Sharon Tomkins

Sharon Tomkins Vice President, Sustainability Sempra Energy for Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas)

Sharon Tomkins is Vice President, Sustainability at Sempra Energy for Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas), a Sempra Energy regulated California utility.

Prior to this role, Tomkins led SoCalGas’s corporate strategy, environmental policy and environmental services. She also led SoCalGas’ engagement with the California Air Resources Board, the California Energy Commission and California Air Quality Management Districts. Her responsibilities additionally included managing regional public affairs, community outreach, media, corporate communications and branding.

Prior to her business role at SoCalGas, Tomkins served as the company’s general counsel and before joining SoCalGas. She was a partner at O’Melveny & Myers LLP, where she was a founding member of the firm’s Energy, Natural Resources & Environmental Practice and represented clients in a variety of litigation, regulatory and appellate proceedings.

Her focus on energy began during her representation of various clients, including Sempra, during the California energy crisis. She also developed and taught the law school class, Energy Law, Policy & Climate Change, at UCLA law school. After graduating from law school, she clerked in the U.S. Court of Appeals, Sixth Circuit, for the Honorable Danny J. Boggs.

Tomkins is the chair of the board of directors of the California Minority Counsel Program. She also serves on the United Way of Greater Los Angeles Board of Directors, where she raised nearly a quarter of a million dollars for HomeWalk 2019. She additionally serves on the Constitutional Rights Foundation Board of Directors, the advisory board of the U.C. Davis Energy Efficiency Institute, and the UC Irvine Chief Executive Roundtable.

She graduated Order of the Coif from the USC Gould School of Law and received her undergraduate degree in English, with High Distinction, from Pennsylvania State University.