Ciera Thomas is a Graduate Research Assistant on the Co-LEARN project and an MPH candidate in the Global Health concentration in the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. Prior to attending UNC, she earned her B.S. in Microbiology with minors in Spanish, International Affairs and Global Health from the University of Georgia.
Thomas has experience in both clinical medicine and public health. In the medical sphere, she has worked as an ophthalmic nurse technician conducting pre-operative and pre-exam assessments and volunteered as a patient liaison serving Northeast Georgians who fall within the Medicare/Medicaid gap. Her public health experience involves working as the Incentive Program Coordinator for Community Organized Relief Effort (CORE), Georgia’s COVID-19 vaccine incentive program and as a community mobilizer supporting COVID-19 health education through the establishment of partnerships with 20+ South Georgia community-based organizations.
Thomas global public health interests center on reducing health disparities and improving access to quality healthcare through sustainable and locally led interventions dedicated to systems strengthening.