Michael Thomas joined the Lobo Family in July of 2026, and he serves as the Senior Associate Athletic Director for Development and Executive Director of the Lobo Club. He came to UNM from the University of Cincinnati.
In the role overseeing the athletic development office, Thomas oversees UNM’s fundraising staff with a primary focus on revenue generation and private philanthropy.
Thomas came to the Lobos from the University of Cincinnati, where he served for four years as Associate A.D., Major and Principal Gifts. With the Bearcats, he served on the Director of Athletics’ executive team, providing counsel on strategic planning, leadership, academic support, fundraising, and financial management.
He did that while helping Cincinnati’s successful transition from the American Athletic Conference to the Big 12, moving to Power 4 status.
Thomas oversaw and managed a portfolio of 48 major gift prospects, helping secure $15 million for athletics, and he served in key roles on UC’s $100 million “Day One Ready” campaign and on UC’s $134 million Indoor Practice Facility and Performance Center.
Thomas also regularly worked with members of the UC Foundation Board of Trustees and the Vice President of the UC Foundation to collaborate on and streamline university fundraising objectives with athletics.
He also served as the women’s golf administrator, chairing the head coaching search and managing a balanced budget.
Before Cincinnati, Thomas was Director of Development, Major Gifts at the University of Minnesota. With the Golden Gophers, Thomas stewarded the portfolio of more than 150 major-gift prospects, helping to generate over $12 million in philanthropic support. That came on the heels of individually generating $9.3 million in FY22, which was shortened by six months due to his transition to the University of Cincinnati.
At the time, he secured the second-largest deferred gift in Gopher athletics history, totaling $8 million, and assisted with major gift fundraising for the $166 million “Nothing Short of Greatness” campaign.
Thomas was also the secondary sport supervisor for women’s tennis, and he managed the day-to-day fundraising operations for Men’s and Women’s Tennis and Track & Field/Cross Country programs.
Thomas was not a stranger to the Land of Enchantment, having served for two years, from 2017 to 2019, as the Athletic Development Officer at New Mexico State. There, he launched and completed a fully funded football locker room project. In his first year with the Aggies, he helped engage 648 Aggie Club donors, a 248% increase, the largest year-over-year increase in department history during that time. He was also the regional fundraiser, overseeing fundraising efforts in Arizona, Texas, Minnesota, Colorado, and New Mexico.
Thomas’ early career included stops at Florida Gulf Coast, serving as Assistant Director of Ticket Operations, and at the University of Northern Iowa and the University of Missouri.
Along with being active in NACDA (National Association of College Directors of Athletics), NAADD (National Association of Athletic Development Directors), and CALS (Collegiate Athletic Leadership Symposium). Thomas participated in the prestigious two-year NCAA Dr. Charles Whitcomb Leadership Institute, completing the program in 2024.