WASHINGTON — Robert Thomas, a U.S. Army veteran from Cleveland who lives with a spinal cord injury, serves as national president and chairman of the board of Paralyzed Veterans of America (PVA), the organization’s highest elected office.
This profile is part of #250for250, a NexfinityNews series marking America’s 250th anniversary in 2026 by recognizing 250 veterans and the leaders who serve them — Americans whose commitment to country did not end when they left the uniform. Thomas is honored for giving paralyzed veterans an elected voice before Congress and the nation.
An Elected Volunteer Leader
PVA’s structure separates its top elected office from its professional management. The national president is chosen by the organization’s board from among its members — veterans who themselves live with spinal cord injury or disease — and serves one-year terms, while a chief executive officer runs day-to-day operations. In simple terms, the president is the membership’s elected voice, and the CEO is the hired manager.
Thomas, who previously served as PVA’s national senior vice president, was elected to the top office by the board on June 30, 2023, beginning his term on July 1. He has since been re-elected, continuing to lead the organization through its 80th-anniversary year in 2026.
A Voice on Capitol Hill
As national president, Thomas is PVA’s leading advocate before Congress. He testifies regularly before the House and Senate Veterans’ Affairs committees, pressing for protection of the VA’s specialized spinal-cord system of care and warning about the consequences of nurse-staffing shortages that can force the closure of SCI/D beds.
His advocacy is personal. “Without this care, I don’t know where I would be,” Thomas has told lawmakers, speaking for the many veterans who depend on the VA’s specialized services to manage catastrophic disabilities.
Under Thomas and PVA’s leadership, the organization has pressed Congress on legislation affecting disabled veterans, from staffing for the VA’s spinal-cord centers to broader caregiver and benefits measures. PVA also funds medical research — including work that contributed to the development of a non-addictive pain medication — and develops career services, accessibility standards, and adaptive sports programs that extend its reach well beyond direct advocacy.
What PVA Does
Paralyzed Veterans of America is the only congressionally chartered veterans service organization dedicated solely to veterans with spinal cord injury or disease, including multiple sclerosis and ALS. Founded in 1946, it operates more than 70 offices and 33 chapters serving all 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. The organization helped secure the Americans with Disabilities Act, pioneered wheelchair basketball, and authored accessibility standards used worldwide.
Analysis
The elected-president model gives PVA a leader who embodies its membership rather than merely managing it. For an organization whose mission is rooted in the daily realities of living with paralysis, having a president who shares those realities lends moral weight to its advocacy — particularly on Capitol Hill, where lawmakers hear directly from someone whose life depends on the policies under debate.
Conclusion
Thomas’s leadership pairs with that of PVA’s professional staff to advance a singular mission: ensuring that veterans with the most catastrophic disabilities are not left without a voice or the specialized care they require.
Key Takeaways
- Robert Thomas, a U.S. Army veteran and Cleveland native, is national president and chairman of the board of Paralyzed Veterans of America.
- He was first elected to the office on June 30, 2023, and has since been re-elected; the role is an elected, member-chosen position.
- Thomas previously served as PVA’s national senior vice president.
- He testifies before Congress to protect the VA’s specialized spinal-cord system of care.
- PVA, founded in 1946, is the only congressionally chartered VSO dedicated solely to veterans with spinal cord injury or disease.
Sources
- PR Newswire — PVA Elects Robert Thomas as National President: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/paralyzed-veterans-of-america-elects-us-army-veteran-robert-thomas-as-its-new-national-president-and-chairman-of-the-board-301867996.html
- Paralyzed Veterans of America — Leadership: https://pva.org/about-us/leadership/
- Paralyzed Veterans of America — PVA Celebrates 80 Years: https://pva.org/news-and-media-center/recent-news/paralyzed-veterans-of-america-celebrates-80-years-of-impact-and-influence-invites-public-at-large-to-help-fuel-the-power-of-pva/