Maria Thomas

Maria Thomas is a business leader, operator, and board member known for helping organizations — from startups to established enterprises — build lasting businesses and navigate transformational change. She is co-founder and CEO of Sunday Health, a modern cognitive care company serving older adults at risk for or living with mild cognitive impairment or early dementia.

For more than two decades, Maria has played key roles in shaping iconic consumer and digital brands. She was the CEO of Etsy, Chief Marketing Officer of SmartThings, and an early product leader at Amazon. Maria was also NPR’s first digital leader, and she led the organization’s evolution from a traditional radio network to a multi-platform digital media company.

Maria is also an experienced board director across a range of company stages — from large publicly traded companies like McClatchy, to growth-stage private equity-backed firms such as Perch Energy and Spoonflower, to early-stage, venture-backed startups like RelayFoods. In addition to the American Journalism project, she currently serves on the boards of the Pew Research Center and the venture-backed public benefit company, Rooted Farmers.

Maria is recognized for her ability to shape business models, attract top talent, and lead teams toward successful outcomes across a variety of industries — a testament to the value of versatile leadership and a generalist’s perspective in today’s complex business environment.

Earlier in her career, Maria worked at the International Finance Corporation (World Bank Group). She holds a BS in Accounting from Boston University, an MBA from the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, and a Master’s in Healthcare Innovation from the University of Pennsylvania.