California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) Director Nancy Ward today swore in Dana Ellis as the new Assistant Director of Response North Operations.
With decades of experience in emergency management, Ellis will oversee Inland and Coastal operations, managing increasingly complex emergencies and disasters.
Getting into emergency management following the Loma Prieta earthquake, Ellis has pursued many opportunities at Cal OES as California has continued to experience disasters year after year.
She has been the Acting Assistant Director of Response North since 2023, where she has served in several positions since 1989 including Deputy Regional Administrator, Senior Emergency Services Coordinator, Emergency Services Coordinator, Associate Governmental Program Analyst and Staff Services Analyst.
She is a member of the California Emergency Services Association and the Cherokee Nation.