Luminary of the Year - Tennessee

Our 2026 Tennessee Luminary Honoree

We are proud to announce Dr. Mayur B. Patel as our inaugural Tennessee Luminary of the Year honoree. Dr. Patel is a distinguished surgeon-scientist whose work sits at the critical intersection of brain dysfunction and acute illness. He has worked with the Brain Injury Association of America (BIAA) and its Tennessee Chapter for over a decade and served its Board of Directors from 2011 to 2021. As the Division Chief of Acute Care Surgery at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), he oversees the delivery of trauma, burn, emergency general surgery, and critical care across an 80,000-square-mile region, including those patients sustaining Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). Beyond his clinical leadership, Dr. Patel serves as the Department Vice-Chair of Professional Development, where he champions the mentorship and promotion of early career faculty. Read more about Dr. Patel’s work here.

Event Details

The 2026 Tennessee Luminary of the Year event will take place on Thursday, October 8, at the Richland Country Club in Nashville, Tennessee. The event will begin with a cocktail reception, followed by a dinner, the event program, a live auction, and a fund the mission moment, and will finish with a dessert reception. More information on the event will become available in the coming months.

Questions? Contact Kelly Garman at kgarman@biausa.org or (703) 761-0750 x 855.

How You Can Support BIAA-TN and Our Luminary of the Year Event