Dianna Thornton has served with the State of Alaska Department of Public Safety since 2006 and was appointed Administrative Services Director in 2024. Her career with the department has included work across criminal justice information, rural law enforcement, emergency response, and administrative operations. Dianna served as a search and rescue training specialist, working with volunteer search and rescue organizations across Alaska to support training and response readiness. Her work included coordinating training and administering state grant-funded avalanche training and public awareness efforts. She served as an auditor for noncriminal justice agencies authorized to access criminal history information for employment and licensing decisions involving individuals who work with children and vulnerable adults. She later worked in the Village Public Safety Operations division which partners with Alaska Native organizations to provide public safety services in rural communities. Village and Regional Public Safety Officers serve communities that may have limited access to traditional law enforcement and provide a local public safety presence with responsibilities that include law enforcement, fire prevention, emergency response, and community safety.

As Administrative Services Director, Dianna is responsible for the department’s administrative and financial operations, including budget development and oversight, finance, procurement, facilities, and grants. She oversees grant programs that administer state and federal funding supporting criminal justice, law enforcement, victim services, and other public safety programs across Alaska. As the department’s representative for its role as Alaska’s State Administering Agency for federal criminal justice funding, she works with department leadership on resource planning and statewide public safety priorities.