A longtime resident of Cobb County, Powell previously served as eastern district commissioner from 1987-1991. She is also a former president of the East Cobb Civic Association. Powell's involvement in the community has included serving on the Wellstar Foundation Board, Georgia Ballet's Board of Trustees and Cobb Youth Leadership Steering Committee. She is also a former chair of the Cobb County Transit Board and Cobb Senior Services Board of Advisors.

Powell graduated from the inaugural class of the Regional Leadership Institute and has served on the Regional Leadership Foundation Executive Committee. She has volunteered as a court appointed special advocate
(CASA) in Cobb Juvenile Court and currently spends time as a docent at the Chattahoochee Nature Center.

Powell has a bachelor's degree in psychology from DePaul University in Chicago and a master's degree in special education from the University of Illinois -Champaign-Urbana. She and her husband, George, have one daughter.

The Cobb Board of Commissioners unanimously appointed Thea Powell in April to serve as district three commissioner . She will serve out the unexpired portion of the commission term which ends December 31, 2010.