They call me the “Org Doc”

Dr. Maaskelah K. Thomas has worked for over 20 years with community-serving organizations and agencies building, developing and sustaining partnerships to leverage resources between community agencies, organizations, businesses, schools and colleges, civic groups and citizens. Throughout her career, Dr. Thomas has assisted in building the capacity of communities through facilitating civic involvement and lifelong learning opportunities that empowered individuals, families and neighborhoods. Co-developer and founding member (Scribe) of the African American Council of Elders ~ Wichita/Sedgwick County, Dr. Thomas holds a Ph.D. in Human and Organizational Development from Fielding Graduate University. A scholar-practitioner, Dr. Thomas’ research interests focus on capacity building and strengthening for culturally based and grassroots human service and social change organizations.

PUBLICATIONS

Jolley, S., Wituk, S., Gregory, T., Thomas, M., Meissen, G. (2009) Capacity building with faith-based and community organizations: Lessons learned from the Compassion Kansas Initiative in Consulting and Evaluation with Nonprofit and Community-based Organizations (eds. Judah J. Viola and Susan Dvorak McMahon). Chicago: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

Thomas, M. (2008). The effects of culturally based intentionality on organization capacity-building needs. Santa Barbara: Fielding Graduate University.

Elias-Rodas, D., Wituk, S., Greg Meissen, G., Thomas, M., Gregory, T., Goines, P. (2008). Wichita Youth Empowerment Partnership: A Community Assessment of District 1; Proceedings of the 4th Annual GRASP Symposium. Wichita: Wichita State University.

Elias-Rodas, D., Wituk, S., Greg Meissen, G., Thomas, M., Gregory, T., Goines, P., Betzen, D. Looking Through Their Eyes: A Participatory Community Assessment with Urban African American Youth.

Chinyere-Jeng, Maaskelah (1994). Once wanted: A man to help me raise my son in The Single Mother’s Companion: Essays and Stories by Women (ed. Marsha R. Leslie). Seattle: Seal Press.