Dr. Thomas W. Nygaard, chairman of Centra Health’s board of directors and a specialist in cardiovascular medicine, will be the keynote speaker for the University of Lynchburg’s 2024 undergraduate and master’s program Commencement exercises.
Undergraduate Commencement will be held at 9 a.m. on Thursday, May 16, on the University’s Shellenberger Field. Commencement exercises for the master’s programs — except for the Master of PA Medicine, which is included in a separate ceremony — will begin at 7 p.m. on Friday, May 17, in Turner Gymnasium.
Nygaard obtained undergraduate degrees in chemistry and mathematics from Vanderbilt University and continued at Vanderbilt’s School of Medicine to obtain his MD. He completed his internship and residency in internal medicine at Johns Hopkins Hospital and a cardiology fellowship at the University of Virginia, where he worked as a faculty member before coming to Centra.
A major health care provider in the greater Lynchburg area and beyond, Centra serves around 500,000 people and has partnered with the University on various initiatives and programs. University of Lynchburg President Dr. Alison Morrison-Shetlar serves alongside Nygaard on Centra’s board of directors.
Centra provides comprehensive cardiovascular services that Nygaard expanded during his tenure there, establishing the cardiac catheterization lab and interventional cardiology programs. He is board-certified in internal medicine, cardiovascular disease, and formerly in interventional cardiology.
Before retiring, Nygaard held several leadership roles at Centra, including as chief medical officer and senior vice president. He served as a board member and later president of Centra Medical Group, a regional network of affiliated care offices. He is also a board member of Piedmont Community Health Plan, a regional insurance provider linked with Centra.
Nygaard’s work has partially extended abroad through Madaktari Africa, a U.S.-based nonprofit that bolsters health care workers in Africa. He has volunteered to help grow cardiovascular care in Tanzania through Madaktari and served on its board. In addition, Nygaard served as a member of the Central Virginia Medical Missions Team, helping expand access to care in Jamaica.
Over the course of his career, Nygaard has been a principal investigator in nearly 40 clinical trials and has contributed to many medical publications and abstracts.
He is a past chairman of the National D-Day Memorial Foundation’s board, past president of Vanderbilt’s Medical Alumni Board, and current chairman of the Medical Alumni Board’s campaign cabinet.
Nygaard has supported the University of Lynchburg on its PA Medicine Advisory Board.
“Dr. Nygaard is an exceptional leader in our community who deeply shares our values,” said Dr. Alison Morrison-Shetlar, the University of Lynchburg’s president. “I am thrilled our students will have the opportunity to learn from his incredible experience and example.”
Nygaard graciously stepped in when Lynchburg’s original Commencement speaker, Maj. Gen. Losuba Ludoru Wongo Upele, cabinet minister in the Ministry of Federal Affairs in South Sudan, was unexpectedly unable to attend. Upele is currently in Nairobi for peace talks and was planning to leave the talks early to participate in Lynchburg’s Commencement ceremonies. His country’s national security and pursuit of a new constitution, however, made it difficult for him to attend.
