Thomas joined the office as a Senior Investigator in August 2024.  Before joining the Ombudsman’s office, Thomas worked for the Arizona Department of Child Safety (DCS) for almost eight years serving as a Specialist, Program Specialist, and Unit Supervisor.  A majority of Thomas’s time with DCS, including his time as a supervisor, was with the After-Hours Investigation Team (AHIT) which responds to emergency reports and communications on nights and weekends.  Thomas was selected to be a “super user” for DCS’s case management system, Guardian.  Thomas also supported DCS coworkers as a member of the Workforce Resilience Team.  During his time at DCS, Thomas completed Specialist Core, Supervisor Core, and SAFE AZ training.  Additionally, Thomas received training from John E. Reid and Associates in Emerging Trends in Child Sexual Abuse Investigations, Child Abuse Injury Reconstruction Techniques, and the Reid Technique of Investigative Interviewing.  He also completed Advanced Forensic Interview Training from Prevent Child Abuse Arizona.  Thomas has a bachelor’s degree in Global Security and Intelligence Studies from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University with a focus in Security Operations Management and a minor in Mathematics.  Since joining the team, Thomas completed the New Ombudsman Training offered by the United States Ombudsman Association (USOA).