Brandy Thomas

Brandy Thomas has over 12 years of experience advocating for equity and inclusion.  Before joining the Guided Pathways team Brandy has served the California Community College system as an Executive Dean of Student Equity, Counselor and Academic Senate Secretary.  For her work as a faculty member, Brandy received the 2020-21 Hayward Award that recognizes outstanding community college faculty who have a demonstrated commitment to students and education. Before starting her career in higher education, Brandy has also worked to destigmatize mental and physical health services for marginalized communities. 

Brandy believes in the importance of advocacy at both the state and community level. She was the Vice Chair for the Black Caucus of the Academic Senate for California Community Colleges and a member of the Board of Directors for a local charter school. 

Brandy started her own higher education journey at a California Community College before transferring. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Biology and master’s degree in Psychology from Chico State. There, she earned the Equity Fellowship for her research on the intersection between mental and physical health. Brandy has an entrenched desire to make the education system an equitable and inclusive environment that fully supports and embraces diversity in all forms, and trull believes Guided Pathways can help make this a reality.