Tonya Hoover is the Superintendent of the U.S. Fire Administration’s National Fire Academy (NFA). She was named to this position in May 2017. As Superintendent, Ms. Hoover provides leadership for the NFA, which focuses on enhancing the ability of fire and emergency services and allied professionals to deal more effectively with fire and related emergencies.
Ms. Hoover is an accomplished executive with more than 20 years of management experience in both local and state government. She has successfully worked at high levels of government in developing and implementing fire protection, fire prevention, fire training, and community risk reduction programs.
From July 2009 to July 2016, Ms. Hoover served as the California State Fire Marshal, where she was responsible for statewide fire prevention, fire service training, pipeline safety, code and regulations development, and analysis and implementation. She was the California Assistant State Fire Marshal from September 2007 to June 2009. Previously, Ms. Hoover served as a fire marshal/battalion chief for a local fire department and was a deputy campus fire marshal for the University of California at Berkeley. Ms. Hoover was on the Board of Directors for the National Fire Protection Association and the International Fire Service Training Association, and is an active committee member with the International Code Council.
Ms. Hoover received her MBA in Business and Human Resources from the University of Phoenix in 2006 and a Bachelor of Science in Technical Education, specializing in Fire Protection and Safety, from Oklahoma State University in 1985. She holds an associate degree in Fire Protection Engineering Technology (also from Oklahoma State University) and possesses a California lifetime teaching credential for fire science.
About the National Fire Academy
The Superintendent for the National Fire Academy is responsible for advancing the professional development of fire service personnel and of other persons engaged in fire prevention and control activities. This is accomplished through curriculum development and course evaluation; resident course delivery in the areas of all-hazard emergency incident management; emergency organization leadership, management and executive development; related instructor qualifications development; an online educational system, NFA Online; and an outreach delivery program which includes off-site course delivery and advanced educational programs at academic institutions.
