurosurgical Specialty Group of the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, and the Neurological/Behavioral Health Subcommittee of the Defense Health Board, the federal advisory committee to the U.S. Secretary of Defense.

For his national leadership, Dr. Valadka has been selected for the 2026 AANS Distinguished Advocate Award, which recognizes strong advocacy for neurosurgeons, patients, and the profession. Founded in 1931 as the Harvey Cushing Society, the AANS is a leading scientific and educational organization with over 12,000 global members at the forefront of treating disorders affecting the nervous system. The Distinguished Advocate Award was presented in May at the 2026 AANS Annual Scientific Meeting in San Antonio.

“It’s gratifying and humbling to be singled out for work that was done – and continues to be done – by many people over a long period of time,” said Dr. Valadka, who also serves as Chief of Neurological Surgery at Parkland Health.

“Advocacy is a way to help patients that’s outside the purely clinical realm. And things come back in a full circle because advocacy work brings greater energy and focus to the clinical work,” he added.

After earning his medical degree at the University of Chicago Pritzker School of Medicine, Dr. Valadka completed a residency in neurological surgery at the Medical College of Virginia. He joined the UT Southwestern faculty in 2022.

Looking ahead, Dr. Valadka said he is excited about strengthening and growing the clinical neurotrauma research program at UT Southwestern and Parkland as well as continuing his volunteer work helping colleagues in Ukraine as they care for large numbers of injured patients.

“They’ve revolutionized the way we manage combat-related TBI in an unprecedented type of war,” Dr. Valadka said.