State Fire Marshal, Tonya Hoover

Chief Tonya Hoover

Tonya L. Hoover was appointed State Fire Marshal by Governor Edmund G. Brown on November 21, 2011 and was confirmed by the Senate in May 2012 after serving as Acting State Fire Marshal since July 1, 2009. She was appointed and served as the Assistant State Fire Marshal from September 4, 2007. Chief Hoover has been actively involved in Fire Prevention, Public Education and Risk Mitigation for more than 20 years; and served as the Fire Marshal for the Moraga-Orinda Fire District located east of the Oakland/Berkeley hills. Chief Hoover has served as a Deputy Fire Marshal for the University of California at Berkeley and Fire Inspector/Plan Reviewer for two Bay Area fire departments.

Chief Hoover graduated from Oklahoma State University with an Associate of Science Degree in Fire Protection Engineering Technology and a Bachelor of Science Degree in Technical Education Specializing in Fire Protection Engineering Technology and Safety. She further earned a Masters Degree in Business Administration/Human Resources from the University of Phoenix. She holds several State Fire Marshal certifications, is a certified Fire Marshal, and holds a life-time teaching credential.

She serves as a member of several fire service associations including the: National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) technical committee as a principal member; International Fire Service Training Association (IFSTA); Underwriter’s Laboratory Fire Council, and the International Code Council, Fire Code Committee. She is an active member and past president (Northern Division - NorCal) of the California Fire Chiefs’ Fire Prevention Officers Section; and a committee co-chair. She is a recipient of the Northern California Fire Prevention Officers’ Charlie Gray Award for Outstanding Service to NorCal Fire Prevention Officers and is the recipient of the 2011 Bringing Fire Safety Home Award.

Chief Hoover has been a speaker at several professional events that include the Annual Meeting of NFPA, California Fire Chiefs Association, National Firewise Conference, Oklahoma Fire Chiefs Association, and the 43rd Annual International Conference on Campus Safety. Chief Hoover also actively supports children’s safety organizations and sits on the Executive Board for SafeKids California and participates in the annual 9-1-1 for Kids awards ceremony at the State Capitol.