Jess Thomas is a seasoned strategist with a foundation in sensory neuroscience and a track record of catalyzing innovation across science, gaming, and technology.

She earned her PhD in Cognitive and Perceptual Psychology from the University of Washington, where her research focused on human auditory and visual processing, brain mapping, and computational modeling.

At Xbox, Jess led games user research for several titles including Killer Instinct, Halo Wars, and Halo Infinite, designing large-scale playtesting programs and translating player feedback into actionable insights. She also founded the Halo Insider Program, which engaged over a million global players providing critical feedback to franchise development teams.

Later she transitioned to large scale cross-platform UX initiatives as the research lead for Xbox Design System before stepping into strategic leadership as Culture and Learning lead for Microsoft Gaming. She led a series of employee programs strategically aligned to key business goals around AI skilling and organizational change. A key initiative under her leadership was the Game Changer program—a multimedia learning series spotlighting AI innovation across the Gaming organization with inspiring storytelling, expert insights, and interactive content.

Currently, Jess serves as Senior Technical Program Manager in the Office of the CTO where she drives strategic technology programs across scientific divisions. Her work focuses on infrastructure modernization, AI/ML enablement, and cross-functional collaboration to accelerate scientific discovery.

Jess brings a unique blend of scientific rigor, user-centered design, and strategic leadership to complex, interdisciplinary challenges.