Staff Spotlight: Latrice Thomas, Resource and Leadership Manager

Every child deserves someone who believes in their potential. Meet the people who make that belief a reality every day.

This month, we're featuring Latrice Thomas, our Resource and Leadership Manager. With more than 25 years of nonprofit experience, Latrice has dedicated her career to empowering children, strengthening families, and developing the next generation of leaders. Whether she's guiding youth through new experiences, connecting families to resources, or celebrating a young person's achievements, Latrice approaches every interaction with compassion, optimism, and an unwavering belief that every child deserves the opportunity to thrive.

Get to know Latrice in her own words.

VFC: What excites you most about your role at Voices For Children?

Latrice: What excites me the most about my role as the Resource and Leadership Manager at Voices For Children, is having the opportunity to work with the youth and families that we serve as we endeavor to change our youth’s trajectories by helping them grow personally, socio-emotionally and professionally. Getting to see their faces as they experience new things for the first time gives me tremendous joy!

What part of VFC’s mission or work speaks to you personally, and why?

VFC’s entire mission speaks to me personally as I believe that my purpose is to work to help heal, uplift, and transform the lives of youth and their families. Working at VFC gives me a unique opportunity to do just that every day, and I could not be more grateful.

What’s one meaningful moment you’ve experienced while working at VFC?

One of my most salient moments that I have experienced since I started my tenure here at VFC include taking a small yet mighty group of our youth out of town to Orlando on the Brightline (it was my very first time) and I was able to witness firsthand one of our HS Leadership Cohort youth be honored at the Department of Juvenile Justice’s "Unleashing YOU" Youth Summit, for her commitment to her family.

What skills or perspectives do you bring to the team that you're most proud of?

I bring eternal optimism to the Voices for Children Team, as well as a passion for developing leadership potential in youth.

What’s something your coworkers might be surprised to learn about you?

My coworkers might be surprised to learn that I am a lover and collector of all things Superman! Years ago, when I was very little, I saw the 1978 Superman film starring Christopher Reeve, and he truly made me believe that a man could fly. I have been a huge fan of Superman ever since!

Outside of work, what hobbies or activities do you enjoy most?

Outside of work, I have been known to sing whenever the mood hits me and enjoy dancing up a storm whenever I hear a song with a great beat! I grew up singing in the choir and have always had a flair for the dramatic and proudly have been a member of dance teams throughout my life. My body might not be the same, but I still embody the spirit of a triple threat!

What’s a favorite book, movie, or show you’d recommend—and why?

I am a voracious reader and am known to read romance novels and biographical or self-help novels at the same time. To that end my favorite historical romance novel is Indigo by Beverly Jenkins. The heroine endures slavery but is freed and saves a staunch abolitionist, that she ends up falling in love with. I love Beverly Jenkins’ novels because she interweaves accurate historical facts and events (Indigo has Harriet Tubman as one of the central characters), and she also always includes breathtaking romance.

My favorite biographical novel/self-help novel is The Light We Carry: Overcoming in Uncertain Times by Michelle Obama. I love and recommend this book because in it Michelle Obama shares lots of tools and tips for cultivating wisdom, balance, and resilience during challenging times; which we all have during our lifespan. I had the pleasure of introducing this book to a group of amazing youth that I previously worked with, and they loved it too!

If you could have any superpower for a day, what would it be and how would you use it?

If I could have any superpower for a day, it would be to heal others, but not just physically... I would want to be able to heal people of all pain, illness and suffering – mentally, spiritually and physically. I would take all of it away and replace people’s pain and suffering with abundant joy, peace, healing, and forgiveness.