Thomas Mayes, M.D., M.B.A.

Dr. Tom Mayes is a retired pediatric intensivist and a lung transplant recipient. A native Texan, Tom has received degrees from Baylor University, Georgetown University School of Medicine and the University of Texas San Antonio College of Business. In 1994, after completing active US Air Force service as a pediatrician, he joined the pediatric faculty at UT Health San Antonio. In addition to clinical practice, Tom had a number of key leadership roles at UT Health including 14 years service as pediatric department chairman and a year as interim dean of the medical school.

After completing the RWJF Health Policy Fellowship in 2016, he retired from UT Health and moved to New York City. From there he continued part-time clinical practice as a faculty member of Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center El Paso and in 2018 was appointed pediatric department chairman. Dr. Mayes continually maintained board certification in pediatrics and pediatric critical care medicine and was a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Critical Care Medicine until retirement in 2019.

Fibrotic lung disease diagnosed during the health policy fellowship worsened at the end of 2019 leading to a double lung transplant in February 2021 preceded by 105 days on ECMO in San Antonio. Current interests include recovery and transplant advocacy.