GPP: With both you and your husband working in education and two very active kids, what makes your family dynamic special?
Kimberly: God keeps our family in the midst of it all, and he leads and guides our steps. We know it is HIM who truly makes our family dynamic special.
Both my husband and I have been in education for more than 20 years, and now we’re both principals. We both know what it means to have a long day at school and still come home and be Mom and Dad. There’s a lot of grace in our house because we understand the demands of each other’s jobs.
GPP: What drew each of you to education, and how has being educators shaped the way you parent?
Kimberly: We genuinely want to make a difference, create opportunities, build relationships, and help children recognize their own potential.
Being educators definitely follows us home and influences the way we parent! We talk to our children about responsibility, character, accountability, and making good choices, but we also want them to know that mistakes are part of growing.
We try to teach our children that success isn’t about being perfect or always being the best. It’s about working hard, being a good person, learning from your mistakes, and never being afraid to try again.
GPP: You and your husband have a unique way of getting away from the demands of work and family life—you ride motorcycles and call it “wind therapy.” Tell us about that tradition and what riding together means to you both.
Kimberly: “Wind therapy” is our way of hitting the reset button. When you’re on motorcycles, you can’t think about the next meeting or who needs calling back. You’re just riding. You’re in the moment.
And there’s something really special about doing that together as a couple. It’s our time, experiencing something together without all of the noise and responsibilities. We come back refreshed and reminded that we are more than principals, parents, and professionals—we are also husband and wife.
GPP: You’ve served your community in so many ways. What motivates you to continue giving your time and talents to the community?
Kimberly: For me, service has always been about purpose. It has never been about recognition. I’ve been blessed to work with some incredible people throughout my career, and I’ve seen what happens when people stop asking, “What’s in it for me?” and start asking, “How can I help?”—that’s when real change happens.
GPP: You were honored with the PACE Education Leader of the Year Award. What did that recognition mean to you personally, and what do you hope your work in education leaves behind for students and families in our community?
Kimberly: That recognition meant a lot to me because education has never just been a career. It’s a calling.
When you spend more than 20 years doing something, there are many moments when you wonder if you’re really making a difference. So when someone takes the time to say, “We see what you’re doing,” that means something.
I hope my legacy is that students felt seen, valued, challenged, and loved. I want families to know that their children mattered to me. I want the work I do to create opportunities for children that might not otherwise have existed. If I can leave a community better than I found it and help develop the next generation of leaders, then that is the legacy I want.
GPP: If you could give another mom one piece of advice about raising children, balancing a career and still making room for the things that bring you joy, what would you tell her?
Kimberly: Trust and believe in God and continue to pray. Don’t lose yourself in the process of taking care of everybody else. Being a mother is one of the greatest responsibilities and blessings I’ve ever experienced, but our children also need to see us pursuing our purpose and finding joy in life.
You are allowed to have dreams outside of motherhood. You are allowed to have a career. You’re allowed to laugh with your girlfriends. You’re allowed to travel. And don’t feel guilty about it.
Being a good mother doesn’t mean giving up who you are—it means allowing your children to see what it looks like to be a woman who loves her family, serves others, works hard, pursues her purpose, and still makes room for joy.
Rapid Fire:
Favorite family vacation destination? Hawaii
Favorite sports team to cheer for? Auburn Tigers
Your go-to “wind therapy” ride? Country/County Roads
Coffee or tea? Coffee
One word your kids would use to describe you? Caring
Dr. Kimberly Thomas and her husband, Derrick, have been married for two decades and are the proud parents of two wonderful children, Kalyn (16) and DJ (13). Outside of school, Kalyn and DJ stay busy with their athletic extracurricular activities. Game nights are one of the family’s favorite ways to slow down, laugh, and spend quality time together. Kimberly also enjoys motorcycle rides with Derrick, traveling, and, of course, a good meal!
