President Francisco G. Cigarroa, M.D., announced Mar. 8 several important changes in key leadership positions at the Health Science Center. The changes follow the announcement by Steven Wartman, M.D, Ph.D., that he has accepted the position of president of the Association of Academic Health Centers in Washington, D.C.
Dr. Cigarroa named Thomas Mayes, M.D., M.B.A., professor and chair of the department of pediatrics, to serve as interim dean of the School of Medicine, effective upon the departure of Dr. Wartman. Dr. Mayes has provided outstanding leadership to this university in many roles: associate dean for clinical affairs of the School of Medicine; chair (and interim chair) of the department of pediatrics; president and chief executive officer (CEO) of University Physicians Group and a host of other leadership roles. Dr. Mayes is a Magna Cum Laude graduate of Baylor University and a Cum Laude graduate of Georgetown University School of Medicine in Washington, D. C. Dr. Mayes is Board-certified in pediatrics and pediatric critical care medicine.
He served with distinction in the USAF Medical Corps and joined the Health Science Center as full-time faculty member in 1994. He has also been a trusted advisor and counselor to many of the university’s top leaders. Dr. Mayes will provide outstanding leadership to the School of Medicine.
Dr. Cigarroa will form a search committee for the permanent dean of the School of Medicine within the next few weeks.
Dr. Mayes was the unanimous choice of the search committee to become chair of the department of pediatrics. While he will maintain that title, Dr. Mayes will be turning over the day-to-day operation of the department to one of the Health Science Center’s most respected leaders, John Mangos, M.D., former chair of the department of pediatrics and the Eloise Alexander Distinguished Chair in pediatric pulmonology. Dr. Mangos will assume the position of acting chair of pediatrics. Dr. Mangos provided exemplary leadership to this department for many years and after he stepped down as chair, he has continued to play a critically important clinical role. He will provide the same exemplary leadership to this department in his role as acting chair.
Dr. Cigarroa also announced that Theresa Chiang, Ed.D, will assume a new role as vice president for academic administration. She has already been performing many of those duties in her position of associate vice president for academic affairs. Dr. Chiang received her Bachelor of Arts from National Taiwan University, her Master of Science from Illinois State University and her Ed.D. from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Prior to joining the Health Science Center in 1998, Dr. Chiang was associate vice president at California State University. She has received numerous professional honors and awards and has published on a wide range of topics. She will be a key liaison with The University of Texas System, the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, and other entities on the critically important academic issues.
Finally, the duties and activities formerly housed in the office of the Executive Vice President for Academic and Health Affairs will be distributed to other offices, primarily that of Dr. Chiang and Dr. Brian Herman, vice president for research.