Dawn Thomas

Dawn Thomas is a faculty member in the College of Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, specializing in Special Education. She serves as the Director of the Illinois Early Childhood Asset Map (IECAM) and the Early Childhood and Parenting (ECAP) Collaborative. Her work focuses on early childhood policy, family engagement, and social-emotional development in educational settings.

• Research Assistant Professor, Special Education
• Director, IECAM
• Director, ECAP Collaborative

Her research interests include:

• Early childhood education equity
• Risk assessment for vulnerable families
• Policy implementation in educational programs
• Literacy development in social contexts

Email: dthomas3@illinois.edu