Cai Thomas currently serves as a technical advisor on the SHE’s GREAT! Program, focusing on the training and MEL components of the program. Before joining the SHE’s GREAT! Program, Cai worked on the Fulbright Teaching Excellence and Achievement Program and the Fulbright Distinguished Awards in Teaching Program for International Teachers at IREX.

Early in Cai’s career, they served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Mongolia, as a Community Development and English Education. Most of their earlier career was in teaching or working with youth directly, and more recently has worked within the field of international development supporting programming at Peace Corps HQ in Washington, D.C., as well as supporting future teachers at a teaching residency program at Teachers College. Cai holds a master’s in international and comparative Education from Teachers College, Columbia University, and a bachelor’s degree in international studies from Virginia Tech.

Cai focuses on inclusive classroom and societies for LGBTI+ youth and has served as an in-person and virtual camp counselor for LGBTI+ youth, and supported research projects and advocacy projects that focus on creating safe and inclusive spaces for LGBTI+ youth so they can have flourishing futures.