Tom Gilbert is a Tulsa-based journalist, photographer, and beer writer whose career spans more than three decades. He began working at the Tulsa World in 1988 after graduating from the University of Central Oklahoma, quickly establishing himself as one of the region’s most respected visual storytellers.

In 1998, Gilbert was named Chief Photographer at the Tulsa World and became Oklahoma’s first full-time digital newspaper photographer in the mid-1990s. His work has documented major national and regional events including the Oklahoma City bombing, Tulsa’s historic floods, championship sports seasons, and countless community stories across northeastern Oklahoma.

In 2013, Gilbert launched What the Ale, a beer blog dedicated to covering Oklahoma’s growing craft beer scene. Through weekly “Beer of the Week” features, brewery profiles, and reporting on changing alcohol laws, he helped introduce readers to local brewers and played a key role in chronicling the rise of craft beer across the state.

Gilbert continues to work as a photographer, writer, and video producer, and is also FAA Part 107 certified for commercial drone operations. His decades of contributions to journalism and storytelling earned him induction into the Oklahoma Journalism Hall of Fame, cementing his legacy as one of Tulsa’s most influential media voices.

Tom Gilbert's Bio