University at Buffalo Neurosurgery (UBNS) Chair and neurosurgeon Dr. Elad Levy was selected as the Congress of Neurological Surgeons’ (CNS) 2026 Distinguished Service Award recipient. This award recognizes CNS members who have made multiple enduring contributions to the organization’s educational mission, have provided leadership as Executive Committee members, and mentor aspiring neurosurgeons in residency training and beyond.

Dr. Levy has served on CNS’ Executive Committee since 2007 and served as the organization’s president in 2023. He’s also a past president of the CNS Foundation, where he helped create multiple global philanthropic and educational initiatives.

Through his work with the CNS Foundation, Dr. Levy helped expand access to neurosurgery careers through the Pathway to Neurosurgery program, which launched in Washington, D.C., in 2023. The program worked to mitigate health care disparities by encouraging high school students from underrepresented groups to pursue careers in the field of neurosurgery. 

“It has been one of the greatest honors of my career to serve on the CNS,” Dr. Levy said about the organization. “For the last two decades, the CNS has been a second home, providing a platform to help advance our specialty through education, research, and philanthropy. I am humbled and grateful to the CNS for the mentorship and enrichment it has provided throughout my career.”

Dr. Levy will be honored with this award on Monday, Nov. 2nd at the 76th CNS Annual Meeting’s General Scientific Session II, which will be held at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, D.C. The session will run from 8:40 AM to 12:12 PM, with Dr. Levy receiving his award from 10:49 AM to 10:54 AM. 

UBNS is grateful for this recognition and is proud to have team members committed to advancing neurosurgery and neuro innovation. Through supporting educational and philanthropic efforts, we aim to broaden opportunities for aspiring neurosurgeons and support scientific initiatives.