California emergency agency gets first woman director. What Gov. Newsom says about pick

Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday announced that Nancy Ward would lead the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services.

Ward will be the first woman in California history to hold the director’s position. She replaces former Cal OES Director Mark Ghilarducci, who announced his planned retirement earlier this year.

In a statement, Newsom called Ward a “seasoned emergency response veteran with decades of experience” and vowed that under her leadership, California would “remain ready to respond, no matter the crisis.”

“I thank her for taking on this role and her dedication to serving the people of California,” he added.

As head of Cal OES, Ward will be tasked with coordinating response efforts across local, state and federal levels for all major emergencies and disasters such as pandemics, heat waves, wildfires and more.

Ward has served as chief deputy director for Cal OES since 2017 and previously worked for the Department of Homeland Security and Federal Emergency Management Agency. As director of Cal OES, she will earn a salary of nearly $233,000.

Ghilarducci called Ward an “outstanding choice” to take on the role.

“Nancy is an exceptional emergency manager and skillful leader who brings strong relationships and years of deep experience,” he said in a statement.

This story was originally published December 31, 2022 at 3:30 PM.