Outstanding Alum Award History and Art History

Jay Trainer is the Chief Operating Officer for the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA). Jay served in an Acting capacity from December 2023 until assuming the role in December 2024. As COO, Jay oversees NARA’s outward facing organizations Agency Services, Researcher Services, Presidential Libraries, Legislative Archives, Museums, Public Programs, and the Federal Register organizations. Jay also plays a key role in shaping NARA’s strategic direction.

Jay started his career with the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) in 1988 as a student trainee at the NARA Federal Records Center in Dayton, OH. Upon reassignment to Washington, DC, in 1991 he held a progression of management analyst and financial analyst positions. From 2004 into 2013 he served as the Assistant Director for NARA’s Federal Records Centers Program (FRCP). The FRCP, which operates as a Federal revolving fund, consists of 18 facilities nationwide that store and service over 25 million cubic feet of Federal records with a staff of over 1200 FTE. In 2013 he became NARA’s Executive for Agency Services, which includes the Office of the Chief Records Officer (CRO), Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO), National Declassification Center (NDC), Office of Government Information Services (OGIS), and the FRCP. 

Jay holds a BA in history from the University of Dayton and an MA in American history from George Mason University.