Our Team
“We Don’t Just Gather People — We Grow Movements.”
A strong team is built on balance, collaboration, and shared purpose. Each member brings a unique skill set — from visionaries who lead with strategy, to creators who turn ideas into action, to organizers who ensure every detail runs smoothly. A successful team includes leaders, planners, communicators, innovators, and supporters, all united by trust and a common goal. At IGL Foundation, every team functions like a creative ecosystem — where different talents combine to spark innovation, solve problems, and achieve lasting impact together.
Staff
Join a dynamic team shaping the future of education, esports, and technology. IGL Foundation staff members are innovators, educators, and organizers who bring programs to life through creativity, leadership, and community impact. We offer roles in program management, communications, curriculum development, and event production.
View Open Positions
Volunteers
Be part of something bigger! IGL Foundation volunteers help power our events, youth programs, and community initiatives. Whether you’re supporting esports tournaments, mentoring students, or assisting with outreach, you’ll gain hands-on experience while making a difference.
Sign Up to Volunteer
Partners and Sponsors
Collaboration drives innovation. IGL Foundation partners with schools, corporations, nonprofits, and local agencies to deliver life-changing experiences through gaming, technology, and creative education. Sponsors gain meaningful community exposure while investing in future-ready talent.
Become a Partner or Sponsor
Board Member
Join our leadership circle. IGL Foundation welcomes forward-thinking leaders to serve on our Executive Board or Advisory Council. Board members help guide strategy, champion partnerships, and shape the foundation’s long-term impact in education, innovation, and workforce development.
Inquire About Board Membership
Derek Thomas was more than a gamer—he was a visionary. As Co-Founder and Chief Gaming Officer of the Independent Gaming League (IGL) and the IGL Foundation, Derek helped pioneer Louisiana’s esports movement and ignite a new era of technology-driven community building. His passion for gaming, creativity, and youth development continues to define the heart of IGL today.
A graduate of Nicholls State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing, Derek combined business acumen with pure enthusiasm for gaming culture. He founded Game Hedz, an apparel and content brand created “for gamers, by gamers,” celebrating the energy and identity of the gaming world. Through IGL, he produced hundreds of live and online tournaments across the Southeastern United States, drawing thousands of competitors and fans who found in IGL more than a competition — they found a family.
Derek was known for his ability to see what players wanted before they asked. Whether curating tournament lineups or designing youth-focused programs, he always emphasized fun, inclusivity, and connection. Under his creative direction, the IGL Foundation expanded its mission to provide students with access to technology, digital arts, and coding education, transforming gaming from a pastime into a platform for learning and career growth.
He was affectionately known as “the go-to guy for all things esports in Louisiana,” but Derek’s influence reached far beyond tournaments. He inspired a generation of young people to believe that their passions could become professions — that gaming, creativity, and community could co-exist as tools for change.
Although Derek passed away in 2019, his spirit continues to fuel every event, class, and partnership under the IGL Foundation umbrella. His legacy lives on through every student who learns to code, every competitor who joins a tournament, and every innovator who dares to dream bigger.
Derek Thomas built more than leagues—he built opportunities.
His vision laid the foundation for a movement that continues to empower, educate, and unite communities through gaming and technology.
Our President/CEO
Kimberly "Kimmie" Thomas, JD
President/CEO
Kimberly “Kimmie” Thomas, JD, is a distinguished strategist, innovation leader, and change
manager with a 20-year career marked by significant contributions to corporations, government
agencies, nonprofit organizations, and community development initiatives. Known for her
exceptional business acumen and a deep-seated commitment to community service, Kimberly
has established herself as a transformative figure in various sectors, including disaster recovery,
education reform, and public policy.