About The Candidate

I belong to Colonial Heights Unit 284 and have been an ALA Department of Virginia member since 1984. I am eligible through my late father, John Thomas, who served in the U.S. Army during the Korean War era. My biggest ALA influence was my mother, Past National President Peggy Thomas. I’ve held many unit and district offices and chairs, and on the Department level served as chair of the Education, Children and Youth, Veterans Affairs and Rehabilitation, Leadership, and Outstanding Virginian Committees, and was the Department (state) President during our organization’s 100th Anniversary year 2019-2020. I am currently serving as Virginia’s Strategic Planning chair and serve on the ALA Virginia Girls State Board. I have been involved with ALA Virginia Girls State as the program’s on-site nurse practitioner since 2014, as well as the point of contact for all medical concerns during the corresponding registration periods. I’ve served in the same role at ALA Girls Nation during the 2014 through 2016 sessions, served as its Vice Chair in 2017 and its Committee Chair/Director in 2018, and returned as on-site nurse practitioner for the program’s 2019 and 2021 sessions. I was the National Legislative Chair during 2018-2019 and served on the National Strategic Planning Committee 2020-2021. I served on the National Executive Committee representing Virginia from 2021 to 2023. I served in the role of Vice Chair of the National Americanism Committee 2022-2023, and as Vice Chair of the National Leadership Committee 2023-2024. I also volunteer at the Richmond VA Medical Center on behalf of the ALA and I am currently serving as the National Children and Youth Committee chair.