Rachel Cafarchio Thomas, MBA, BSN, RN, CNN, NEA-BC, FACHE, has built a distinguished career in health care leadership defined by integrity, innovation, and a deep commitment to patient-centered care. As senior director of the Memorial Transplant Institute at Memorial Regional Hospital and Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital in Hollywood, Florida, she oversees multi-organ transplant programs. Under Ms. Thomas’ leadership, the Institute has experienced unprecedented growth and achieved outcomes ranked among the best in Florida and among the top in the nation.
Ms. Thomas deeply values and loves the culture at Memorial, where teamwork, respect, and patient-centered care are central to everything she does. She began her professional journey as a travel dialysis nurse, gaining a broad view of patient care across the country. Seeing a critical gap in access, she created and built the role of national director of home dialysis at DaVita, where she advanced home-based renal therapies and patient education initiatives nationwide.
After donating one of her own kidneys to a family member, Ms. Thomas transitioned into transplant administration, taking on progressive leadership roles across Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, Rush University Medical Center, MedStar Georgetown Transplant Institute, and Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital. In these roles, she supported programs spanning kidney, pancreas, liver, and heart transplantation — experience that ultimately prepared her for her favorite role at Memorial, where she has driven growth, strengthened operations, and fostered a collaborative culture.
Ms. Thomas is deeply committed to building transparent organizations where challenges are addressed through open communication and systems improvement. Known for addressing serious regulatory challenges, she takes pride in always leaving every program stronger than she found it. She sees herself as a servant leader, focused on providing resources, eliminating barriers, and empowering frontline teams to achieve their highest potential.
Ms. Thomas’ education includes an Executive Master of Business Administration from The University of New Orleans, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing from Loyola University New Orleans, and a Registered Nurse Diploma from Crouse-Irving Memorial Hospital School of Nursing in Syracuse, New York. She also holds credentials as a certified nephrology nurse and a nurse executive, advanced (board-certified), and she recently earned the prestigious Fellow of the American College of Healthcare Executives (FACHE) credential.
Ms. Thomas has served as a keynote speaker and presented on topics such as servant leadership, transplant finance, and home dialysis in professional forums. She is always willing to share her personal donation story to encourage others to consider “this precious gift of life”. She currently serves as chair of the Life Alliance Organ Recovery Agency’s Medical Advisory Board and as a board member of the National Kidney Foundation of Florida, where she continues to advance the mission of organ donation and transplant care across the state.
Proud mother of Zachary, a hardworking electrician, and Olivia, a talented esthetician, Ms. Thomas credits her strong Christian faith and close-knit upbringing as the youngest of eight siblings for shaping her resilience and purpose. Outside of work, she enjoys racquetball, ping pong, strength training, swimming, mentoring, calligraphy, and exploring new recipes — channeling the same energy and commitment she brings to her leadership roles.