Josh Fryday

Josh Fryday
Official portrait, 2024
Chief Service Officer of California
Incumbent
Assumed office
July 12, 2019
Personal details
BornNovato, California

Josh Fryday is an American public servant, attorney, military veteran, and political candidate. He currently serves as California's Chief Service Officer, a cabinet-level position within the Governor’s Office, and is a candidate for Lieutenant Governor in the 2026 election. Fryday has held leadership roles in the military, local government, nonprofit organizations, and state administration.

Early Life and Education

Fryday was born and raised in Novato, California. He earned both his Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor degrees from the University of California, Berkeley, where he was active in student government and campus advocacy.[1] He delivered the 2025 commencement address to the Berkeley political science department.[2] During his studies, he clerked with the U.S. Attorney's Office and the San Francisco District Attorney's Office during Kamala Harris's tenure as District Attorney.[3]

Military Service

From 2009 to 2013, Fryday served as a lieutenant in the United States Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps (JAG). He was stationed at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba, where he worked as a defense lawyer on detainee cases in the Office of Military Commissions. [4] Fryday testified before the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee urging the closure of the Guantánamo Bay detention facility.[5] He also spent time in Japan helping with relief efforts in the aftermath of the 2011 earthquake, tsunami and Fukushima nuclear disaster. During the 2025 deployment of active duty servicemembers and the California National Guard to Los Angeles, Fryday was one of the first state officials to visit the base housing the troops.[6] He spoke out against this deployment, stating that it was a waste of the troops time and a waste of funding.[7]

Career

Local Government

In 2015, Fryday was elected to the Novato City Council and subsequently served as the city's mayor.[8] During his tenure, he participated in the Marin County Council of Mayors and Councilmembers and was an alternate representative to Marin Clean Energy[9]

Nonprofit Leadership

Fryday served as Chief Operating Officer of NextGen Climate (now NextGen America) from 2013 to 2016, a national organization focused on climate change advocacy.[10] He then became President of Golden State Opportunity, leading efforts to expand and implement the California Earned Income Tax Credit (CalEITC).[11]

State Service

In 2019, Governor Gavin Newsom appointed Fryday as California’s Chief Service Officer, leading California Volunteers, the state’s office dedicated to expanding civic engagement and volunteerism.[12] In this cabinet-level role, Fryday has led and launched several initiatives including:

  • The Climate Action Corps
  • The #CaliforniansForAll College Corps
  • The #CaliforniansForAll Youth Jobs Corps[13]
  • Coordination of the COVID-19 Task Force
Josh Fryday with Jane Goodall

As Chief Service Officer, Fryday has recruited tens of thousands of Californians to participate in service programs.[14][15] This has resulted in the creation of a service force larger than the US Peace Corps.[16] Fryday has been recognized for his work on climate issues[17] and in 2024, President Joe Biden launched the American Climate Corps, largely based on the model Fryday created in California.[18]

Through his role as Chief Service Officer, Fryday is responsible for California’s organization and administration of AmeriCorps programs.[19] Fryday has been active in the state’s efforts to push back against the Trump Administration’s cuts to AmeriCorps.[20]

Los Angeles Wildfire Relief Mobilization

Fryday helped mobilize recovery efforts during the 2025 Los Angeles wildfires, which swept through Pacific Palisades and Altadena.[21] California Volunteers organized more than 5,000 trained community responders, including AmeriCorps members and volunteer crews, to assist with evacuation support, shelter coordination, and post-fire recovery.[22][23]

2026 Lieutenant Governor Campaign

On March 5, 2025, Fryday announced his candidacy for Lieutenant Governor of California in the 2026 election.[24] His campaign focused on expanding volunteer service and job pathways, addressing climate goals, and cutting red tape to increase housing construction.[25] Fryday has assembled a campaign team of strategists and operatives that include former Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo, Obama’s former California campaign chief Lindsay Rachelefsky and renowned pollster David Binder.

Personal Life

Fryday is married to Mollye Fryday, a public school teacher. They have three sons: Shay, Calvin, and Tam. The family resides in Davis, California.

References

  1. ^ "Josh Fryday | American Academy of Arts and Sciences". July 17, 2024.
  2. ^ "Ceremony details | UC Berkeley Political Science". polisci.berkeley.edu. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  3. ^ "Top Newsom aide Josh Fryday to run for Lt. Governor". March 5, 2025.
  4. ^ "Josh Fryday | American Academy of Arts and Sciences". www.amacad.org. July 17, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  5. ^ "Lieutenant Josh Fryday with the U.S. Navy JAG Corps". YouTube. August 16, 2015.
  6. ^ "Trump's National Guard Troops Are Questioning Their Mission in L.A." July 16, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  7. ^ Schneid, Rebecca (June 11, 2025). "Veterans Condemn Trump's 'Misuse of Military' in Protests". TIME. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  8. ^ https://www.novato.org/Home/Components/News/News/5892/637&npage=16&arch=1
  9. ^ "Meet the Mayor: Josh Fryday". May 2, 2018.
  10. ^ Foran, Clare; Geman, Ben; Journal, National (June 10, 2014). "Inside a Green Billionaire's Brain Trust". The Atlantic. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  11. ^ Fryday, Josh (August 14, 2019). "Fryday: Cal EITC expansion is bigger than $1 billion and it's going to save lives". The Bakersfield Californian. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  12. ^ "Governor Newsom Appoints New Chief Service Officer for California". July 12, 2019.
  13. ^ "California's Youth Job Corps offers a second chance at career, higher education".
  14. ^ Fallows, James. "Even Under Trump, California (Yes, That Hellscape) Will Keep Moving the World Forward No Matter What". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  15. ^ "California Service Corps recruiting 10,000 members for paid community service". ABC7 Los Angeles. March 15, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  16. ^ "How California Grew a Service Corps Larger Than the Peace Corps (Published 2024)". June 13, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  17. ^ "In Large and Small Ways, These Leaders Are Taking On Climate Change (Published 2023)". September 20, 2023. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  18. ^ "Meet the Californians serving in the first class of the American Climate Corps". Los Angeles Times. July 9, 2024. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  19. ^ Jones, Adam Echelman, Carolyn (July 18, 2025). "'Like having a hand cut off': California schools reeling after AmeriCorps cuts". CalMatters. Retrieved July 28, 2025.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  20. ^ Burke, Molly. "'Middle finger to volunteers': Newsom blasts Trump for dismantling AmeriCorps". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on July 5, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  21. ^ Noroozi, Aryana (January 18, 2025). "California Mobilizes Recovery Efforts for Disaster-affected Residents". Black Voice News. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  22. ^ CaliforniaVolunteers (January 12, 2025). CNN brings spotlight to LA Fire volunteers. Retrieved July 28, 2025 – via YouTube.
  23. ^ CaliforniaVolunteers (January 13, 2025). Fox 11 spotlights important updates on the Los Angeles wildfires. Retrieved July 28, 2025 – via YouTube.
  24. ^ "Former Navy JAG wants to make government good again as lieutenant governor". POLITICO. March 5, 2025. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
  25. ^ "Josh Fryday for California Lieutenant Governor 2026". Josh Fryday for California Lieutenant Governor 2026. Retrieved July 28, 2025.
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