
Katalyna Thomas, JD
Operations Director
As Operations Director, Katie is responsible for overseeing budgeting, communication, and fundraising, as well as implementing strategies to ensure agency operational excellence. Katie joined NEDFYS in August 2019.
Before joining NEDFYS, Katie worked as a nonprofit director in central Illinois for seven years at one of the area's largest food pantries. The food pantry struggled to get by until she transformed it into a model food pantry sought by other groups for its expertise and vision.
Katie resides in Wheaton with her husband and their two active children. She is a board member of the Bensenville Wood Dale Food Pantry.
Fun facts: In a previous career life, Katie practiced Family Law. In her spare time, Katie loves traveling throughout the United States and has visited 21 states and Washington, D.C., four times!
Education
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University of Illinois College of Law, JD, cum laude
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, BA, History; BA, Political Science
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Certifications: Mental Health First Aid