Priscilla D. Thomas, County Commissioner, Named Professional of the Year in Public Service

    SAVANNAH, GA, April 08, 2016 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Priscilla D. Thomas, M.Ed., Ph.D., County Commissioner of Chatham County, has been named a Worldwide Branding Professional of the Year in Public Service. While inclusion in Worldwide Branding is an honor, only a few members in each discipline are chosen for this distinction. These special honorees are distinguished based on their professional accomplishments, academic achievements, leadership abilities, years of service, and the credentials they have provided in association with their Worldwide Branding membership.

Dr. Thomas has 60 years of professional experience, with 24 years as a county commissioner of Chatham County. Each day, she is responsible for organizing meetings, planning incentives and attending national conferences. The Ralph Mark Gilbert Civil Rights Museum Annex is named in her honor for her civil rights legacy and leadership in the community. Ms. Thomas realized her vision to have a formal organization in place that would directly involve youth in the governmental process, as well as develop leadership skills in 1992 after a variety of governmental, business and community initiatives on behalf of the youth. She is the founder and executive director for the Chatham County Youth Commission and Summer Bonanza Partnership, Inc. She is the longest serving senior elected official, having served on the local, state and national levels for 24 years.

Dr. Thomas has authored, "In Touch," which is a quarterly newsletter for citizens of District 8 that keeps them informed of issues, decisions and trends. Between 1968 and 1986, she published a newsletter, "The Principal Speaks," which was designed especially for students, teachers and parents. In 1992, Dr. Thomas testified before the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia on education on, "Education in Georgia: A Well-Educated Workforce and the Implications for Economic Development." She also testified during the public hearing on, "Health Care and Services for the Elderly," which was sponsored by the Coastal Georgia Regional Development Center. In 2007, Dr. Thomas served as a moderator for the first National Youth Summit, which was sponsored by the National Association of Counties in Richmond, Va.

Dr. Thomas was among the first minority and women to break into the media. She served as a television producer-host of a public affairs program, called "Spectrum," that aired on WTOC-TV, an affiliate of CBS, for eight years. She also opened doors on WSAV-TV and WJCL-TV as a co-host on their community outreach programs. She strives to be the best she can be, always at the top of her game. Her greatest career achievements are being the founder and executive director of The Chatham County Youth Commission. The Youth Commission has received national attention as a best practice for civic youth engagement. Hundreds of youths have graduated from the program and have started similar programs in many states.

She attributes her success to her hard work and ability to learn. She originally wanted to be a flight attendant. Since her passion was helping people, she realized education was a field where she could make a difference. The most gratifying aspect of her career is reaching young children who don't have support at home.

Dr. Thomas received a Ph.D. in philosophy and education from the University of St. Louis, a Master of Science in elementary education from Bradley University and a Bachelor of Science from Savannah State College. In addition to her degrees, she is a certified commissioner, a certified independent meeting and event planner and a certified travel consultant. She is the founder and executive director of Summer Bonanza Partnership, Inc. and the Chatham County Youth Commission. In recognition of her hard work and dedication, Dr. Thomas has received a multitude of awards, including being the namesake of The Dr. Priscilla Thomas Library and The Dr. Priscilla Thomas Room at a local YMCA. She was also granted the honor of having a street, Priscilla D. Thomas Way, named for her, replacing its previous designation as Wheathill Road. In years to come, Dr. Thomas hopes to continue making a difference.

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