William H. Thomas is a physician with a special interest in aging and the elderly. In 1991 he conceived the idea of The Eden Alternative™, a new approach to the care of frail elders. Facilities that adopt The Eden Alternative bring decision-making in line with the needs of the Elders, rather than bureaucratic priorities. Once this cultural change has been accomplished they will be able to successfully introduce large numbers of companion animals, indoor plants, gardens and children. Dr. Thomas also pioneered the next phase in care for frail elders with the Green House Project™.

A native of Upstate New York, he attended SUNY Scotland where he earned a B. S. in Biology, summa cum laude in 1982, He graduated from Harvard Medical School in 1986. At Harvard he was one of the founding editors of "Murmurs," a quarterly journal of opinion.

A three-year residency in Family Medicine at the University of Rochester followed medical school. Thomas was selected by the Mead Johnson Foundation as one of the top Family Medicine residents in the country. Now Board Certified in Family Medicine and Geriatrics, he has settled into a rural corner of Chenango County with his wife and partner, Judy Meyers-Thomas as well as their five children. Dr. Thomas enjoys a professional life that includes patient care, medical administration, teaching medical students from Upstate Medical Center and research and writing. He travels extensively, spreading The Eden Alternative philosophy. Dr. Thomas has been involved with developing software and information technology solutions that improve the quality of care delivered by health care organizations. Dr. Thomas has received recognition and numerous awards for his work. Among them, he was a recipient of the 1998 America's Award for "Unsung Heroes, The Giraffe Project's "Sticking Your Neck Out Award," and a 'Distinguished Service in Aging Award" from the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging.

In 1994, Dr. Thomas' first book, "The Eden Alternative: Nature, Hope and Nursing Homes,' was published by the University of Missouri. A revised edition titled "Life Worth Living," was published by Vader & Burn ham in 1996 and received several awards including one of the selections for Book of the Year by the American Journal of Nursing. His next book, "Learning from Hannah" was released in 1999, along with its companion, "The Eden Alternative Handbook". Dr. Thomas adapted "Learning from Hanna", into a one-man theatrical performance, which he performed on 15 occasions during his 31- 27-city "Eden Across America Tour" in July 1999. His latest book "What Are Old People For? How Elders Will Save the World" took him on a multi-city book tour and has been hailed by the NY Daily News as an "Electrifying new book... as revolutions go, this is one we've all been waiting for."