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Apr 20, 2023

Thomas J. Umberg – CU Boulder

Pursuit of Greatness
Thomas J. Umberg – CU Boulder

From Senate.Gov

Thomas J. Umberg, CU Boulder ’77, is the California state senator representing Orange and Los Angeles Counties in the state senate where he chairs the judiciary committee. State Senator Tom Umberg is a retired US Army colonel, former federal criminal prosecutor, three-term state legislator, small business owner, and deputy drug czar for President Clinton.

Senator Umberg began military service at the Korean DMZ and served three overseas tours. Umberg served active military duty in 2009, leading the US military effort to attack corruption within the Afghan Army and Police, for which he was awarded a Bronze Star for meritorious service in a combat zone.

Senator Umberg served three terms in the state assembly, Umberg representing central Orange County. He worked across party lines, authoring seventy-six laws and bringing more than $563 million into the county. Senator Umberg founded and built a successful veteran-owned small business in Orange County, and was recognized as one of California’s preeminent boutique law firms by Best Lawyers and The Daily Journal. Senator Umberg is a strong advocate for local small businesses, cutting red tape and unnecessary regulation.

As President Clinton’s deputy drug czar, Senator Umberg was responsible for foreign drug interdiction, counter-drug intelligence, and international drug policy. Umberg has a deep understanding of the strategies and resources we need to stop the current opioid epidemic and put an end to senseless gun violence in our communities.

Since his arrival in the State Senate in 2018, Senator Tom Umberg has chaired the senate’s elections and judiciary committees. He is committed to ensuring that every Californian has equal access to both our democratic process and our court system. In pursuit of these goals, he has authored seventeen new laws in the state senate, fostering greater inclusiveness in these systems. Since 2020, Senator Umberg has served as a Trustee for the Judicial Council of California, the constitutionally created policy-making body of the California courts.

Senator Umberg lives in Orange County with his wife Robin, who is a retired brigadier general. They have three adult children and four grandchildren.

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