Our Team
Meet the founders and advisors behind Pilots for HIMS Reform. Our coalition is led by aviation professionals with firsthand experience in the HIMS system and supported by experts committed to ethical, science-based medical oversight.
Founders
Captain Mike Danford
Mike is a former U.S. Navy carrier pilot and Delta Air Lines Captain who was terminated following a disputed PEth test—despite confirmatory results proving no alcohol use. His personal investigation into false positives helped drive a landmark peer-reviewed study in 2025. Mike now serves as a flight instructor and FAA-certified mechanic, and continues to fight for transparency, fairness, and science-based reform across aviation.
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Captain Maurice MacEwen
Maurice is an airline captain with nearly two decades of flight experience. As a co-founder of Pilots for HIMS Reform, he brings firsthand knowledge of the FAA medical certification process and a relentless drive for systemic accountability and reform.
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Anonymous Co-Founder
One of our co-founders is an accomplished aviation professional with extensive leadership and operational experience. For professional and personal reasons, he has chosen to remain anonymous at this time. His insights and expertise add credibility to our mission, and he plays a vital role in advancing transparency, fairness, and integrity in medical evaluations and policy development for pilots and controllers.
(Full bio coming soon, shared when anonymity can be safely lifted.)
Directors
Our directors provide critical leadership across strategy, outreach, and communications. For professional and personal reasons, they have chosen to remain anonymous at this time. As with our advisory board, we will proudly publish their bios when it is safe to do so.
- Director of Government Affairs – Anonymous
- Director of Digital Strategy – Anonymous
- Director of Media Affairs – Anonymous
Advisory Board
Our Advisory Board includes both publicly recognized and confidential members. We are honored to introduce our first public member and Chair of the Advisory Board:
Dr. Diego M. Garcia, Chair
Dr. Diego M. Garcia is an award-winning physician-scientist and aerospace medicine specialist with more than 15 years of experience in high-risk operational environments. His career spans regulatory agencies, military aviation, and the aerospace industry, where he has served as an aeromedical assessor, safety investigator, and systems safety expert. As Chair of the Advisory Board, Dr. Garcia leads a distinguished panel of medical and legal experts guiding P4HR’s reform efforts.
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Alongside Dr. Garcia, our Advisory Board is composed of highly qualified professionals who provide guidance, insight, and technical expertise to the reform effort. This includes:
- Multiple HIMS Aviation Medical Examiners (AMEs)
- Multiple HIMS Neuropsychologists
- Multiple HIMS Psychiatrists
- Attorneys with FAA medical and employment law experience
- A policy-focused federal lobbyist
For reasons of professional safety and to protect their patients and careers, many advisory board members have chosen to serve confidentially at this time. Their decision to remain anonymous is a powerful reflection of the environment we aim to reform—one where even the most experienced professionals face potential retaliation for speaking out.