Joy Hermsen

As the Statewide Director for Retail|Hospitality|Tourism (RHT) in the Workforce Economic Development Division of the California Community Colleges, Joy brings deep experience in industry and education. Her motto is “Everything is figureoutable.” This attitude, along with her experience and skill,  allows her to partner effectively across systems. She works tirelessly to connect industry with 115 CA Community Colleges to better address business needs and to launch students into careers in the dynamic sectors of Retail, Hospitality and Tourism. Her collaborative and energetic leadership approach to improving teams from the inside out has brought innovative solutions and meaningful results to public and private organizations. She brings a unique blend of operational drive, training and development expertise, community engagement mastery, and collaborative spirit with entrepreneurial flair.

Joy brings experience in all facets of Retail, Hospitality and Tourism, including roles as Head of People, Director of Operations, Director of HR & Strategy, Director of Training & Development, and Director of Employee Engagement & Community Relations in multiple organizations, from Fortune 500 to local, family-owned companies.

Joy earned her MBA at the UC Davis Graduate School of Management, her Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from UC Davis, and she is a graduate of the Sacramento Entrepreneurship Academy. She has served as faculty member in Business and Entrepreneurship at Santa Rosa Junior College and in Leadership Studies at Humboldt State University.  She has volunteered in leadership roles on several boards, including the Cal Aggie Alumni Association, UCD GSM Alumni Association, and Girls on the Run Sonoma County.

As a first generation college graduate and daughter of a military veteran, Joy is deeply committed to student success for learners of all ages. Joy counts her lucky stars each day to be able to live and work in the great state of California.