Damali Thomas is an accomplished educational leader and passionate advocate for equity, inclusion, and educational excellence, with more than 23 years of experience in public education specializing in services and supports for students with disabilities. Her career began as a Special Education Paraprofessional with the Los Angeles Unified School District, and she has since served in a variety of roles of increasing responsibility, culminating in her current position as Executive SELPA Director for the Los Angeles County Office of Education SELPA and the Los Angeles County Charter SELPA.
In her role as Executive SELPA Director, Damali provides strategic leadership, technical assistance, and guidance to school sites and central office administrators regarding special education programs, services, compliance, and continuous improvement. She leads efforts to strengthen systems of support and improve educational outcomes for students with disabilities, with a particular focus on advancing equitable and inclusive practices for at-promise youth served in Juvenile Halls, Camps, and County Community Schools. In addition, she provides leadership and oversight for special education programs serving 25 charter LEAs across multiple counties.
Throughout her career, Damali has demonstrated a steadfast commitment to equity, inclusion, accessibility, and opportunity for all students. She believes every student deserves to be seen, valued, respected, and provided with the supports and educational opportunities necessary to reach their full potential. Her leadership philosophy is grounded in collaboration, innovation, accountability, data-informed decision-making, and a student-centered approach to continuous improvement.
Damali is a member of Delta Kappa Gamma, a women’s leadership organization dedicated to service, advancing professional and personal growth among women educators; the Association of California School Administrators (ACSA); and the Association of Los Angeles County Office School Administrators (ALACOSA).
She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from Pepperdine University and her Master’s Degree in Special Education from National University. She is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Educational Leadership with Superintendent Licensure from Youngstown State University.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Damali’s greatest passion is being a mother to her two children, Zoe, 20, and Harold, 10, who has non-speaking autism. Her experiences as both an educational leader and mother have deepened her commitment to creating inclusive educational systems and ensuring that students with disabilities and their families have meaningful access to opportunity, support, and success.
