Dr. Thies received her Doctorate in Education at Arizona State University with a focus on literacy and teacher development. She received a Master’s in Educational Psychology and a Bachelor’s of Science in Liberal Studies from Northern Arizona University. Before joining the BASIS Curriculum Schools network, she was a patrol officer in the Tucson Police Department, and served as a non-commissioned officer in the United States Army. She began her academic career in 2007 at BASIS Tucson, which is BASIS Curriculum Schools flagship campus. She served as Athletic Director and as a Physical Education teacher. She initiated and developed a highly successful athletics program for students in Grades 5–12. The program included soccer, flag football, basketball, cross country, and volleyball. She even coached the high school soccer team to three consecutive championships! Dr. Thies ultimately became Head of School of BASIS Oro Valley and served for two years. While at BASIS Oro Valley, Dr. Thies created programs to support and empower teachers and build connections with students and families. As the Head of School, Dr. Thies was responsible for driving the academic vision that earned BASIS Oro Valley its national recognition as having ranked as the number three Best Public High School in America in 2018 according to U.S. News & World Report. Her focus combined the BASIS Curriculum with a strong academic community that was both supportive and conducive to student success. During this time, her students achieved an average AP score of 3.9, well above the national average. Additionally, her students outscored nations such as Shanghai-China, Singapore, and Hong Kong on the OECD/PISA test in all three categories (Math, Reading, and Science). She then became the founding Head of School for BASIS Independent Thailand. While there, she worked closely with her teachers and administrative staff to support her second language learning community and enhance the co-teaching model in a way that best served the students in Thailand. In 2022, Dr. Thies relocated back to the United States to become the founding Head of School for BASIS Independent Bellevue.​​​​‌‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍​‍​‍​​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‍​‍​‍​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍‍​‌‌​‌‌​‌​​‌​​‍‍​‍​‍‌‍​‍‌‍​‌‌​‌‍‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‌‍‌​‌‍‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‍​‍‍‌‍‌​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍​‌‍‌‌​​‍‍‌‍​‌‍‌‍‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌​‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌​​‌‍‌‌‌​​‍‌‍‌​​‌‌‌‍‍‍‌‍‍‌​‍‌‌​​​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌​‌‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‍‌​‍‌‌‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌​‍‌‍‍‌‌‌​‌‍‌‌‌‍‌‌​​‍‌‌​‌​‌​‌​​‌​‍‌‌​‌‍‍‌​​‍‌‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍‍‌‍​‌‌​‍‍‌‍‌‌‍​‍‌​‍‌‌‌​‌‌‌​​‌​‌‍‍​‌‌‌‌‌​‌​‌‌​‌​‍‌‍‌‌‌‍‌​‌‍‍‌‌‌​​‍​‌‍‌‍‌‍‍‌‌‍‌‌‌‍​‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌‍​‌‌‌​‌‍‍​​‌‌‍​‍‌‍‍‌‌‍​‍​‍‌‌