Dr. Thomas is a nationally recognized child welfare leader and subject matter expert in human service system redesign and performance improvement. She brings over two decades of experience working directly with public, private, and Tribal child welfare agency leaders and staff in more than 20 jurisdictions to design, implement, and monitor effectiveness of strategic initiatives. Her work lives at the intersection of research, policy, and practice, with deep experience translating and leveraging evidence to develop policy, practice, and infrastructure solutions designed to improve child welfare outcomes for children, families and communities facing adversity. Informed by more than ten years of federal service in the Children’s Bureau’s regional and central offices, Dr. Thomas builds the capacity of states to effectively implement federal child welfare programs, identify and address areas needing improvement, and establish accountability mechanisms. Her robust network of strategic relationships with federal, state, private, non-profit, university, and philanthropic partners are central to her influence and impact on improving the outcomes and experiences of children and families involved with the child welfare system.