Sarah and Ross Perot, Jr. recognized with Center for BrainHealth's 2026 Legacy Award

The award recognizes leaders whose vision accelerates the Center's mission to transform how people understand and strengthen the brain.

Published on Mar. 5, 2026

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During a sold-out celebration at the National Medal of Honor Museum in Arlington, Texas, Center for BrainHealth, part of UT Dallas, recognized Sarah and Ross Perot, Jr. with its 2026 Legacy Award. The award recognizes leaders whose vision accelerates the Center's mission to transform how people understand and strengthen the brain.

Why it matters

Brain health is emerging as a defining issue for America's future workforce, military readiness and community well-being. The Center for BrainHealth's work to provide essential brain health tools for U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) operators, veterans and their families is critical.

The details

Sarah and Ross Perot, Jr. have been deeply engaged in supporting the Center for BrainHealth's Optimal BrainHealth for Warfighters initiative, which provides research-based brain health strategies to address challenges such as traumatic brain injury (TBI) and post-traumatic stress (PTS), while also building resilience ahead of deployment. Their commitment reflects a long-standing family legacy of supporting U.S. military service members and advancing innovative health, technology and community-building initiatives across North Texas and beyond.

  • The 2026 Legacy Award Dinner took place on March 5, 2026.

The players

Sarah Perot

Co-recipient of the Center for BrainHealth's 2026 Legacy Award.

Ross Perot, Jr.

Co-recipient of the Center for BrainHealth's 2026 Legacy Award.

Center for BrainHealth

A nonprofit translational research institute committed to enhancing, preserving and restoring brain health across the lifespan, part of The University of Texas at Dallas.

Sandra Bond Chapman, PhD

Founder and chief director at Center for BrainHealth.

Admiral William H. McRaven (Ret.)

Keynote speaker at the 2026 Legacy Award Dinner.

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What they’re saying

“The human brain is powerful, resilient and capable of extraordinary growth when given the right tools. The Center for BrainHealth is helping people strengthen their performance, recover from challenges and realize their potential in ways that truly matter. Sarah and I are humbled to be recognized with this year's Legacy Award, and we accept it with deep appreciation for the innovative, compassionate community that makes this work possible. We love this city and this state, and we are grateful to play even a small part in advancing the center's mission.”

— Ross Perot, Jr. (eurekalert.org)

“Sarah and Ross embody the kind of leadership that elevates human potential. As our Legacy Award recipients, they bring courage, optimism and a genuine love for people into everything they do. Their ability to see the best in others and to inspire teams, communities and complete strangers to rise to their highest potential is rare. They lead with authenticity and heart, modeling the cognitive resilience and innovative thinking that sit at the core of our mission. Their legacy is one of lifting others up, strengthening the collective brain health of our community and expanding what we all believe is possible.”

— Sandra Bond Chapman, PhD, Founder and chief director, Center for BrainHealth (eurekalert.org)

What’s next

The Center for BrainHealth will continue to expand its Optimal BrainHealth for Warfighters initiative, providing essential brain health tools and strategies to U.S. Special Operations Command (SOCOM) operators, veterans and their families.

The takeaway

The recognition of Sarah and Ross Perot, Jr. with the Center for BrainHealth's 2026 Legacy Award highlights the importance of brain health research and initiatives that support military service members, veterans, and their families. Their commitment to advancing innovative health, technology, and community-building efforts in North Texas and beyond is a testament to the power of leadership and vision in transforming how people understand and strengthen the brain.