Jacqueline M. Behr is a board-certified Nurse Practitioner with 24 years of experience in Neurosurgery and Neurology, specializing in the care and treatment of patients with primary brain and spinal tumors, as well as metastatic central nervous system (CNS) disease. She currently serves as Co-Director of the Multidisciplinary CNS Metastasis Program and coordinates the Multidisciplinary CNS Metastasis Tumor Board, bringing together specialists across disciplines to advance comprehensive, collaborative patient care.

Jackie earned her Bachelor of Science in Nursing in 1995 and her Master of Science in Advanced Practice Nursing in 2002, both from St. John Fisher University.

Throughout her tenure at the University of Rochester, Jackie has demonstrated a commitment to innovation and advancing specialized nursing practice. She has developed and established three Nurse Practitioner-managed specialty clinics focused on performing lumbar punctures, managing chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy, and evaluating and treating patients experiencing immune-related neurologic adverse events. These initiatives have expanded access to specialized care while creating opportunities for advanced practice providers to lead and develop innovative models of patient care.

Advocacy and professional leadership have been consistent themes throughout Jackie’s career. She previously served as President of the Greater Rochester Chapter of the American Association of Neuroscience Nurses. She also served on the Board of Directors of the Mary M. Gooley Hemophilia Center, where she held leadership roles as Chair of the Patient Advocacy Committee and Secretary of the Executive Committee. Her commitment to advocacy extended to the national level through her service on the Board of Directors of the Hemophilia Federation of America, where she chaired the Issue Updates Subcommittee of the Advocacy Committee. Through these roles, she has worked to advance patient-centered policies, elevate the voices of patients and families, and promote meaningful change in healthcare.

Jackie has contributed to the peer-reviewed literature through co-authorship of publications addressing several important areas of neurologic and neuro-oncologic care. Her work includes surgical and evidence-based treatment approaches for patients with newly diagnosed high-grade glioma; preserving cognitive function through personalized brain mapping during surgery; the impact of systemic disease on CNS disease control following stereotactic radiosurgery for breast cancer brain metastases; and the classification and management of ischemic stroke in patients with active cancer.

Education and mentorship are also central to Jackie’s professional practice. She is actively involved in educating and mentoring Nurse Practitioner students, newly practicing Nurse Practitioners, Neurology residents, medical students, and undergraduate students. She is passionate about sharing her clinical knowledge, fostering professional growth, and helping develop the next generation of healthcare providers.