Prior to joining the Westfield State community in July 2021, she served as dean of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences at University of Massachusetts Boston.

President Thompson has also held leadership positions in public policy. In Baltimore City, Maryland she served as director of occupational medicine and safety and developed programs and policies to promote the health of the city workforce, including the implementation of policies for HIV prevention and substance use and abuse. At the state level, she served as special secretary of children, youth and families, where she developed programs and policies to improve quality of care for vulnerable populations of children.

President Thompson has published more than 100 articles, books, book chapters, and abstracts. She has secured over $70 million in sponsored grants and contracts, and capital campaign and new construction funding. She has received numerous awards, was an invited participant in the White House Conference on Childcare and has served on numerous boards and commissions.

Dr. Thompson earned BSN and MSN degrees at Wayne State University, and masters and doctoral degrees in public health from Johns Hopkins University. She was recently awarded an honorary doctorate degree in nursing from Northern Michigan University.