Thomas Gibson

Thomas Gibson was appointed lead deputy director of the California Department of Water Resources (DWR) in March 2024. Prior to that appointment, he served as DWR General Counsel, having been appointed to that position in June 2021. Thomas was previously undersecretary, deputy secretary and special counsel for water, and general counsel for the California Natural Resources Agency from 2014–20 as well as general counsel for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife from 2009–14. Prior to joining the state, he was a partner at the law firm of Best, Best & Krieger LLP and an associate at the law firms of Hyman, Phelps & McNamara P.C. and Kronick, Moskovitz, Tiedemann & Girard. Thomas earned a juris doctor degree cum laude from the Northwestern School of Law of Lewis & Clark College.