THOMAS CONSULTING GROUP - Key Persons

Job Titles:

• Member of the LeadershiP Team
• Director of Data Analytics and Project Management

Jen is a Six Sigma Belt, PMI certified project manager, trainer, researcher, and self-professed data-lover, as well as a proud former bureaucrat with more than 10 years of experience in municipal government management and leadership. She holds a master's degree in Public Policy from University of Michigan with and emphasis in econometrics and program evaluation along with certificates in Public Finance from the University of Chicago and Managing Complex Projects from UC Berkeley. Jen served the City of New Orleans as the Director of its One Stop, which included departments responsible for Permitting, Inspections, City Planning, Licensing, Special Events, Historic Districts, and 11 other reviewing agencies for 7 years. Prior to developing and directing the One Stop, Jen served as a Capital Budget Director until 2013. Working in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Jen formulated and drafted the City's Capital Budget Book and related ordinances to fund a $600Million rebuilding program. She developed tracking systems responsive to the FEMA Project Worksheet process and leveraged bond, CDBG, grant, and state revolving funds to maximize the number of projects funded and managed under the Landrieu Administration. The hardest job with the highest level responsibility Jen has ever held was as a Louisiana public elementary school teacher for 4 years. Jen has led several projects including municipal knowledge base development, restructuring and redesign of web content, UI/UX testing, zoning map digitization, land management and application software implementations, custom applications for elected officials.

Job Titles:

• CEO
• Founder
• Member of the LeadershiP Team

Michelle L. Thomas has more than 30 years of experience in change management, strategic planning, organizational development and operations management. Her niche is working with organizations undergoing change to create new and/or improved programs and operations to better deliver results for their stakeholders. Michelle is adept at translating executive-level vision into practical solutions that improve the customer experience. Michelle's work in local government transition management began in 2006 with Cory Booker. Michelle joined his team shortly after he announced his candidacy for mayor and eventually served as Deputy Director of his transition staff. When Booker took office Michelle joined his administration, as Director of Innovation and Performance Management. She went on to become Business Administrator, the City's highest ranking non-elected official After four years of service to the City of Newark, NJ, Michelle returned to the private sector where she created a grants management division in a lobbying firm that specialized in serving municipalities and counties across the country. She was soon lured back into the public sector in 2011 to serve as Deputy Mayor for Operations for the City of New Orleans. More recently, Michelle has served as Interim Executive Director and Chief Administrative Officer for the Louisiana Housing Corporation, the state's housing finance agency.

Job Titles:

• Attorney
• Director of Programs
• Member of the LeadershiP Team

Raina Anderson is an attorney who has dedicated her career to public service. She is the daughter of Justice Reuben V. Anderson, the first Black Supreme Court Justice in the state of Mississippi. Following in her father's footsteps, Raina has devoted her career to public service with a focus on Education, prosecutorial justice, and the training of law enforcement officers. Anderson began her legal career prosecuting felony criminal cases as an Assistant District Attorney for the Seventh (7th) Circuit Court District in Hinds County, Mississippi. A trailblazer, Anderson would go on to serve as Special Assistant Attorney General for the state of Mississippi for over 13 years. Anderson's 10 year assignment as advisor and, ultimately, lead counsel for the Mississippi Department of Education, provided her with a wealth of experience regarding municipal and state government matters; interpretation of state and federal laws; advising the State Board of Education; developing legislation, policies and procedures; and advising on procurement matters, public records reporting, accountability issues, grants management, federal programs, human resources and Department of Justice investigations and audits. For three years Anderson provided training to law enforcement officers and municipal agencies across the state of Mississippi through training modules, presentations and facilitating role-playing exercises to ensure proper investigation, arrest and reporting on domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault, strangulation, and protection order cases. Anderson received a B.S. in Political Science from Tougaloo College and Juris Doctor from the University of Mississippi School of Law.