Joseph J. Thomas Ph.D.

Chair and Distinguished Professor of Leadership
United States Naval Academy Annapolis


Dr. Joseph J. Thomas currently serves as the Chair and Distinguished Professor of Leadership Education at the US Naval Academy Annapolis and instructor for the National Outdoor Leadership School in Lander, WY.  He is the past Director of the John A. Lejeune Leadership Institute at Marine Corps University in Quantico, VA. A U.S. Marine Corps officer for over 20 years, his assignments included 1^st and 2^nd Marine Aircraft Wing, 26 Marine Expeditionary Unit (Special Operations Capable), Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1, Assistant Professor of Naval Science at the University of Notre Dame, 6^th Battalion Officer at the US Naval Academy, and Head of Training Management and Evaluation/ Senior Education Officer at Marine Corps Training and Education Command.

The author of numerous articles on the subjects of character, training and education, and leadership, his published books include, Leadership Education for Marines (UMI Press, 2000), Leadership Embodied (The US Naval Institute Press, 2005, 2007), Naval Leadership Capstone (McGraw-Hill, 2006), Leadership Explored (AcademX, 2007), and Leadership and Ethics Discussion Guide for Marines (Marine Corps University, 2008).

Joe has a M.S.S. from the US Army War College, an M.S.Sc. from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, Syracuse University, a Ph.D. from George Mason University, and Certificate in Public Leadership from the Brookings Institution in Washington, DC. 

Joe provides unparalleled value to clients through professional staff development, training and education excellence, and subject matter expertise in all things related to leadership, ethics, and character. He speaks on these topics regularly throughout the US, Europe, Africa, and the Middle East to a wide range of not-for-profit, public, and private sector audiences.