Nancy Lenoil is the chief archivist for the State of California. She is the first woman to hold this position. Ms. Lenoil began her career with the State Archives in 1987. Additionally, she has been Administrator of the Western Archives Institute since 1992. Ms. Lenoil has a Master of Arts degree in History with a Graduate Certificate in Archival Administration from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan, and a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan.

She received advanced training in archives administration through a fellowship funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.