Thomas is Professor Emeritus of Epidemiology and Biostatistics at San Diego State University. He earned his MD and an Honorary Doctorate at the University of Nebraska Medical Center and his MPH at John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. He has worked and advised in public health with the CDC as well as the Clinton, Bush, and Obama Administrations. He is looking forward to engaging with the community with environmentalists and public health professionals on the same team. In his free time, he likes to kayak, hike, and play clarinet.