Gary L. Mays, MBA, PMP
Mr. Mays has three decades of cross-sector leadership experience with a career spanning public health, defense, energy, and telecommunications. He currently serves as Chief Operating Officer at
Axle, a research and technologies company in Bethesda, Maryland, where he partners with business and government executives to lead operations supporting scientific research, emerging technologies, and innovative product development. His prior experience includes 16 years at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) where he held senior roles in strategic planning, financial management, and public health research. He also served as acting Executive Officer of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER), overseeing operations for the $1.7 billion Center and over 5,000 personnel. Mr. Mays is a certified Project Management Professional with a Senior Executive Service (SES) certification from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. His career has provided opportunities to drive innovation, foster impactful partnerships, and advance translational science for transformative public health outcomes. Mr. Mays also serves on the board of NovaGen Research Fund (
NGRF), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that promotes biomedical research projects in the public health sector.
