BIAA Announces 2026 Berrol and Caveness Award Recipients

Fairfax, VA – The Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) has announced the recipients of the annual BIAA Awards Program, which recognizes outstanding contributions to clinical service and research in brain injury. Drew Nagele, PsyD, ABPP, FACRM, CBIST, CESP, is the recipient of the 2026 Sheldon Berrol, M.D., Clinical Service Award, and Shari L. Wade, Ph.D., is the recipient of the 2026 William Fields Caveness Award. The awards were presented during the 2026 National Brain Injury Conference and Awareness Day on March 10.

“We are proud to recognize Dr. Nagele and Dr. Wade for their outstanding accomplishments and contributions to the fields of brain injury clinical service and research,” said Rick Willis, President and CEO of BIAA. “Dr. Nagele and Dr. Wade have dedicated their careers to improving the quality of care of people with brain injury.”

Drew Nagele, PsyD, ABPP, FACRM, CBIST, CESP: 2026 Sheldon Berrol, M.D. Clinical Service Award Recipient

Dr. Drew Nagele is a board-certified rehabilitation psychologist trained in neurorehabilitation with a 40-year career in creating and running brain injury rehabilitation programs for children, adolescents, and adults with acquired brain injury. He was a co-founder of the Pennsylvania and Florida BIAA state affiliates and serves part-time as a surveyor for the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF). He volunteers on the Board of Governors of BIAA’s Academy of Certified Brain Injury Specialists (ACBIS), developing an advanced practice certification in neurorehabilitation. Dr. Nagele is co-principal investigator on three federal grants working with brain injury in schools, prisons, and neuroresource facilitation. He is also a clinical professor at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine (PCOM), where he teaches neuropsychology, neuropathology, and cognitive rehabilitation. Dr. Nagele co-chairs the Pediatric and Adolescent Task Force of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine’s Brain Injury Interdisciplinary Special Interest Group and is also a Fellow of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine.

Shari L. Wade, Ph.D.: 2026 William Fields Caveness Award

Dr. Shari L. Wade is a distinguished pediatric rehabilitation psychologist known for her groundbreaking work in pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) and technology-assisted family interventions. She currently serves as Professor of Pediatrics and Director of Research in the Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, roles she has held since 2005. Dr. Wade earned her B.A. in psychology from Cornell University, followed by an M.A. and Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Pittsburgh. She completed a predoctoral fellowship at Yale University and a postdoctoral fellowship in pediatric psychology at Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital (1989). Her research has profoundly shaped the understanding and treatment of pediatric TBI, particularly the profound role of families in promoting recovery. She has led influential federally funded projects focused on family-centered and web-based rehabilitation interventions and has authored more than 300 peer-reviewed publications. Her work has been supported by major agencies, including NICHD, NIMH, CDC, and NIDRR, and she received the International Pediatric Brain Injury Society’s first Jane Gillett Award for her contributions to the field. Dr. Wade’s career continues to advance evidence-based, technology-driven approaches that improve outcomes for children with acquired brain injuries and support their families.