Christine Thomas served as dean and professor of resource management at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point College of Natural Resources until her retirement in 2020. In addition to her role as a university educator, Thomas developed the Becoming an Outdoors Woman program, designed to teach women outdoor skills. Thomas has a B.S. in biology from Central Michigan University, an M.S. in Water Resources from the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point and a Ph.D. in Land Resources from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

​

In 2005, Thomas was appointed by the Secretary of Interior during the George W. Bush administration to serve on the Sporting Conservation Council. Currently, Thomas is a professional member of the Boone and Crockett Club and Senior Vice President for Conservation for Ducks Unlimited and a member of its Board of Directors. In 2010 she was appointed by the Secretaries of Interior and Agriculture in the Obama administration to the position of vice-chair of the Wildlife and Hunting Heritage and Conservation Council.

​

She was appointed by Governor Doyle to serve on the Wisconsin Natural Resources Board, serving three years as chair. She was reappointed and reconfirmed for a second term, serving as secretary, until her appointment officially ended in April 2015. Thomas has been active in the past in regional issues related to women in natural resources, having co-chaired two Midwest Regional conferences related to workforce diversity. Thomas is an emeritus member of the board of directors of the Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin and is past vice-chair of the board of directors of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Currently, she serves as Senior Vice President for Conservation on the board of Ducks Unlimited.

​

 In 1999, she was named one of the twenty most influential conservationists in Wisconsin in the 20th century by the Wisconsin Outdoor Journal. In 2002, Thomas was inducted into the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel Sports Show Hall of Fame for Conservation Achievement. In 2006 Thomas was named Distinguished Alumna by the Central Michigan University College of Science and Technology. In 2017, Thomas was inducted into the Wisconsin Conservation Hall of Fame.