Place of Birth: St. Croix
Party Affiliation: Democrat
Term: First

Michael Thurland is the last of six children born on the island of St. Croix to Peter G. Thurland, Jr. and Beulah Gomez-Thurland on June 26, 1971.  His maternal grandparents are the late Regino Gomez and Juanita Buntin.  His paternal grandparents are the late Peter G. Thurland, Sr. and Ruth Simmonds-Thurland. His siblings are Denise Jefferson, Michelle Martinez, Angeli Ferdschneider, Pierre Thurland and Jean Andre Thurland.

He attended the Pearl B. Larsen Elementary School, Elena Christian Junior High School and the St. Joseph’s High School.  He is also a graduate of Drexel University in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania where he obtained a Bachelors of Science degree in History and Political Science.

He began a teaching career with the Department of Education as a secondary social studies teacher at the St. Croix Educational Complex and also chaired the social studies department.  During his tenure at the St. Croix Educational Complex, he was the St. Croix Federation of Teachers Local 1826 building representative for two terms.  In 2001 he accepted a position as Chief of Staff to Senator Emmett Hansen II in the 24th Legislature. Mr. Thurland was also a part-time instructor in the Humanities Division at the University of the Virgin Islands.  In 2003 he became a Legislative Assistant in the Office of Delegate to Congress Donna M. Christensen.

Mr. Thurland was also a United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) scholar.  He was a member of the UNESCO Slave Route Project that mapped the trans-Atlantic slave trade and developed a curriculum for international consumption.

His community involvement is grounded with his membership in the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc./Eta Iota Iota Chapter.  He participates in his fraternity’s Big Brother/Little Brother Program mentoring boys in the elementary schools and is also a guest lecturer on VI and Caribbean History at elementary schools throughout St. Croix.

Mr. Thurland is a Delegate to the Fifth Constitutional Convention of the Virgin Islands in which he chairs the Committee on the Executive Branch.

During his tenure as a teacher and legislative assistant Mr. Thurland has traveled to Europe, Africa, Asia, South America and throughout the Caribbean as both an academic scholar and Congressional staffer.

Mr. Thurland is a trained musician and continues his family’s tradition of joinery.