Jackson Thomas is a conductor, composer, and tenor, and is the director of choral activities at the University of Central Missouri. He is also the founder/artistic director of KC VITAs, presenting over one hundred world premiere performances since 2015 and a 2025 album release (‘when we arrive at home’) under NEUMA records. Thomas was recently awarded the Podium Award for “Significant Contributions to the Choral Art” and the Opus Award for “Excellence in Choral Composition” from the Missouri Choral Directors Association. He holds a degree in voice from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and both an MM and DMA in choral conducting from the University of Kansas. His research centers around composer-conductor collaboration, inclusivity, and the pedagogy of minimalist and extended vocal techniques. His compositions are available on MusicSpoke.com or on his website.