Wikipedia

Josh Fryday

Josh Fryday
Official portrait, 2024
Chief Service Officer of California
Incumbent
Assumed office
September 1, 2019
GovernorGavin Newsom
Preceded byKaren Baker
Member of the Novato City Council
In office
December 8, 2015 – August 27, 2019
Preceded byJeanne MacLeamy
Succeeded byAmy S. Peele (redistricted)
Personal details
Born1981 (age 43–44)
Novato, California
PartyDemocratic
SpouseMollye Fryday
Children3
ResidenceDavis, California
Alma materUC Berkeley School of Law (BA, JD)
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch/service United States Navy
Years of service2009–2013
Rank Lieutenant Commander
UnitJ.A.G. Corps

Joshua M. Fryday (born 1981) is an American politician, public servant, attorney, and Judge Advocate General's Corps veteran. He currently serves as the Chief Service Officer of California, a cabinet-level position within the Governor’s Office. He is the also director of CaliforniaVolunteers and previously held the positions of city councilor and mayor of Novato, California, from 2015 to 2019. He is a candidate for Lieutenant Governor of California for the 2026 election.

Early life and education

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Fryday was born in 1981 and raised in Novato, California. He earned both his Bachelor of Arts and Juris Doctor degrees from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law, where he was active in student government and campus advocacy. 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.[1]

Military service

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Fryday testifying to the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, 2013.

From 2009 to 2013, Fryday served as a lieutenant in the United States Navy Judge Advocate General's Corps, where he worked on military commissions at Guantanamo Bay detention camp, and assisted in disaster relief efforts in Japan following the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami.[2]

Political career

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Novato city government (2015–2019)

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In 2015, Fryday ran for a seat on the city council of Novato, California, as part of a group that sought to challenge incumbents Jeanne MacLeamy and Eric Lucan.[3] Fryday led the field in campaign contributions, raising a total of $55,000, with the majority of funds coming from outside Marin County and outside California, which drew criticism from other candidates during the election.[4] He successfully won the election and was sworn in on December 8, 2015, by his mother, Robyn Fryday. Alongside him, fellow councilor Pam Drew was also elected.[5][6] During his tenure on the city council, Fryday contributed to initiatives aimed at enhancing public engagement and placed a strong emphasis on sustainability efforts.[7][8] After being appointed as Chief Service Officer of California, Fryday announced his intention to resign from his city council seat on August 27, 2019, with the Marin Independent Journal noting that his resignation would lead to a split on the city council.[9] The city council decided that the seat would remain vacant until the next election in 2019.[10] The seat, now for the 5th district instead of an at-large district, was filled by Amy S. Peele.[11]

State government (2019–present)

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On July 12, 2019, Fryday was appointed by California Governor Gavin Newsom to become the Chief Service Officer of California, with his term beginning on September 1, 2019.[12] As Chief Service Officer, he was responsible for the state’s volunteer programs, which included efforts to encourage involvement in addressing climate change. In this role, he implemented paid benefits for organizers to assist cities in mobilizing to combat climate change, crediting his military background as a key factor for the work through the office.[13][14] In this role, he led and launched several initiatives, including The Climate Action Corps and the #CaliforniansForAll College and Youth Jobs Corps.[15]

He also helped recruit tens of thousands of Californians to participate in service programs, resulting in the creation of a service force larger than the U.S. Peace Corps, according to The New York Times.[16] In 2024, President Joe Biden launched the American Climate Corps, largely based on the model Fryday developed in California.[17] Fryday is also responsible for the organization and administration of AmeriCorps programs in California and has actively worked to counter the Trump administration's cuts to AmeriCorps.[18][19]

In March 2025, Fryday announced his candidacy for Lieutenant Governor of California in the 2026 election, stating that the cost of living, climate crisis, and homelessness are the most significant challenges facing the state.[20][21] During the June 2025 Los Angeles protests and the subsequent 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.[22] He spoke out against the deployment, stating that it was a waste of the troops' time and funding.[23]

