Eric L. Gibson has been appointed as the new Executive Director of the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA), according to an announcement by New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin. Gibson, who has served as Corruption Bureau Co-Director, will succeed Drew Skinner, who is leaving to pursue another career opportunity.
“Drew Skinner is a first-rate prosecutor, leader, and trusted advisor who excelled in one of the toughest, most vital jobs in state government. Drew’s principled leadership has laid the foundation for our Department’s continued emphasis on prosecuting corruption. I thank him for his exemplary public service,” said Attorney General Platkin. “I am excited that Eric Gibson, a longtime career corruption prosecutor at the state and federal level, will take over OPIA’s leadership. Eric has shown he will lead with the independence, fortitude, and discipline necessary to tackle corruption in New Jersey and to continue the office’s growth.”
Skinner previously worked nearly nine years as a federal prosecutor in the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York before becoming OPIA’s second Executive Director in May 2024. He also served as Senior Counsel to Attorney General Platkin prior to his time at OPIA. During his tenure at OPIA, Skinner helped expand its staff with experienced prosecutors and implemented new policies aimed at improving operations within the office. Notable cases overseen by Skinner included convictions involving police misconduct and public officials charged with abuse of power or accepting bribes.
“Every day the career public servants at OPIA come to work with one goal: not to win, but to do the right thing—to do justice. It was an honor to serve alongside them to promote good government and the functioning of our democracy in New Jersey,” said Drew Skinner, outgoing Executive Director of OPIA. “I thank Attorney General Platkin and First Assistant Attorney General Lyndsay V. Ruotolo for their leadership and congratulate Eric Gibson on his well-deserved new role.”
Gibson joined OPIA about a year ago after leading white-collar practice at Post & Schell P.C., a Philadelphia-based law firm. His previous experience includes almost two decades as a state and federal prosecutor handling complex corruption investigations involving racketeering, fraud, money laundering, extortion, among other offenses.
Effective September 19, 2025, Gibson will oversee attorneys and law enforcement officers investigating public corruption crimes statewide through several units within OPIA including its Fatal Police Encounters Unit; Conviction Review and Cold Case Unit; and Special Investigations Bureau responsible for police internal affairs matters.
“I will miss Drew’s steady hand and his leadership. I am humbled to pick up his baton and honored to be entrusted with leading OPIA’s essential work and continuing its mission of ensuring that public resources are used properly, that government officials abide by the law, and that the best interests of the people of New Jersey are served by those in positions of power. OPIA stands at the very intersection where the trust and confidence of the people is built or broken by the conduct of their public servants. Our work is a priority for the Attorney General and we will continue to execute our duties vigorously without concern for fear or favor, applying the law to the facts as we find them,” said incoming OPIA Executive Director Eric Gibson.
Gibson spent much of his career with various branches within U.S Department of Justice (DOJ), including serving from December 2016 through January 2023 as deputy chief in Eastern District Pennsylvania’s Corruption & Civil Rights Section where he supervised investigations into official misconduct across multiple jurisdictions.
His background also includes significant prosecutions such as cases against elected officials—including members of Congress—and high-profile figures involved in political consulting or campaign financing scandals across different states like Ohio or Pennsylvania; prosecution related to historic civil rights abuses; child exploitation cases resulting in lengthy sentences; involvement with national security matters; participation on teams reviewing fatal police encounters such as that involving Sean Bell in Queens; recognition from both Democratic- and Republican-led DOJ administrations through several awards honoring exceptional service.
Additionally,Gibson has contributed more than 25 years training prosecutors domestically—at institutions like FBI Academy—and internationally throughout regions such as northern Africa,eastern Europe,and Seychelles,on topics ranging from trial advocacy,to election crime,and civil rights enforcement.He began his legal career serving over ten years with Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office holding various supervisory roles.
