Deputy Director, Communications
California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection

Janet Upton has over 24 years experience in the fire service.  She became a Public Information Officer in 1988 and was assigned to one of California’s ten Major Incident Command Teams. In this role, she has responded to some of the state’s largest and most complex emergencies.

Janet is a subject matter expert for the National Wildfire Coordinating Group Information Officer re-write project and California’s Advanced Information Officer cadre. Janet graduated from CSU, Chico in 1991 and holds a State of California multiple subjects teaching credential. She is an alumnus of the National Fire Academy and a member of the State Information Officer’s Council.

In July, 2008, Janet was appointed by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger as Deputy Director of Communications for CAL FIRE where she oversees the public information and education programs for the largest fire department in the state.