Thomas attended Washington State University and earned a BS degree in Landscape Architecture. Like most graduates, he began his career doing something completely unrelated; spending the summer framing houses in the Freylands of Monroe. In the Fall of 1998, he moved to Pendleton, Oregon to work as a designer for the city's Parks department. He then moved back to Monroe in 2006 to work for Harmsen & Associates as a Landscape Designer and certified arborist. In keeping with his "completely unrelated" antics, he also worked as a diesel mechanic for the Monroe School District. Thomas Joined Snohomish County Parks as a Senior Park Planner in February 2016.