Personal life

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Fryday is married to Mollye Fryday, a public school teacher. They have three sons and reside in Davis, California, having previously resided in Novato.[1]

Electoral history

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Electoral history of Eric Garcetti
Year Office Party Primary General Result Swing Ref.
Total % P. Total % P.
2015 Novato City Council Nonpartisan No primary held 5,322 19.04% 1st Won N/A [24]
2026 Lieutenant Governor of California Democratic TBD TBD TBD TBD

References

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  1. ^ a b Wood, Jim (May 2, 2018). "Meet the Mayor: Josh Fryday". Marin Magazine.
  2. ^ Macht, Daniel, Macht (March 5, 2025). "Josh Fryday, California's chief service officer, announces run for lieutenant governor". KCRA-TV.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. ^ Halstead, Richard (August 12, 2015). "Council races set in Novato, Mill Valley, San Anselmo, Tiburon, Corte Madera". Marin Independent Journal.
  4. ^ Halstead, Richard (October 29, 2015). "Novato council race racks up highest contribution total". Marin Independent Journal.
  5. ^ Mara, Janis (November 4, 2015). "Election: Anti-incumbent mood strikes in Marin". Marin Independent Journal.
  6. ^ "New City Council Seated in Novato". City of Novato, CA. December 8, 2015.
  7. ^ Weldy, Stephanie (December 29, 2015). "Novato council aims to improve communications in the new year". Marin Independent Journal.
  8. ^ Weldy, Stephanie (September 22, 2017). "Novato pledges to switch to 100 percent clean energy by 2050". Marin Independent Journal.
  9. ^ "Editorial: Novato City Council is fit to be tied". Marin Independent Journal. July 31, 2019.
  10. ^ Houston, Will (July 26, 2019). "Departing Novato councilman's seat to stay vacant until election". Marin Independent Journal.
  11. ^ Houston, Will (December 11, 2019). "'Fresh starts': Novato swears in new council members, selects mayor". Marin Independent Journal.
  12. ^ Pera, Matthew (July 12, 2019). "Novato councilman to step down to join Newsom administration". Marin Independent Journal.
  13. ^ Colgan, Jim (September 20, 2023). "In Large and Small Ways, These Leaders Are Taking On Climate Change". The New York Times.
  14. ^ "The Top 100 Turns 15". Capitol Weekly. August 16, 2023.
  15. ^ Rosales, Betty Márquez (February 26, 2024). "California's Youth Job Corps offers a second chance at career, higher education". EdSource.
  16. ^ "How California Grew a Service Corps Larger Than the Peace Corps (Published 2024)". 2024-06-13. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  17. ^ "Meet the Californians serving in the first class of the American Climate Corps". Los Angeles Times. 2024-07-09. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  18. ^ Jones, Adam Echelman, Carolyn (2025-07-18). "'Like having a hand cut off': California schools reeling after AmeriCorps cuts". CalMatters. Retrieved 2025-07-28.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  19. ^ Burke, Molly. "'Middle finger to volunteers': Newsom blasts Trump for dismantling AmeriCorps". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on July 5, 2025. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  20. ^ Cadelago, Christopher (March 5, 2025). "Former Navy JAG wants to make government good again as lieutenant governor". Politico.
  21. ^ Melhado, William (March 6, 2025). "California Volunteers leader, a Democrat, jumps into lieutenant governor race". The Sacramento Bee.
  22. ^ "Trump's National Guard Troops Are Questioning Their Mission in L.A." 2025-07-16. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  23. ^ Schneid, Rebecca (2025-06-11). "Veterans Condemn Trump's 'Misuse of Military' in Protests". TIME. Retrieved 2025-07-28.
  24. ^ "CALIFORNIA COUNTY, CITY, AND SCHOOL DISTRICT ELECTION OUTCOMES — 2015 ELECTIONS" (PDF). Secretary of State of California. California State University, Sacramento.