PHOENIX — J. Woodfin “Woody” Thomas, a former Litchfield Park mayor, has been re-elected chairman of the Maricopa County Special Health Care District Board, which oversees Valleywise Health, Arizona’s leading public teaching hospital and safety net system of care.
The Board elected Thomas to chair the five-member elected body for another year at a November 21 meeting. Director Mark Dewane was re-elected vice-chairman.
The only West Valley resident to serve on the Board, Thomas was first elected in 2018. He represents District 4, which includes many West Valley communities, including Peoria, Glendale, Goodyear, Avondale, Buckeye, Litchfield Park, El Mirage, Sun City and Sun City West.
“We are on the verge of a new era of healthcare in Maricopa County with the opening of a new Valleywise Health Medical Center in April 2024, and I’m honored to serve as chair during this historic transformation,” Thomas said. The new hospital at 24th Street and Roosevelt will replace the vintage facility that opened in 1971.
“I’m thrilled to continue working with our entire Board, medical staff, hospital leadership and our partners at District Medical Group as we continue to evolve to meet the Valley’s changing healthcare needs. Thanks to their leadership, we are reshaping Valleywise Health to better serve our community, bring in more advanced services and an even greater focus on providing our patients with an exceptional experience.”
Thomas is a Certified General Real Estate Appraiser. He served as Mayor of Litchfield Park from 2000 to 2006, and as a member of the city’s planning and zoning commission from 2006 to 2012.
Born and raised in Towson, Maryland, Thomas received his bachelor’s degree in dairy science from University of Maryland College Park in 1975. He worked in the U.S. Department of Agriculture from 1977 to 2016.
Thomas, who is widowed, has two daughters and two grandchildren. .
Located in Phoenix, Arizona and named one of the 100 Top Hospitals in the nation by IBM Watson Health in 2020, Valleywise Health (formerly Maricopa Integrated Health System) has a proud tradition of being the public safety net health care system with a mission and commitment to serving the underserved. Valleywise Health consists of Valleywise Health Medical Center, Arizona’s only public teaching hospital and Arizona’s only nationally verified Burn Center serving the entire Southwestern United States. Other services include the McDowell Healthcare Center, the largest provider of HIV primary care in Arizona, the Refugee Women’s Health Clinic, three behavioral health centers, and a network of 12 community health
centers located throughout Maricopa County. To learn more, please visit www.ValleywiseHealth.org