Dr. Mark Thomas

Dr. Mark Thomas has been Madison College’s Chief Operating Officer since 2020, responsible for the college’s finances, administration, and operations. Dr. Thomas is currently on temporary assignment in east Africa, living and working in Nairobi, Kenya, personally developing relationships and fostering emerging partnerships to support Madison College’s African Initiative throughout the continent. He has worked for the college since 2014, previously serving as the Chief Financial Officer and Vice President of Finance and Administration.

Prior to working at the college, Dr. Thomas held executive leadership positions in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors in Chicago and southwestern Michigan for almost 20 years, and has lectured on finance and administration at the University of Chicago, Illinois Institute of Technology and the University of Illinois-Chicago.

Dr. Thomas is a first-generation college graduate and holds the following education credentials: doctorate degree in Higher Education Administration from Edgewood University; graduate certificate in Education Management from Harvard University; Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago; and Bachelor of Business Administration from Western Michigan University. In 2017 Dr. Thomas received the national Outstanding Chief Business Officer of the Year award in the United States. He is passionate about his family, music, soccer, mountain biking, and experiencing international cultural exchanges while traveling with his family.