Chris Thomas

CEEAA Distinguished Alumni Award, 2025

For non-traditional engineering excellence being a results-driven leader and strong negotiator who thrives on solving complex problems and bringing opposing stakeholders into alignment; for helping companies implement disruptive ideas; for influence in reshaping how the industry finances, develops and builds major infrastructure projects; for being a trusted advisor to C-suite leaders, company founders, two former US Cabinet Secretaries; and for contributions as the first "Young Member" board director on the CEEAA board.

Biography

Chris Thomas is a results-driven executive recognized for helping industry-disrupting companies reshape how society tackles its biggest environmental, transportation, and infrastructure challenges. A trusted advisor to C-suite leaders and two former U.S. Cabinet secretaries, he has over 25 years of experience in corporate strategy, government and public relations, and engineering project management. His expertise spans multiple industries, including climate tech, technology, transportation, energy, and real estate development & construction.

Chris serves on the executive leadership team of climate tech leader Divert, a sustainable solutions company addressing the societal and environmental impacts of wasted food. As the Vice President of Public Affairs, he spearheads the company’s public engagement and communications strategy as it deploys new Integrated Diversion & Energy facilities across the country. He also advances the company’s public policy initiatives, coordinating with local leaders, state legislatures, governor’s offices, Congress, and the White House on emerging climate change and renewable energy policies.

Prior to Divert, Chris was an executive at transportation rideshare company Lyft, where he led the first ever negotiated legislative deal between gig companies, legislators, and organized labor. This historic first-in-the-nation legislation created new benefits for rideshare drivers while maintaining the flexibility of independent contracting that makes the on-demand transportation platform work seamlessly.

Chris also held executive roles with two engineering giants, leading external affairs and the government market at WSP U.S.A. and the US State & Local Government Relations team at CH2M (now Jacobs Engineering).

Chris holds a Master’s in Business Administration from The George Washington University School of Business and a B.S. and M.S. in Civil & Environmental Engineering from University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.