Val Thomas

CIO | CTO | Board Director | Technology Turnarounds & Enterprise AI | Building High-Performance, AI Enabled, Cyber Secure IT Organizations That Drive Revenue

With over two decades of CIO experience across public companies, private enterprises, and startups, I bring strategic judgment and a governance-focused perspective to boards navigating AI adoption, digital transformation, and enterprise risk. I have advised boards on AI governance, cybersecurity posture, capital allocation, and technology strategy, including at Lincoln Educational Services, Liberty Travel, and Overpeer, where I supported acquisition readiness and successful transactions. Holding the International Board Director Competency Designation (IBDC.D) and serving in leadership with the Society for Information Management (NJ Chapter), I partner with boards, executive teams, and private equity firms as an advisor or fractional CIO, with a focus on AI, cybersecurity, transformation, and M&A readiness.

AI Enablement

Digital Transformation

Technology Turnarounds

IT Strategy & Governance

About

Val Thomas

Val Thomas is a strategic technology executive with over two decades of CIO leadership across public companies, private enterprises, and venture-backed startups in education, travel, pharmaceuticals, media, and technology. He holds a Master of Science in Business Analytics (magna cum laude) from Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business and a BS in Computer Information Sciences from NJIT. He earned the International Board Director Competency Designation (IBDC.D) in 2026 and serves as Treasurer of the Society for Information Management (NJ Chapter), where he previously led governance reforms as President.

Val has held senior executive roles with significant operational and strategic responsibility. As SVP and CIO at Lincoln Educational Services, he reported to the CEO with full P&L accountability and regularly advised the Board on technology strategy, cybersecurity, and AI governance. At Liberty Travel, he managed a $45M IT budget and led 270 professionals, modernizing infrastructure across 250 locations supporting $3B in revenue. Earlier, as CIO/CTO at Overpeer, he built a platform serving 250 million monthly users and supported a successful acquisition by Loudeye/Nokia.

He consistently delivers measurable impact at the intersection of technology and business performance. At Lincoln Tech, he pioneered AI governance, maintained zero SOX audit findings, reduced phishing rates below 5%, and implemented Salesforce CRM to increase admissions by 7%. At Liberty Travel, he drove over $10M in annual savings while helping position the company for acquisition. Val is known for transforming technology organizations, leading complex M&A integrations, and building secure, scalable platforms that support growth and strong governance.

Matt delivered a comprehensive service and solution to us, on time, and very professionally. We were delighted with his service, and his knowledge helped us understand exactly what was on the table. Thanks again

Andrew Brummer

Matt delivered a comprehensive service and solution to us, on time, and very professionally. We were delighted with his service, and his knowledge helped us understand exactly what was on the table. Thanks again

Andrew Brummer

Matt delivered a comprehensive service and solution to us, on time, and very professionally. We were delighted with his service, and his knowledge helped us understand exactly what was on the table. Thanks again

Andrew Brummer

Matt delivered a comprehensive service and solution to us, on time, and very professionally. We were delighted with his service, and his knowledge helped us understand exactly what was on the table. Thanks again

Andrew Brummer

Ready To Get Started?

It is a long established fact that a reader will be distracted by the readable content of a page when looking at its layout. The point of using Lorem Ipsum is that it has a more-or-less normal distribution of letters

Services Offered

Schedule a Consultation

© All Rights Reserved THG Advisors 2026