Colleen Thomas

Colleen Thomas has a diverse work experience spanning over several decades. Colleen started their career in 1985 as a Copy Editor at Deseret News, where they edited stories, wrote headlines, proofed pages, and contributed feature articles and concert reviews. In 1989, they joined Paddock Publications (Daily Herald) as an Assistant Opinion Page Editor, Writer/Copy Editor. During their time there, they held leadership positions on the copy desk, managed large Opinion Page projects, and wrote and maintained the newspaper's style guide, among other accomplishments.

In 2011, Colleen began working as a substitute teacher for various school districts, including Districts 214, 15, 25, and 220, where they gained experience in classroom instruction. In 2015, they transitioned to become a Middle School Teacher at Community Consolidated School District 15 and other suburban districts. In this role, they developed student-centered lessons for language arts classes, collaborated with their team on curriculum development, and actively participated in school and district committees. Colleen also facilitated parent/teacher conferences and took on additional responsibilities such as coaching track and leading the Scenery Club.

Most recently, Colleen joined the Chicago Tribune Media Group in 2019 as a part of the Tribune News Service, although specific details about their role are not provided.

Colleen Thomas holds a Master's degree in Secondary Education and Teaching from Roosevelt University, which they pursued from 2010 to 2016. Prior to that, they completed their Bachelor of Arts (BA) in Communication/journalism with an English minor from Brigham Young University. In addition, Colleen received their Professional Educator License, grades 6-12, from the State of Illinois in June 2012.