Dr. Celia S. Thomas

Celia Thomas, DHA, ACHE, is Chief Operating Officer of Alternatives For Girls (AFG), providing executive leadership in strategy, quality, financials, programming, and operations. Her 35-year career began in foster care/special-needs adoptions and reflects lifelong commitments to addressing social determinants of health, breaking generational cycles of poverty, and building pathways to self-sufficiency for children, youth, and families.

Dr. Thomas holds degrees in Psychology, Public Administration, and Health Administration and is a published author. She has been a peer reviewer for the Council on Accreditation and HHS FYSB grants. She serves on the Detroit Continuum of Care, the MCEDSV Board, and the National Board of Distinctive Schools.

Born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica, Thomas is a woman of faith, wife of 35 years, mother of four young adults, and DJ’s nana. Her consistent, compassionate leadership style and engaging personality manifest caring, mentorship, integrity, and the true spirit of a Woman of Excellence.