Susan Thomas

Susan S. Thomas is the acting Executive Assistant Commissioner (EAC) for U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Office of Trade. In this role, she leads more than 1,250 employees and the enforcement of over 500 U.S. trade laws and 14 free trade agreements to enhance U.S. economic prosperity. In collaboration with 49 partner government agencies, she oversees the facilitation of more than $3 trillion in legitimate trade each year as well as seven priority trade issues. This work is critical to protecting the American economy and consumers from unsafe and unfair trade practices including intellectual property rights violations, forced labor, duty evasion, misclassification, and trade-based money laundering through risk-based and data driven enforcement.

Prior to her experience as (a)EAC, she served as the Executive Director, Cargo and Conveyance Security, in CBP’s Office of Field Operations in Washington, DC. In this role, she oversaw cargo innovation; cargo security and controls; Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism; fines, penalties, and forfeitures; manifest and conveyance security; and trade operations. She also served as the Acting Deputy Director, Field Operations at the Los Angeles Field Office, overseeing a workforce of over 2,000 employees and all CBP operations in the greater Los Angeles area and Las Vegas, to include the Los Angeles International, Harry Reid International, John Wayne International, and Ontario International airports, the ports of Los Angeles, Long Beach and Hueneme, and the Electronics Center of Excellence and Expertise.

(a)EAC Thomas has also held roles as Acting Assistant Port Director for Cargo Operations at JFK International Airport, where she managed trade enforcement, agriculture operations, and mail facilities, and as Acting Director of the National Targeting Center Cargo Division, overseeing cargo targeting systems and enforcement efforts. She also played a key role in transitioning the Centers of Excellence and Expertise into operational entities, strengthening trade processes, and ensuring consistency across CBP’s trade enforcement efforts.

A(EAC) Thomas was born and raised in the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania and received her Bachelor of Arts from LaSalle University in Philadelphia with a degree in Mathematics. She began her career with the U.S. Customs Service in 1995 as an import specialist at the Port of Philadelphia.