Julie L. Thomas currently serves as a Monroe County Commissioner, a position she has held since 2012. The Board of Commissioners serves as the Legislative and Executive branch of County Government.
Prior to this, Julie was elected to the Monroe County Council (2009-2012). Since 2009, she has served as a member of the Monroe County Plan Commission. Julie is employed as Adjunct Faculty at Franklin (Indiana) College and as an Online Adjunct Faculty at Southern New Hampshire University. She teaches global, European and Russian history at these institutions.
Julie has volunteered extensively in Monroe County. She is the past Chair of the Democratic Women’s Caucus (DWC) PAC, where she served on the Steering Committee for a decade. She focused on political training for the DWC and organized a statewide training of Democratic women. Julie also served on the Board of Directors at WFHB Community Radio, Planned Parenthood and Middle Way House. She organized community events to raise awareness about gender equity – from Take Back the Night to productions of The Vagina Monologues.
Julie earned a Bachelor of Science in Telecommunications and Film, a Bachelor of Arts in History and a Master of Arts in History - all from Eastern Michigan University. She secured a Master of Arts in Russian History and a Doctorate in Russian History with minor degrees in Gender Studies, West European History and the Russian and East European Institute from Indiana University – Bloomington.
The College of Arts