Helping a Kentuckian buy a home or grow a business takes people who know their work and have good information at hand. Conner Thomas wants to make that information easier to find and use, giving Community Ventures’ staff more time for the people counting on them.
In September 2026, Thomas became CV’s full-time Director of AI and Data Strategy after working with the organization as a part-time Data and Strategic Initiatives Consultant. Having worked alongside Shawn Burns, he already knew the team and had seen what its work meant for Kentucky communities.
“I want every person at Community Ventures to feel like data is working for them, not the other way around,” Thomas said.
That goal shapes how he approaches a role whose day-to-day work often happens behind the scenes. Reporting to Wiley Faw, Thomas oversees CV’s data infrastructure and reporting systems. He also leads the organization’s artificial intelligence strategy and governance framework and helps lending, housing, and program teams measure their impact.
For Thomas, the possibilities are specific. Automated document intake could give loan officers more time to work with clients. Real-time dashboards could help leadership make informed decisions, while dependable reporting systems could reduce the work involved in meeting compliance requirements. These are improvements he hopes to build toward as CV serves entrepreneurs and homebuyers across Kentucky.
He also wants the numbers to tell a clearer story about that work. Better impact measurement can help neighbors and funders understand what CV’s programs accomplish and support the case for more capital reaching low- and moderate-income Kentuckians.
Thomas brings both Kentucky roots in his education and a public policy perspective to the job. He earned bachelor’s degrees in economics and finance from the University of Kentucky and a Master of Public Policy from the University of Chicago. His previous work includes building statewide compliance analytics for DCBS and researching broadband connectivity as an AmeriCorps fellow.
He pursued that education with a purpose: improving systems for communities that have faced economic hardship or have too often been underrepresented.
“I attained my master’s degree for the purpose of bettering and transforming communities,” Thomas said.
At CV, he found work that fits that commitment. Outside the office, he enjoys spending time with friends and loved ones and learning about history, whether through a book, a podcast, or a documentary.
We’re glad to welcome Conner into this new role and look forward to the work ahead.