Derek Thomas

Co-Founder and CGO / Independent Gaming League

Derek Thomas, Co-Founder & CGO of both the Independent Gaming League (IGL) and the IGL Foundation, is the Gaming Director that organizes and orchestrates all programs, events and curriculum under the organizations’ umbrellas. The Independent Gaming League was created by the IGL Foundation to provide a place for all gamers to have to compete in both online and live tournaments. IGL Foundation is a 501c3 nonprofit organization whose mission is to bring people together to learn, compete, and play by providing opportunities for students in the areas of technology, gaming, and the digital arts that are both enriching and entertaining. Derek is also the founder of Game Hedz which provides apparel and content for the gaming community. As a competitive video game tournament producer, Derek has made a name for himself as one of the “Go-To” people in Louisiana for all things e-sports. Derek is a graduate of Nicholls State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Business Marketing, and has hosted hundreds of gaming tournaments in Southeastern portion of the U.S. which has been attended by thousands of gamers. He prides himself on always knowing what gamers want to play and create a fun and friendly environment for gamers to play, learn and network in.