Jenny Novak is an award winning, Certified Emergency Manager, with over fifteen years of professional emergency management experience. In 2020, Jenny was selected as the first systemwide Director of Emergency Management and Continuity for the California State University system. Previously, she worked in response for the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services during several presidentially declared major disasters. Prior to her tenure in state level, Jenny served in emergency management at California State University, Northridge and in local government.
Jenny’s academic background is in Hazards Geography. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Geography from Humboldt State University in 2007 and Master of Arts Degree in Geography at the University of Southern California in 2012. She is a member of the Naval Postgraduate School Center for Homeland Defense & Security’s Executive Leaders Program with expected graduation in August 2022.
Jenny currently serves as Vice President of the California Emergency Services Association Southern Chapter. In 2016, Jenny was honored at the White House for her innovation in preparedness training development for higher education. She loves living in Long Beach with her husband and two young daughters.
