In January 2010 Governor Schwarzenegger appointed Michael Gibbs to the California Environmental Protection Agency as Deputy Secretary for Climate Change. In this capacity, Gibbs is the lead deputy for the Agency’s climate change initiatives, including coordinating initiatives across state agencies and supporting the Western Climate Initiative. Prior to being named Deputy Secretary, Gibbs served for two-and-a-half years as Assistant Secretary.

Gibbs has more than 25 years of experience in energy and environmental policy analysis and program implementation. He has worked on emission inventory methods, emission reduction analyses, and program development throughout his career.

Prior to joining Cal/EPA, Gibbs served as Senior Vice President of ICF International where he worked as a consultant and director of the Los Angeles Office. He worked with the U.S. technical delegation leading up to the signing of the Montreal Protocol in 1987 that established the international framework for protecting stratospheric ozone. Subsequently, Gibbs supported the development and implementation of the U.S. EPA Methane Program and ENERGY STAR program.

Gibbs has traveled extensively, including to support the U.S. Country Studies Program which provided capacity building assistance to 40 countries enabling them to prepare and submit national greenhouse gas emission inventories. As co-chair of the Methane Working Group, he helped draft the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Guidelines for National Greenhouse Gas.

He led the design and delivery of local energy efficiency programs in California for both residential and commercial sectors, and developed a demand response program to help small commercial customers reduce electric demand during peak periods.

Gibbs holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Civil Engineering and Engineering and Public Policy from Carnegie Mellon University, and a Masters degree in Public Policy from the John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University. Gibbs is married with two children.