Born and raised in Bethlehem Township, Anna Thomas grew up in a family of immigrants from Malaysia and India. She was shaped by her family’s Christian faith, devotion to serving others, and the importance of contributing to our Lehigh Valley community. This led Anna to serve on the School Board of the Bethlehem Area School District.
I’ve seen Anna Thomas in action when she served on the Bethlehem Area School Board back in 2011-2013 as the Student Representative from Freedom High School. She was a strong advocate for higher academic standards and will be a great voice for us in the State House to improve education, strengthen our economy and fight crime.
Dr. Dean Donaher
Member, Bethlehem Area School Board
As our Democratic candidate for State Representative in the newly created District 137, Anna sees stronger education policy as the key to creating greater economic opportunity in our area. She’s focused on getting our fair share of state funding for Lehigh Valley public schools, expanding access to vocational training, and keeping tuition affordable at our community colleges and state universities.
After graduating from Freedom High School, Anna received her degree in Chemistry from Wellesley College, where she was on the NCAA championship rowing team.
She went on to earn a Masters in Public Administration from the University of Pennsylvania. She gained insight into Pennsylvania law enforcement when she did research for her thesis in partnership with the Philadelphia Police Department. While at Penn, she also conducted research into ways American industry can expand energy production while reducing environmental impact.
Education has been the key to Anna’s success, and she knows that quality public education is essential for making Pennsylvania a great place for businesses. Creating a strong business climate requires a highly skilled workforce that attracts the kinds of companies that create good-paying jobs for families to achieve a secure place in the middle class.
Anna is running for State Representative because she wants government policy to be driven by common sense and fairness. Low and middle-income families carry too much of the tax burden in Pennsylvania. Wealthy individuals and highly profitable corporations must pay their fair share to support all the public services that have enabled their success.
She will always defend personal liberty and stand up to politicians in Harrisburg who want to interfere in the private lives of Pennsylvania residents. Family planning decisions should be made by families – not politicians. Anna believes that legislators should stick to delivering essential government functions in an efficient and fiscally responsible way.
Sound environmental policy should not be an issue that divides Democrats and Republicans. Anna knows that all Pennsylvanians want clean air, safe drinking water, and safeguards against toxic pollution. And we all want more clean energy production here in America to help achieve energy independence and end our reliance on foreign sources.
If elected to the State House, Anna will be a Representative who is open to good ideas, whether they come from Democrats or Republicans. She wants to serve the people of our community, not the agenda of any political party or special interest group that wields power in Harrisburg. Anna looks forward to meeting you in-person when she’s out knocking on doors and visiting with residents in Bethlehem, Hanover, Nazareth, Palmer, and Tatamy.
Supported by Friends of Anna Thomas