Our Team

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).

Kathleen M. Gibson

Past President & CEO | Consultant

Kathleen Gibson became President & CEO of Southwestern Medical Foundation in 2012. Prior to that, she worked in financial services at Citibank as President of Texas and Central US Commercial. Gibson spent 25 preceding years at Bank of America in various roles including Head of Asset Management Risk, President of Southwest US Private Banking, Head of Southwest Corporate Banking, and President of Bank of America Dallas.  Gibson is the 10th President in Southwestern Medical Foundation’s more than eighty-year history and the first woman to be asked to lead the organization.

In 2022, following ten years of service, Gibson instituted a CEO succession plan to recruit the next Foundation leader and provide sufficient time for an orderly transition.

Gibson has steered the Foundation’s strategic priorities toward long-term sustained impact and has grown both assets and endowment over $1 billion. During her tenure, grant-making has accelerated such that two-thirds of total Foundation grants have been made in the past 10 years. Gibson has established new efforts to engage a broad community of advocates and contributors, while leading the Foundation’s business, investments, and programs to maximize impact in addressing community needs.

Gibson is active in the community serving on the boards of Southwestern Medical Foundation, Texas A&M Foundation, Dallas Committee on Foreign Relations, Texas Higher Education Foundation, Philanthropy Southwest, Visiting Nurses Association of Texas, and LaunchBio.

Her prior civic involvement includes service on the boards of the Dallas Regional Chamber, Children’s Medical Center, Dallas Center for the Performing Arts Foundation, The Dallas Opera, The Lamplighter School, Dallas Citizens Council, BioNTX, and the Dallas 2012 Olympic Bid Committee.

She is active at Texas A&M University as a member of the board and past Chair of Texas A&M Foundation, past Chair of The Association of Former Students, and as a member of the Advisory Board of The Bush School of Government and Public Service. Gibson has been recognized by Texas A&M as a Distinguished Alumnus and honored with the Tyrus R. Timm Honor Registry and Women’s Legacy Awards.

She has received recognition by the Dallas Business Journal as a ‘Top 25 Industry Leader in Women in Business,’ and the Profiles in Diversity Journal in the 10th Annual “Women Worth Watching” edition.

Born in Texas, Gibson lived several early years in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Texas A&M University and attended school at SMU in Oxford and SMU in Russia. Kathleen and her husband, Robert, have two daughters, Catherine, and Sarah.

Kay Schlankey, CPA

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 Davis

Director of Gift and 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.

Renee English, CAP

Executive Assistant

Renee began her 40-year career in assisting as a real estate secretary in residential properties, advancing to commercial and rental properties, and then moved into assisting executives in various industries, including wholesale distribution, uranium mining, and government defense contracting.

Renee provides high-level administrative support to the Foundation with calendar management, special events, and program planning. She builds and maintains strong relationships with donors, Board members, and other constituents, serving as an ambassador of the Foundation, with a demonstrated commitment to maintaining the Foundation’s positive image.

A native of Oklahoma, Renee came to Dallas in 1994 for a job search and to be closer to family.  Renee is physically active and enjoys volunteering, crafts, and baking, winning multiple ribbons at state fair competitions.  She and her husband, Bob, love traveling, cruising to warm locations, and attending Oklahoma State Cowboys football games.

Blake Evans

Manager of Donor Relations

Blake’s nonprofit career began at the George W. Bush Presidential Center, where she served in an administrative capacity supporting Evaluation and Research, as well as Institute Operations. She has since worked for MoneyGram, MoneyGram Foundation, and UTD’s Center for BrainHealth. Most recently, she served as a program coordinator for Cicero’s Social Impact team.

Blake joined the Foundation in 2020 to serve as Donor Relations Manager. She strategically organizes a plan to provide stewardship for current and prospective donors, supports the planning of Foundation programs and events, and helps manage affinity group efforts.

Born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana, Blake moved to Dallas to attend Southern Methodist University. She spent a summer studying in Innsbruck, Austria and graduated Magna Cum Laude from SMU with a degree in Marketing and minors in French and Psychology. Blake loves traveling, painting, and spending time with her husband, Clay, and their dog, Pippa.

Rephael Foster

Senior Financial Analyst | Treasury Manager

Rephael Foster has served as Senior Financial Analyst at Southwestern Medical Foundation since January 2017. In addition, he was promoted to Treasury Manager in January 2022. Prior to joining the Foundation team, he worked at Trimont Real Estate Advisors as Associate Director of Asset Management, where he led the team managing a special situations fund.

As Senior Financial Analyst & Treasure Manager, Rephael supports the Finance and Accounting Team by maintaining the investment and consulting relationships of the portfolio, working with our custodial bank to manage the monthly closings of the investment portfolio, and meeting with current and prospective fund managers. Rephael also works alongside the CFO to manage the Foundation’s treasury accounts.

