Chad Thomas

Chad H. Thomas’s work as a principal and leader within the Chicago Public Schools has been recognized with numerous awards and accolades, including coverage in the Washington Post, Chicago Magazine, and the Chicago Sun-Times. As a principal, his nearly decade-long renewal of Sullivan High School—one of the most infamous high schools in Chicago—was captured in the highly acclaimed book Refugee High: Coming of Age in America, and his work as assistant principal at notoriously violent Harper High School was documented via National Public Radio’s This American Life.

Thomas’s advocacy for restorative practices and behavioral health is the subject of his 2022 TEDx talk, “How the Story of Refugee High Can Solve Society’s Problems.” In it, he shares how a school that was home to students from every corner of the world overcame poverty and trauma through healing and empowerment, and challenges America to follow suit.