The Human Behind The Work

Making the unexpected possible.

Engineer by training, educator by profession, instigator by choice.

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AnnMarie Thomas working in a lab setting, holding tools and smiling
(Might be covered in glitter or metal shavings)
Collaborating with a team

How I ended up here.

My career has taken a meandering path through a variety of disciplines and specialties. I have a Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from Caltech (and an Ocean Engineering degree from MIT), but I've spent my life working with circus performers, toy designers, rock bands, chefs, and kindergarten teachers. I love learning new things and then applying them in unexpected ways.

I don't fit neatly into an academic box or a corporate org chart. I exist in the messy intersections between disciplines. Whether I'm designing wearable sensors, curating a conference, or helping a manager rethink team dynamics, my goal is always the same: bringing rigorous thought and playfulness to challenging situations.

Teaching and presenting

What I'm actually good at.

I am a translator. I speak fluid engineer, fluent educator, rapid product designer, and conversational corporate executive. I sit in rooms where wildly imaginative creative directors are pitching impossible ideas to extremely pragmatic project managers, and I figure out how to build the bridge.

People often hire me when they have a terrifyingly blank canvas. The kind of project where the outcome isn't defined yet, the audience is tricky, and the medium hasn't yet been invented. I don't just consult; I instigate, prototype, test, break things, and then help you put them back together in a way that actually works in the real world.

Ideas need both whimsy and STRUCTURE to survive.

The magic happens exactly in the friction between the two.

The Receipts.

For those who need to see the paperwork.

Current Roles

  • NOW

    Founder & Principal

    Listo Idea Co.

  • NOW

    Professor Emerita

    University of St. Thomas

    Saint Paul, MN

Education

  • Ph.D.

    Mechanical Engineering

    Caltech

  • M.S.

    Mechanical Engineering

    Caltech

  • S.B.

    Ocean Engineering with Minor in Music

    MIT

Recognition

Past Roles

  • Professor of Engineering and Business

    University of St. Thomas

    Saint Paul, MN

  • Executive Director/Founding Director

    Maker Education Initiative

    Sebastopol, CA

Writings

Talks

What she's like to work with

AnnMarie is one of those rare professionals who can step into a complex, fast-moving environment and immediately start building. What sets her apart is her ability to connect leaders and doers across industries, turning ideas into reality with creativity and clarity.

Max Khosrowshahi

OceanX

Ann Marie had a remarkable ability to listen carefully to educator input, asking thoughtful, strategic questions that pushed our teams toward stronger outcomes. Her creativity, flexibility, and systems thinking make her an exceptional partner.

Jody De St.Hubert

Edina Public Schools

Let's make
something.

Whether it's a wildly ambitious project or a kernel of an idea, the first step is a conversation.