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Stephen B. Thomas, PhD, is Professor of Health Services Administration in the School of Public Health and Director of the Maryland Center for Health at the University of Maryland in College Park. Dr. Thomas is one of the nation's leading scholars on community-based interventions to improve obesity, diabetes, hypertension, HIV AIDS and violence. He is Principal Investigator (with Dr. Quinn) on the NIH-NIMHD National Bioethics Research Infrastructure Initiative focused on “plain language” delivery of scientifically sound and relevant research. 

Dr. Thomas served as the Inaugural Philip Hallen Professor of Community Health at the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health (2000-2010). He was awarded the 2005 David Satcher Award from the Directors of Health Promotion and Education for his leadership in increasing health literacy and the improvement of health promotion and disease prevention programs adults age 50 and over. In 2004, he received the Alonzo Smyth Yerby Award from the Harvard School of Public Health for his work with people suffering poor health literacy and the health effects of poverty.  In 2014, Democratic Gov. O’Malley appointed Dr. Thomas to the Maryland Health Care Commission, an independent regulatory agency whose mission is to plan for health system needs, promote informed decision-making, increase accountability, and improve access to quality medical and dental care. In 2019, Republican Gov. Larry Hogan appointed him to a new full term on the Commission.