Dear SCERC Community,

It is with deep sadness that we share the news of the passing of our dear colleague, mentor, and friend, Elizabeth Anne Thomas, PhD, ANP-BC, COHN-S, FAAOHN.

Dr. Thomas was a beloved member of our SCERC community and a passionate champion of occupational and environmental health nursing. She served as Deputy Director of our Occupational and Environmental Health Nursing Program, sharing her extensive experience, wisdom, and deep commitment to the field with our students, faculty, and colleagues.

Before joining academia, Dr. Thomas spent more than 20 years as an occupational health nurse practitioner, working in high-technology industries. She developed and led occupational health programs focused on the health, safety, and well-being of workers. She brought this invaluable real-world experience to her teaching, research, mentorship, and service at UCLA.

Dr. Thomas mentored many students through the SCERC and reached countless professionals through our Continuing Education Program. She co-taught our Ethics for Health and Safety Professionals and Occupational Health Nursing Review courses, sharing not only her expertise but also her deep passion for the profession. Her love for occupational and environmental health nursing was palpable.

Her commitment to education and scholarship continued throughout her career. Earlier this year, she co-authored Ethical Decision-Making in Occupational and Environmental Health and Safety: A Comparative Case Study Approach, further contributing to the field she cared so deeply about. She also did extensive work to establish the foundation for a new occupational and environmental health optional certification course within the Doctor of Nursing Practice curriculum, aligned with the launch of the new DNP program at the School of Nursing. This same year, she achieved an important personal and professional milestone when she was promoted to full Adjunct Professor—a goal that meant a great deal to her.

Beyond her many professional accomplishments, we will remember Dr. Thomas most for her generosity and unwavering dedication to the health and safety of workers. Her impact will live on through the students she mentored, the professionals she taught, the colleagues she inspired, and the many people who were fortunate enough to learn from her.

We extend our deepest condolences to her family, friends, colleagues, students, and all who had the privilege of knowing her.

Please join us in remembering Dr. Thomas and celebrating the remarkable legacy she leaves in occupational and environmental health nursing and within our SCERC community.