Angeleigha “Angel” (Mendez) Thomas ’14
About Angeleigha “Angel” (Mendez) Thomas ’14
Angel is an Assistant Vice President of Communications at U.S. Bank, where she develops strategic communication initiatives aimed at amplifying executive leadership visibility among both internal and external audiences.
Prior to joining U.S. Bank, Angel played a pivotal role on the media relations team for the University of Minnesota Medical School during the onset and height of the COVID-19 pandemic. She has also directed marketing and communications campaigns for the New Mexico State University Foundation, Helen of Troy, and the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council. She began her career as a television reporter and production assistant at KMIZ-TV (ABC 17 News) in Columbia, Missouri.
Angel has earned several awards throughout her career, including a bronze CASE award for “Panorama,” the NMSU alumni magazine she led as editor, and four Public Relations Society of America PRIME Awards for her work with the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council. In 2010, she was selected among 1,000 students as a Gates Millennium Scholar and received a good-through-graduation scholarship to attend college funded by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
As a student at Stephens College, Angel was honored with multiple accolades, including three Missouri College Media Association Awards and the esteemed Sara Ann Fay Broadcasting Award. She collaborated with Columbia Access Television and the film department at Stephens College to produce a weekly television broadcast featuring the staff of Stephens Life magazine. Her academic excellence and leadership were recognized through her membership in elite honor societies, including the National Broadcasting Society’s Alpha Epsilon Rho, Alpha Lambda Delta, and Mortar Board: Athena Chapter.
Angel graduated summa cum laude from Stephens College with a B.S. in Integrated Media and a minor in Business Marketing. She received her M.A. in Integrated Marketing Communications from Marist College in 2018.