Workman Thomas has a diverse work experience that spans several organizations and roles. Workman began their career at The University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire, where they served as the Director of Forensics. During this time, they coached speech and debate teams, administered a top ten national forensics program, and taught in the Department of Communication and Journalism. Workman also worked on various projects, including the development of a university-wide diversity training program and reader's theatre programs.
In 1997, Thomas joined the University of Nebraska-Lincoln as the Assistant Director of Student Involvement. Workman held this position for ten years and then transitioned to a role at Student Involvement as the Assistant Director of SI - Information Strategies. In this position, Thomas collaborated with Linda Major to create a student-run advertising agency that focused on expanding co-curricular activities for designers and marketing/PR students. They developed marketing, media, and internet campaigns to increase student involvement on campus.
In 2007, Thomas took on multiple roles simultaneously. Workman became an Assistant Professor at the University of Houston-Downtown in the Communication Studies Unit, where they also co-directed the UHD Center for Public Deliberation. At the same time, Thomas became a Fellow at the US Department of Education's Higher Education Center for Alcohol & Other Drug Abuse & Violence Prevention (HEC). Workman served on the HEC review board and worked on various workshops and projects related to alcohol and drug abuse prevention.
Thomas further expanded their experience by becoming the AOD KC Chair at NASPA - Student Affairs Administrators in Higher Education. Workman held this role from 2007 to 2010.
In 2009, Thomas joined Baylor College of Medicine as an Assistant Professor. Workman led the production unit for the Eisenberg Clinical Decisions and Communications Science Center, where they translated comparative effectiveness research into summary guides for patients, clinicians, and policymakers. This work was part of a grant from AHRQ.
Most recently, Thomas has worked as a Principal Researcher at the American Institutes for Research. The duration of this role is ongoing, and further details about their specific responsibilities are not provided.
Workman Thomas completed their education with a Ph.D. in Communication & Culture from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, which they pursued from 1997 to 2001. Prior to that, they obtained an MA in Communication Studies from Emerson College, where they studied from 1982 to 1984. Before their master's, they earned a B.S. in Journalism/Broadcasting from Bradley University between 1978 and 1982. Workman also attended Adlai Stevenson High School from 1974 to 1978, although no specific degree or field of study is mentioned for this period.
June, 2012 - present