Jennifer Haley is President and CEO of Kern Energy, where she leads a talented team of 202 individuals. Haley has championed Kern’s “small but mighty” culture, helping position the company as a statewide leader in energy resilience, clean fuel innovation, and collaborative solutions that support both the economy and the environment.

 Haley took a non-traditional path to refinery leadership. After earning a law degree at the University of San Diego School of Law, she handled litigation for primarily public agency clients—including school and water districts—in state and federal court as a member of Best, Best and Krieger LLP’s San Diego office. Haley also represented public agency coalitions in regulatory issues before the California Public Utilities Commission.

 When Haley joined Kern in 2011 as Vice President – Legal and Government Affairs and, she brought an open mind and keen desire to understand every aspect of the business and California energy environment. Haley’s on-the-job training gave her a deep appreciation for the complexity inherent in a refining operation, and her fresh perspective helps drive Kern’s ongoing evolution to meet the demands of climate change. When 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.

Playing Division I softball for the University of San Diego shaped her competitive spirit and commitment to teamwork. A servant-leader who believes the greatest achievement is helping others be successful; Haley has incorporated an emphasis on communication, culture and professional development into Kern’s business strategy. Haley is also active in giving back and participates in numerous business and community organizations, guided by her principle of leaving things better than she found them. 

She has served on the Board of Directors of the California Chamber of Commerce since 2019, where she currently serves as Vice Chair of the International Trade Committee and is also a member of the CalCEO Council. In 2025, she was appointed by the Governor to the California Workforce Development Board. Haley is also Board Chair of the California Foundation for Commerce and Education, serves on the Board of Trustees at the California Science Center Foundation, and is a member of the YPO Los Angeles Chapter. She earned her B.A. in History, magna cum laude, and her J.D., summa cum laude and Order of the Coif, from the University of San Diego. 

Outside the office, Haley enjoys spending time with her family and her two young sons. She can often be found cheering on her two sons from the sidelines of the soccer field or testing gravity on the ski slopes of Southern California—bringing the same energy and enthusiasm to her personal life as she does to her leadership.