José Manuel Thomas is an education professional with a strong background in leadership, policy, and classroom practice. He is currently the Secretary General of the Federal Education Council in Argentina, where he works to strengthen dialogue and collaboration across the national and provincial education systems. He is also a PhD candidate in Education at Austral University and holds a degree in Educational Technologies, as well as a postgraduate qualification in Educational Indicators and Statistics. Alongside these roles, he continues to teach Information and Communication Technology at the Instituto Cuyano de Educación Integral (ICEI), a position that keeps him directly connected with classroom realities.
Previously, José Manuel served as Minister of Education of the Province of Mendoza, where he led major education reforms and initiatives to improve teaching and learning. Earlier in his career, he was Education Manager at ICEI and a Legislative Advisor on education. In addition to these leadership positions, he has been a regular columnist on education for various media outlets, contributing to public debate and making education policy issues accessible to wider audiences.
José Manuel has been an active speaker at national and international conferences and has delivered workshops on topics such as the “Responsible Use of Technology” and “Evidence-Based Management.” His work has been recognized with a Certificate of Appreciation from the Mayor’s Office of the Metropolitan Government of Nashville and Davidson County for ICEI.
Outside of his professional life, José Manuel is a former rugby player, captain, and coach. He is also an avid mountaineer who reached the summit of Mount Aconcagua, the highest peak in the Americas at 6,962 meters. He is married and the father of two children.
As a Fellow, José Manuel looks forward to sharing his experience in educational leadership, learning from peers worldwide, and advancing evidence-based strategies to improve education systems.