Kevin McGowan

Biography

Kevin McGowan serves as the director of the Office of Emergency Management for the County of Los Angeles, leading the hazards emergency management program. Previously, McGowan was the assistant director of the Ventura County Sheriff's Office of Emergency Services. Leading an all hazards emergency management program for Ventura County, McGowan is responsible for countywide disaster planning, coordination, training, response, and recovery efforts. During his tenure, McGowan has served as the director of the Emergency Operations Center for natural, technological and human-caused disasters such as wildland fires, debris flows, severe winter storms and hazardous materials events. A native of Southern California, McGowan holds a bachelor's degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and a master's degree in public policy from Pepperdine University School of Public Policy. McGowan has attended a variety of emergency management educational programs, including FEMA's National Emergency Management Executive Academy, the Naval Post Graduate School's Center for Homeland Defense and Security's Executive Leaders Program and Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government Leadership in Crises. He served as a commissioned officer in the United States Army and spent six years as an infantry officer on active duty and in the California Army National Guard. Upon completion of his military service, McGowan served for five years with the Santa Monica Police Department as a special assistant to the Chief of Police where he worked on homeland security and emergency management programs.

Education

• MPP, Pepperdine School of Public Policy
• BA, Political Science, University of North Carolina