Influential Women spotlights bilingual counselor Autumn Thomas

Autumn Thomas, a bilingual counselor and educational leader in Washington, D.C., is being featured by Influential Women for her work in college and career readiness, student development, and educational equity. Her career spans more than 12 years across schools, AmeriCorps, international teaching, juvenile detention, and family support programs.

Why it matters: - Autumn Thomas works with students and families who often face barriers to opportunity. - Her approach centers on college and career readiness, cultural responsiveness, and seeing students as whole people. - The profile highlights how educational support can shape individual outcomes and strengthen communities.

What happened: - Influential Women featured Autumn Thomas, a bilingual counselor and educational leader based in Washington, D.C. - Thomas serves as Director of College and Career Readiness and School Culture at YouthBuild DC Public Charter School. - The feature was published Sept. 3, 2026. - Thomas has more than 12 years of experience in education and youth development.

The details: - Thomas has worked with students and families in college campuses, underserved elementary schools, international classrooms and juvenile detention settings. - Her early experience in education began at Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University, where she worked as a summer camp counselor and a Resident Assistant. - As an RA, Thomas organized programming that included spoken word poetry events, wellness and sexual health workshops, and sessions on identity, purpose and self-discovery. - Thomas later joined AmeriCorps in Washington, D.C., supporting fifth-grade students in underserved schools and working on literacy and mathematics outcomes. - She moved to Colombia and taught without speaking Spanish at first, later becoming fluent and serving as a college-level English professor. - After returning to the United States, Thomas worked as a youth and student advocate in a juvenile detention center. - She later led a family success program in Washington, D.C., creating individualized support plans for employment, housing stability, education and mental health. - That work also included Parent Cafés, which gave families a space to connect and build resilience. - At YouthBuild DC Public Charter School, Thomas supports post-secondary planning, college and career readiness, and school culture development. - Her responsibilities also include helping build a school culture centered on responsibility, integrity and respect. - Thomas is the author of What I Wish I Knew, a memoir and self-help book. - Thomas also teaches introductory Spanish, is learning Portuguese, and does hair as a side business. - She was born and raised in Florida and has lived in the Washington, D.C., area for nine years.

Between the lines: - Thomas frames her work around a simple idea: educators need to understand the “why” behind student behavior before they can support growth. - Her background appears to shape a philosophy built on empathy, accountability and cultural competence. - The profile also presents fear as a recurring part of her growth, not a barrier to it. - Her message to young women entering the field is to “do it scared.”

What’s next: - Thomas is continuing to expand her leadership in student support and school culture. - She is also continuing to learn new languages and develop her skills outside education. - Influential Women points readers to her profile for more information: Autumn Thomas profile.

The bottom line: - Thomas’s career is built on one throughline: helping students feel seen, supported and prepared for the next step.