Special Article: Charlie Thomas, LCSW, ACSW Retires After a Long and Distinguished Career

Sheila Deziel, MSN, RN, CNN, FNKF

CNSW member, Charlie Thomas, was honored at a gala hosted by the Arizona Kidney Foundation, The Arizona Liver Foundation, Donor Network of Arizona, Banner University Medical Center, National Kidney Foundation of Arizona, and Transplant Community Alliance on Friday May 13^th in Phoenix, AZ. They presented him with an award honoring his 40-year service to patients and the transplant community.  He has been employed as a transplant social worker with Banner University Medical Center in Phoenix since 1985 and was the Dialysis/Transplant Consultant for the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community from 1998-2012. The emcee, Leslie McReynolds, CEO of the NKF of Arizona shared some of his achievements including his most significant career accomplishment which is advocating for expanding the State Medicaid program to cover heart, heart-lung, lung, liver, and bone marrow transplants for the working poor.  

In 2016, CNSW awarded Charlie with the Robert A. Whitlock Lifetime Achievement award. He served as chair of CNSW from 2003-2005. Many of us have heard Charlie speak at the National Kidney Foundation meetings over the years. He has also been invited to speak at the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine and has authored numerous papers on transplant, Native American kidney disease, and patient advocacy. In 2000 the Phoenix Business Journal profiled Charlie as one of the “People Making a Difference.” He was a board member of the NKF of Arizona for 28 years.

In 1999, Senator John McCain recommended him to serve as an expert advisor to the Institute of Medicine regarding the proposed Final Rule for the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network (OPTN). In 2000, Arizona Governor Jane Hull appointed Charlie to serve on the Governor’s State Rehabilitation Council which advises the Arizona Vocational Rehabilitation Program. 

Charlie plans to spend more time with his wife, Linda, and children, Andrea and Jesse and new granddaughter, London. At his party, the band invited Charlie to join them on stage to cap the night.