Paris Thomas

About

Dr. Paris Thomas is the Executive Director of Equal Hope, a nonprofit organization striving to saving lives by eliminating health inequities. A Chicago native and the daughter of a breast cancer survivor, Dr. Thomas’ passion for health equity is motivated by her family experiences within the healthcare system and the role it has played on their health outcomes. Throughout her career, Dr. Thomas has demonstrated this steadfast commitment by spearheading community-focused health e昀昀orts. With a focus on under-resourced communities, she has developed innovative strategies to improve access to care and address health disparities. Driven by an intersectional approach, she is dedicated to eliminating disparities for historically marginalized communities through culturally competent interventions, aiming to promote health equity for all. Paris holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Physiology from Grand Valley State University, a Master of Science Degree in Public Health Education from the University of Cincinnati, and a PhD in Health & Human Sciences from Northern Illinois University. Her dissertation explored the lived experience of high-risk Black men exposed to community violence in Chicago and their health challenges and behaviors in highly violent communities.