Kern Energy President/CEO Jennifer Haley to Chair California Foundation for Commerce and Education in 2025

Jennifer M. Haley, president and CEO of Kern Energy, has been elected as the 2025 chair of the California Foundation for Commerce and Education (CFCE) Board of Directors.

“As the new Chair of the California Foundation for Commerce and Education, I am grateful to be a part of CFCE’s mission to strengthen California’s economy. By championing a healthy California business environment and providing objective research, we establish foundational data and insight that empower informed policy decisions and meaningful progress.

“Our state’s potential is limitless, and I am excited to work alongside CFCE President Luis Quiñonez, our board, and leading experts to advance research that fuels job growth, economic resilience, and innovation across the state,” said Haley.

CFCE President Luis A. Quiñonez welcomed Haley, stating, “It is a privilege to work with Jennifer Haley as CFCE’s new Chair. Jennifer’s expertise in energy policy and the role of private enterprise in driving innovation will be instrumental in advancing our research on California’s evolving energy landscape.

“At CFCE, we are committed to conducting research that supports economic growth, and Jennifer’s deep understanding of the energy sector will add a critical perspective to the discussions we’ll be having this year. I look forward to our work together and the opportunity to further strengthen California’s economy.”

Jennifer Haley

When Jennifer Haley took the helm of Kern Energy as CEO in 2018, she became one of just a few female CEOs in the refining industry—and the first in California.

One of the first refineries in the nation to produce renewable diesel, Kern Energy has produced more than 57 million gallons of renewable diesel while continuing to reliably provide 1% of the state’s gasoline and 3% of its diesel fuel.

Under Haley’s leadership, Kern Energy has embraced an all-of-the above approach to help lead statewide efforts to promote energy resilience, clean energy and collaborative solutions that protect the economy and environment.

Haley holds leadership positions on the Board of Directors for the California Chamber of Commerce, serving as an at-large member of the Chamber’s Executive Committee in 2024, and on the Foundation Board of the California Science Center.

About CFCE

The CFCE, a nonprofit nonpartisan think tank affiliated with the California Chamber of Commerce, is dedicated to preserving and strengthening the California business climate and private enterprise through education of the public and policy makers on the virtues of private enterprise, educational attainment, and a strong economic base; accurate, impartial and objective research and analysis of public policy issues of interest to the California business and public policy communities; and education and outreach efforts in support of the research and public policy findings and recommendations.