Carla Thomas

Dr. Carla Thomas is President and Founder of The Realize Leadership Group, a consultancy that specializes in diversity & inclusion services and has worked with Clients ranging from higher education to global fortune 500 organizations in sectors that include: Higher Education, Technology, Life Sciences, Financial Services, Retail, and Wholesale Consumer Goods.

While a sought after keynote speaker, lecturer and practitioner, they currently sit on a mix of federally appointed and private Advisory boards including: The United States Education for Seapower, Saint Joseph’s University’s Organizational & Leadership Development graduate program as well as The University of Pennsylvania’s Chief Learning Officer doctorate program. She is an active member of the NTL Institute for Applied Behavioral Sciences, Philadelphia Society of People and Strategy, the Society for Human Resource Management, American Association of Access Equity and Diversity, the Organizational Development Network, and the Inclusion Allies Coalition.

A graduate of Vanderbilt University and Saint Joseph’s University, Carla completed her doctorate at The University of Pennsylvania. Her research explores psychosocial factors that mitigate the negative effects of implicit bias. She is committed to improving the practice of empathy while pushing the boundaries of practical and measurable approaches that build inclusive cultures.