About Us
Talya D. Thomas, Ph.D.
Dr. Talya D. Thomas, is a native of Houston, Texas and is currently the CEO of Planning Policy & Development, LLC, in Jackson, MS.
She is a highly motivated professional in planning, policy and public administration, with a broad background in community development and social and racial equity, with specific expertise, leadership, and training in survey research, program evaluation, and secondary data analysis. Dr. Thomas’s research focuses on the role and importance of Community Development Corporations (CDCs) in community development and housing policies and programs. Particularly focusing on provisions of affordable housing through CDCs. She also focuses on food deserts and food insecurities among vulnerable populations.
Dr. Thomas has over 15 years of teaching experience in higher education; she has a Bachelors in Psychology, minor in Business Administration and a Master’s in Public Administration with a concentration in Community and Economic Development from Clark Atlanta University. She has a Doctoral Degree in Urban Planning and Environmental Policy, with a concentration in Community Development and Housing from Texas Southern University.