Rephael is a native Texan, born in Grand Prairie to a large family of seven other siblings. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics from The University of Texas at Arlington. Rephael lives in Waxahachie with his wife Holly, and three young children, Felicity, Everett, and Penelope. Free time is mostly spent tending to the family garden, matching wits with Holly in a nightly chess game, and the occasional fly fishing excursion to the neighborhood pond.

Trae Holmes, CPA

Director of Accounting

Trae Holmes began his role as Director of Accounting for the Foundation in July 2022. Prior to joining the Foundation, he worked for more than 24 years in the public accounting industry primarily serving non-profit organizations. For the last 10 years he was a Director of outsourced accounting at CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA). Prior to his time at CLA he provided audit, tax and assurance services to non-profit organizations while working at Crowe Horwath. Trae is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and member of the AICPA and Texas Society of CPAs.

As Director of Accounting, Trae oversees the day-to-day accounting of the organization while providing additional support to the CFO. He has responsibility over month-end close, including financial statement preparation along with managing the annual audit and tax return filings for the Foundation. Trae also helps prepare financial reports for the Board of Directors and various committees of the Foundation.

Born in Georgia, Trae later attended high school in Indiana and went on to attend Indiana University where he majored in Accounting and Finance. While at Indiana he met his wife, Susan, and they have two kids, Drew and Ella. The family moved to Texas in 2012 and currently reside in Flower Mound.  Much of his free time is spent supporting his kids at various baseball/football fields, and attending theater performances or dance/cheer competitions around DFW. He also enjoys spending time outdoors, hiking, fishing, boating, and attending or watching various sporting events.

Brittany Lebling

Director of Communications

Brittany Lebling joined Southwestern Medical Foundation in 2017. Prior to that, she led change management for global operational initiatives at CBRE and consulted executives on change and communications plans.

Lebling joined the Foundation with the charge to tell its story more broadly through strategic marketing and communications. Leading omnichannel strategies across print, web, email, and social media, she is responsible for connecting the Foundation team, donors, and advocates to the impact of the Foundation’s history and the potential that lies ahead.

Born in Maryland, Lebling has also lived in Houston, Texas, and Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Media Arts and Design from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia. Brittany is a lover of live music and travel, and enjoys sharing both with her children and husband.

Dustin Magwire

Digital Media Manager

Dustin Magwire joined the communications team at Southwestern Medical Foundation in January of 2022. He began his career in freelance production as an associate producer, working on the History Channel Production: Most Extreme Airports. After that, he worked for several years in broadcast media promotions throughout Texas before settling into a digital media role at Baylor Scott & White Institute for Rehabilitation.

Dustin joined a growing communications team at the Foundation to help build out its expanding digital communications footprint. He supports the Foundation by connecting donors and advocates to the important mission of driving medical progress forward.

Though he was born in Nebraska and raised in the Kansas City area, Dustin has called Texas home since 2005. He graduated from the University of North Texas with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Radio, Television and Film. Dustin enjoys biking, camping, sports, and live music, and is always up for a new outdoor adventure with his wife, Sarah, and their two children Owen and Ruby.

Paget Paul

Assistant to the President and CEO

Much of Paget’s career was as a legal assistant at a well-respected Dallas law firm.  The attorneys she supported primarily represented landowners, developers, and builders in zoning, land use, and complex litigation matters. Paget shifted occupational gears in 2017 to pursue her Texas real estate license and worked for a few years as a local Realtor® with a top-producing team.

Paget joined the Southwestern Medical Foundation in November 2020 to provide high-level administrative support and calendar management to the President and CEO. Her frequent communication with board members, donors, and partners allows her to build and maintain relationships, which are of utmost importance to her and the Foundation.

Although Paget was born in Pennsylvania, she considers herself a Texan since moving to the Dallas area at a young age.  She and her husband Blaine enjoy traveling, especially to beach destinations. Their blended family includes three sons, Colton, Josh, and Walker, and a daughter, Kaity. Besides traveling, some of Paget’s other interests are Pilates reformer classes, reading, and home improvement projects.

Stephanie Vidikan

Director of Project Management

Stephanie Vidikan joined the Foundation in 2015 upon moving to Dallas from Washington, D.C. Prior to working at the Foundation, she oversaw operations for 1776, a global incubator and co-working space for startups in healthcare, transportation, education, and financial services.

Stephanie oversees project management for the Foundation, collaborating with the leadership team and external partners to drive progress toward each of the Foundation’s key objectives. She is focused on developing, driving execution, and measuring the impact of the Foundation’s strategic goals.

Stephanie earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in International Studies from Centre College in Danville, KY, and studied in Mexico, Western Europe, and Morocco. She enjoys exploring new areas around the Dallas area with her husband, Michael, and her two sons, Akiva and Jacob.