Thomas J. "Dr. Colorado" Noel, a Professor Emeritus of History and Director of Public History, Preservation & Colorado Studies at University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver), is the author of numerous books, articles and columns. Noel is a graduate of the University of Denver, CU Denver and the University of Colorado at Boulder, where his mother (a psychiatrist) and grandmother (a teacher) also completed graduate work.

Noel teaches Denver, Colorado, Heritage Tourism, Historic Preservation, Mining & Railroads, National Parks History, U.S. West, and Western Art & Architecture courses at CU Denver, as well as conducting tours of the highest state and the Mile High City for History Colorado and other organizations such as the Smithsonian Institution. He writes a regular column for the Sunday Denver Post Perspective section and also appears on Denver KUSA Channel 9's "Colorado & Company" as Dr. Colorado. Noel co-directs The Center for Colorado & The West at the Auraria Library.