Rodney Gibbs Chief Innovation Officer

Rodney Gibbs ensures The Texas Tribune leverages technology wisely and creatively across all aspects of the organization. He has started two digital media companies. The first, Fizz Factor, developed handheld games for Nintendo and Sony platforms. The second, Ricochet Labs, created social-mobile games for news and entertainment brands, including the BBC, Lollapalooza, and The Texas Tribune. Active in the digital media community, Rodney serves on the boards of KUT, Austin's NPR affiliate; the Austin Film Society; and KLRU, Austin's PBS affiliate. He has a bachelor's degree in sociology from Rice University and a MFA from The University of Texas.

Recent Contributions

Timeline: The Perry Indictment

Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg refused to step down after her April 2013 drunken driving arrest, and Gov. Rick Perry vetoed funding for the public integrity unit, which is housed in the Travis County DA's office.
Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg refused to step down after her April 2013 drunken driving arrest, and Gov. Rick Perry vetoed funding for the public integrity unit, which is housed in the Travis County DA's office.

Take a look back at the events that led up to a grand jury's decision to indict Texas Gov. Rick Perry.

TribLive: A Conversation with Tony Garza

Antonio Garza, the former U.S. ambassador to Mexico and former Texas railroad commissioner, during a TribLive event on April 18, 2013.
Antonio Garza, the former U.S. ambassador to Mexico and former Texas railroad commissioner, during a TribLive event on April 18, 2013.

Garza served as the U.S. ambassador to Mexico from 2002 to 2009. He had previously served as chairman of the Texas Railroad Commission, as the Texas secretary of state and as a Cameron County judge. A South Texas native, he currently serves as counsel in the Mexico City office of White & Case LLP and as chairman of Vianovo Ventures, a management consultancy.

This event was recorded before a live audience in Austin on April 18, 2013. Our TribLive events feature discussions with our honored guests followed by questions from the audience. For more information on Tribune events, please visit http://www.texastribune.org/events/.

TribLive: A Conversation with Ken Starr

Evan Smith speaks with Ken Starr, President of Baylor University, at a TribLive event on April 29, 2013.
Evan Smith speaks with Ken Starr, President of Baylor University, at a TribLive event on April 29, 2013.

Ken Starr became the 14th president of Baylor University in June 2010. Before coming to Waco, he was the dean and a professor of law at Pepperdine University, where he taught current constitutional issues and civil procedure.

Starr has argued 36 cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, including 25 cases during his tenure as solicitor general of the United States from 1989-93. He also served as U.S. judge for the District of Columbia Circuit from 1983 to 1989, as law clerk to Chief Justice Warren Burger from 1975-77 and as law clerk to U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals Judge David W. Dyer from 1973 to 1974.

This event was recorded before a live audience in Austin on April 29, 2013. Our TribLive events feature discussions with our honored guests followed by questions from the audience. For more information on Tribune events, please visit http://www.texastribune.org/events/.

TribLive: A Conversation with Todd Staples

Evan Smith talks with Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples during a TribLive event on May 2, 2013.
Evan Smith talks with Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples during a TribLive event on May 2, 2013.

Todd Staples has served as Texas' agriculture commissioner since 2007. Before that, he served as a state representative for House District 11 from 1997-2000 and as a state senator for Senate District 3 from 2001-2005. He has announced his intention to run for lieutenant governor in 2014. A former rancher and businessman, Staples graduated with honors from Texas A&M University with a bachelor's degree in agricultural economics.

This event was recorded before a live audience in Austin on May 2, 2013. Our TribLive events feature discussion with our honored guests followed by questions from the audience. For more information on Tribune events, please visit http://www.texastribune.org/events/.

TribLive: A Conversation About Transportation

TribLive with State Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville and State Rep. Larry Phillips, R-Sherman - April 4, 2013.
TribLive with State Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville and State Rep. Larry Phillips, R-Sherman - April 4, 2013.

With the way Texas pays for its roads under the spotlight this session, Sen. Robert Nichols and state Rep. Larry Phillips joined Tribune reporter Aman Batheja for a conversation about transportation.


This event was recorded before a live audience in Austin on April 4, 2013. TribLives feature moderated discussion with our honored guests followed by questions from the audience. For more information on Tribune events, please visit http://www.texastribune.org/events/.

TribLive: A Conversation with Cigarroa and Sharp

UT System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa, l, and Texas A&M Chancellor John Sharp at TribLive on March 28, 2013.
UT System Chancellor Francisco Cigarroa, l, and Texas A&M Chancellor John Sharp at TribLive on March 28, 2013.

Francisco Cigarroa, chancellor of The University of Texas System, and John Sharp, chancellor of The Texas A&M University System, join Evan Smith, CEO and Editor-in-Chief of The Texas Tribune, in a conversation about higher education and the future of Texas' largest two university systems. 

 

This event was recorded before a live audience in Austin on March 28, 2013. TribLives feature moderated discussion with our honored guests followed by questions from the audience. For more information on Tribune events, please visit http://www.texastribune.org/events/.

TribLive: Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams

At this morning's TribLive conversation, Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams addressed the hottest topic in public education in Texas today: the state's standardized testing regimen.

Texas Education Commissioner Michael Williams joins Evan Smith, CEO of The Texas Tribune, in conversation about the state's public schools.

This event was recorded before a live audience in Austin on January 10, 2013. TribLives feature moderated discussion with our honored guests followed by questions from the audience. For more information on Tribune events, please visit http://www.texastribune.org/events/.