Gary Gardner is the Mayor Pro Tem for the city of Desert Hot Springs and was appointed to a two-year term to the CVMVCD in 2019, after he was elected to the City Council of Desert Hot Springs. He was reappointed by the city in 2021 to a four-year term as trustee representing the city.  He has lived in Desert Hot Springs since 2016. Prior to that, he spent 28 years as a lobbyist and political consultant in Washington State, where he represented various clients before the Washington State Legislature and other governmental agencies. In addition to serving on the board of CVMVCD, he also serves as Chairman of the Coachella Valley Mountains Conservancy, and Vice-Chair of Visit Greater Palm Springs JPA, as well as on the Coachella Valley Conservation Commission.  He was born in Denver, Colorado, and raised in Salt Lake City Utah.  He holds a BA in Political Science from Brigham Young University, and a Masters degree in Public Administration from Arizona State University. He and his partner Eric along with their dogs Luna and Hannah make their home in Desert Hot Springs.