Anna Thomas

Anna Thomas is a POST-certified instructor and a Forensic Specialist with the Division of Aging Services–Forensic Special Initiatives Unit and most recently the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crimes Against the Elderly and Disabled Adults Task Force. FSIU’s mission is to protect elder and disabled adults from abuse, neglect, and exploitation, prevent abuse, neglect, and exploitation of elder and disabled adults, and to prosecute offenders. Thomas holds undergraduate degrees in Criminal Justice and Psychology and a Master’s in Gerontology. After interning with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation, Anna began her career as an Investigator for the Forsyth County District Attorney’s Office. For five years she was assigned to a trial team that mainly handled crimes against persons. In 2008, Thomas became a Victim Advocate at the Hall County District Attorney’s Office where she served on the Child Fatality Review Board and the Hall County Domestic Violence Task Force. For eight years, she assisted victims of crime through service referral and guidance through court and the criminal justice system and aided prosecutors at trial. In 2016, Thomas transitioned to victim advocacy focused on older adults and adults with disabilities. Currently, her work at the Division of Aging Services and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation centers on training primary and secondary responders how to recognize and respond to elder and disabled adult abuse, researching gaps in current victim services, developing new laws to protect vulnerable adults, and public outreach. Her recent project is launching Elder Abuse Multidisciplinary Teams (MDTs).