Officers & Board of Trustees

Jere W. Thompson, Jr.

Chairman of the Board

Jere Thompson, Jr. was Co-Founder and CEO of Ambit Energy, an international retail energy provider.  Started in 2005, Ambit served 1.2 million electricity and natural gas customers in 17 states, Japan and Canada before being acquired by Vistra Energy, parent company of TXU Energy, in 2019.  In 2010, Ambit was named the #1 Fastest Growing Private Company in America by Inc. Magazine.  Prior to Ambit, Mr. Thompson founded CapRock Fiber Network which built, owned and operated fiber, voice and data networks across Texas and four neighboring states.  He took CapRock Communications public and was CEO until it was acquired in 2000.

Mr. Thompson is past Chairman of the Dallas Citizens Council, and in addition to Southwest Medical Foundation, he sits on the executive boards of the O’Donnell Foundation, the Hoblitzelle Foundation, Dallas Medical Resource and Cistercian Preparatory School.  He served for 11 years as a board member, including 6 years as Chairman, of the Texas Turnpike Authority and later the North Texas Tollway Authority.

Mr. Thompson grew up in Dallas and graduated from Cistercian Preparatory School.  He received an Economics degree from Stanford University and a MBA from The University of Texas in Austin.  He and his wife, Carolyn, have been married 36 years and have five children.

Michael McMahan

President & CEO

Michael McMahan joined the Foundation as President and Chief Executive Officer in March of 2023. Prior to joining the Foundation, he worked at the George W. Bush Presidential Center for 11 years. Michael rose from a program manager to vice president of corporate planning and development during that period.

During his time at the Bush Center, Michael oversaw the $335 million “A Charge to Keep” campaign to endow the Bush Center’s work. In addition, he managed various strategic and operational areas of the Bush Center during his tenure. Michael previously served in the George W. Bush administration in the Department of Energy and is a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin and Southern Methodist University’s Dedman School of Law.

Michael is the 11th President in Southwestern Medical Foundation’s more than eighty-year history. He will oversee the Foundation’s strategic priorities and partnerships to continue to build long-term sustained impact in the advancement of medical research, training, and care.

Additionally, Michael is a member of the Mission and Outreach committee for the St. Michael & All Angels Episcopal Church, a member of the Bush Center’s 43 Club, and Senior Advisor & Counsel to the Global War on Terrorism Memorial Foundation.  Michael and his wife Amy live in Dallas with their two children – Maddie (13) and Lewis (10).

Kay D. Schlankey

Senior Vice President & CFO

Kay Schlankey is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) with nearly 30 years of professional experience in public accounting, with the last 12 years focused primarily on non-profit and tax. Following a decade of dedicated client service at a Dallas regional public accounting firm, she broke out to run her own public accounting and consulting practice.

She holds a Master of Science degree in Management and Administrative Services with a concentration in Accounting from The University of Texas at Dallas, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Advertising/Public Relations from Texas Tech University. She is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the Texas Society of CPAs, actively serving on the Members in Government and Industry Nonprofit Study Group committee which focuses on accounting for non-profit entities. She holds various professional training certifications, including the Executive Certificate in Nonprofit Governance.

Kay began working with Southwestern Medical Foundation in 2006 as a consultant to assist in the accounting system transition and audit preparation work. Shortly thereafter, the Foundation became her most significant workspace and she has been leading the accounting and finance operations for the Foundation ever since. As Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Kay’s responsibilities go beyond overseeing the Accounting and Finance team, touching all areas of the Foundation, including risk management, governance, compliance, technology, and continuity.

A native Texan, Kay spent many years moving around the state before returning to Arlington for her high school years. She met and married the love of her life James, more than 40 years ago while they were both attending Texas Tech University (TTU). Kay, James, and their two large dogs, Abbie and Cocoa, now call Far North Dallas home. They enjoy traveling, mostly to beautiful beaches where they can scuba, snorkel, and relax, while spending time in quest of the perfect retirement spot.

Emily E. Davis

Director of Gift & Fund Administration | Corporate Secretary

Emily Davis became the Director of Gift and Fund Administration and Corporate Secretary in July 2018. She brings more than 10 years of fundraising experience in education and healthcare to her role at the Foundation.

In her role at the Foundation, Emily oversees gift and fund administration, which includes managing gift records, supervising gift processing, and making detailed decisions to assess donor intent and properly steward donor gifts.

Emily grew up in Corpus Christi, Texas, and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Texas A&M University.