Lewis Thomas III, Ed.D., is a scholar-practitioner committed to promoting educational equity and community transformation. With over two decades of experience, he has worked with students and families in Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and Brooklyn as a teacher, school leader, and systems-level organizer. As a school leader at some of the lowest-performing schools, he contributed to the design of data-informed, culturally responsive, and restorative practices that improved school climate, boosted student morale, and accelerated learning. He subsequently led schools in Philadelphia and Brooklyn, developing service-learning pathways and mentoring emerging educators to maintain high expectations and a sense of belonging.

Rooted in North Philadelphia and shaped by extensive travel, Thomas brings a global perspective to local challenges—organizing coalitions to address gun violence, expand educational opportunity, and advance community well-being in working-class neighborhoods. In 2020, he founded the Black Fathers Institute, a research-to-practice hub that amplifies the voices of Black fathers and advances radical hope and healing for families.

Thomas’s research examines the influence of Black father involvement on student outcomes; culturally responsive school leadership; leadership “bridging” across urban, suburban, and higher-education contexts; and linguistic fluidity in Black and Brown student voice and learning. Across roles, he champions schools as engines of dignity, achievement, and collective flourishing.

Education

Ed.D., Educational Leadership & Innovation, Purdue University

M.A., Educational Administration & Transformative Learning Communities, Antioch University

B.S., History, English, & Secondary Education, Lincoln University of PA