Joyce A. Thomas is the Regional Administrator for the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Region II, in New York . The Region comprises New Jersey, New York, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. In her capacity, Ms. Thomas partners with state, local, community based organizations, and tribes within the Region to promote economic independence and healthy development of children and families. 

Ms. Thomas provides executive leadership, and direction to ensure coordination and integration of activities among Head Start, child care, foster care and adoption, child support enforcement, youth services and Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF) programs. Ms. Thomas serves as National Lead Regional Administrator for the Office of Community Services and the Faith Based and Community Initiatives within ACF.

The Region represents 22.8% of the nation's Child Support Enforcement caseload, while collecting 25.0% of the nation's child support collections and established 20.5% of the nation's child support orders in 2001. In addition, Thomas serves as the national Lead for the ACF Office of Community Services in the Regions. In that capacity, she provides leadership for ACF’s support of community based economic development networks. The Region is responsible for 209 Head Start Grantees serving 141,588 children, 97 Early Head Start Grantees serving 7,797 pregnant women, infants and toddlers and 82 Runaway and Homeless Youth Organizations.

Before her employment with the Administration for Children and Families she served as the Commissioner of the State of Connecticut ’s Department of Social Services.  As Commissioner, she implemented major changes in the child support enforcement, TANF and Medicaid programs and played a major role in the creation of Connecticut's innovative School Readiness legislation. Thomas has developed particular sensitivity and expertise in re-engineering human services. She directed Connecticut 's largest administrative agency, overseeing an annual budget of over $3 billion and 2,400 employees. Before her appointment as Commissioner, she served as the Regional Administrator for the DSS in the state's southwestern region.

A graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, Thomas was awarded a BA in Social Work, and an MA in Counseling, with a minor in Spanish.

Thomas is married and has one daughter.