▁E ther idge . ▁Gib bs ▁was ▁announced ▁as ▁the ▁press ▁secretary ▁for ▁President ▁Ob ama ▁on ▁November ▁ 2 2 , ▁ 2 0 0 8 , ▁and ▁officially ▁assumed ▁the ▁role ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 0 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁giving ▁his ▁first ▁official ▁brief ing ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 2 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Gib bs ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁A ub urn , ▁Alabama . ▁His ▁parents , ▁Nancy ▁Jean ▁( née ▁Lane ) ▁and ▁Robert ▁Cole man ▁Gib bs , ▁worked ▁in ▁the ▁A ub urn ▁University ▁library ▁system ▁and ▁involved ▁their ▁son ▁in ▁politics ▁at ▁an ▁early ▁age . ▁Nancy ▁Gib bs ▁would ▁take ▁Robert , ▁then ▁known ▁as ▁" Bob by ," ▁to ▁local ▁League ▁of ▁Women ▁V ot ers ▁meet ings ▁rather ▁than ▁h ire ▁a ▁b ab ys itter , ▁and ▁involved ▁him ▁in ▁" v oter ▁re - ident ification " ▁work ▁at ▁the ▁county ▁cour th ouse . ▁ ▁Education ▁ ▁Gib bs ▁attended ▁A ub urn ▁City ▁School s ▁and ▁A ub urn ▁High ▁School . ▁At ▁A ub urn ▁High , ▁Gib bs ▁played ▁sa x oph one ▁in ▁the ▁A ub urn ▁High ▁School ▁Band , ▁was ▁a ▁goal keeper ▁on ▁the ▁Tig ers ' ▁s occer ▁team , ▁and ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁school ' s ▁debate ▁squad . ▁Gib bs ▁graduated ▁from ▁A ub urn ▁High ▁in ▁ 1 9 8 9 , ▁in ▁the ▁same ▁class ▁as ▁novel ist ▁A ce ▁At kins ▁and ▁LE