Dr. Thompson earned her MPH in Epidemiology from the University of Florida and her PhD in Public Health from the University of South Florida. She completed a postdoctoral fellowship focused on women's reproductive health at the University of South Florida. More recently, Dr. Thompson was an Associate Professor with tenure in the School of Public Health at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. She is currently an Associate Professor in the Department of Quantitative and Qualitative Health Sciences in the UT School of Public Health San Antonio at UT Health Science Center at San Antonio.

Dr. Thompson's research is centered on human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination and prevention. HPV prevention is critical for reducing cancer morbidity and mortality, specifically cervical, anogenital, and oropharyngeal cancers. Using mixed-methods approaches, she has examined HPV vaccine decision-making, school-entry policies, and alternative health care providers and settings for HPV prevention. Additionally, her research has focused on reproductive health issues, such as contraceptive needs and access among women experiencing homelessness. Finally, her work involves examining social determinants for maternal and child health issues in our community, such as housing insecurity, early childhood education, and violence.

Dr. Thompson is a Fellow of the American Academy of Health Behavior and currently serves on the Board of Directors as the Secretary. She is also active in the American Public Health Association, Cancer Alliance of Texas, Texas HPV Coalition, and the Delta Omega Honor Society in Public Health. Finally, she is on the advisory board for the Texas Cancer Registry.