Lecturer Katie Thomas brings real-world expertise to the classroom, serving as the director of population health marketing at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and national director of content and educational partnerships at The Kids Mental Health Foundation, while also teaching one section of Writing for Strategic Communication each semester. This undergraduate course is part of the required curriculum for strategic communication majors.
As director of population health marketing at Nationwide Children’s Hospital and national director of content and educational partnerships for The Kids Mental Health Foundation, Thomas leads content and educational partnerships and marketing and communication initiatives for The Kids Mental Health Foundation, formerly called On Our Sleeves, the nation’s leading organization providing free mental health resources for all adults with youth in their lives. She oversees content strategy, product distribution and national partnerships for the award-winning initiative.
Thomas started teaching at Ohio State in 2022. Her lessons connect directly to her day-to-day work in communications.
“One day I might be event planning, the next I’m advising leadership, building strategy decks or writing content,” she said. “My goal is to prepare students for the range of opportunities they’ll encounter.”
One way Thomas prepares her students for the workforce is by bringing industry professionals and real-life examples into her classroom, giving students hands-on insight into strategic communication practices. She provided examples from when she led communications for the opening of the Big Lots Behavioral Health Pavilion, America’s largest facility on a pediatric campus, and how she tailored them for various audiences. She also talked to her students about the importance of a single word in a piece about mental health.
Thomas has long been a mentor for students through the Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) Mentor Program at Ohio State and students at her alma mater Otterbein University. She was also elected as the national professional advisor for PRSSA in 2024 and mentors students throughout the country. In these roles, she connects students with industry leaders and offers guidance.
This summer, Thomas received Columbus Business First's Women of Achievement Award in the mentoring category in recognition of her many years of mentoring locally and nationally.
Growing up in a small town, I wasn’t sure what a career in words would look like. Thankfully, I had incredible teachers and mentors who encouraged me to turn that passion into a career. Through college courses and internships, I met more people who guided and shaped my journey. Those experiences inspired my commitment to give back and help students navigate opportunities like the ones that changed my life. Mentoring students has been one of my greatest joys, and receiving this award was truly an honor.
Thomas is Accredited in Public Relations (APR) and has received other recognition in the field, including the Public Relations Student Society of America’s (PRSSA) Hall of Fame inclusion, the Tom Poling Practitioner of the Year award, the Walt Seifert Award for Outstanding Service to Central Ohio PRSA, and a listing as part of Columbus Business First's 40 Under 40.
Written by student Carly Illos