Josh Fryday

Josh Fryday
File:Josh Fryday Approved-Headshot (cropped).jpg Official portrait, 2024
Chief Service Officer of California
Incumbent
Assumed office September 1, 2019
Governor	Gavin Newsom
Preceded by	Karen Baker
Member of the Novato City Council
In office December 8, 2015 – August 27, 2019
Preceded by	Jeanne MacLeamy
Succeeded by	Amy S. Peele (redistricted)
Personal details
Born	1981 (age 44–45) Novato, California
Party	Democratic
Spouse	Mollye Fryday
Children	3
Residence	Davis, California
Alma mater	UC Berkeley School of Law (BA, JD)
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Navy
Years of service	2009–2013
Rank	File:U.S. Navy O-4 infobox.svg Lieutenant Commander
Unit	J.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

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.

Military service

File:Josh Fryday testifying to U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, 2013 (cropped).jpg

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.

Political career

Novato city government (2015–2019)

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. 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. 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. During his tenure on the city council, Fryday contributed to initiatives aimed at enhancing public engagement and placed a strong emphasis on sustainability efforts. 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. The city council decided that the seat would remain vacant until the next election in 2019. The seat, now for the 5th district instead of an at-large district, was filled by Amy S. Peele.

State government (2019–present)

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. 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. In this role, he led and launched several initiatives, including The Climate Action Corps and the #CaliforniansForAll College and Youth Jobs Corps.

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. In 2024, President Joe Biden launched the American Climate Corps, largely based on the model Fryday developed in California. 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.

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. 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. He spoke out against the deployment, stating that it was a waste of the troops' time and funding.

Personal life

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

Electoral history

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
2026	Lieutenant Governor of California		Democratic	TBD			TBD			TBD		TBD