Dr. Mahan, former dean of the University of South Florida College of Public Health, is currently director of MCH policy for the Florida-based Lawton and Rhea Chiles Center for Healthy Mothers and Babies, a full professor in the University of South Florida College of Medicine's Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, a member of the university's graduate school faculty, and a courtesy clinical professor for the University of Florida College of Medicine.   

Dr. Mahan's illustrious career spans four decades, beginning with a fellowship in endocrinology at Chicago's Cook County Hospital in 1964.  He was instrumental in developing Minnesota's first so-called "red door clinics," designed to reduce the stigma of venereal disease and offer services to populations that previously had no access to care.  In 1982, he wrote the Florida state infant mortality plan, while on sabbatical from the University of Florida's Shands Hospital.  This plan led to the development of the Florida Healthy Start in 1991.  Dr. Mahan also served as Florida's maternal and child health director from 1982-1987 and state health director from 1988-1995.

Dr. Mahan is involved in state and national policy development and is currently guiding ASPH in two major efforts, the development of a national credential for graduates of schools of public health and collaboration with APHA, NACCHO, and ASTHO on solutions for the public health workforce crisis. 

He is also working with the American College of Nurse Midwives to make midwifery the standard of care for Medicaid and to make doulas, trained labor support people, available for Medicaid births.