BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Michael McDowell is an award-winning, nationally recognized leader in cultural-tourism marketing strategies and programs. He is currently a consultant at L.A. Cultural Tourism, Inc. Previously, he was Executive Vice President & Chief Operating Officer for Japan House Los Angeles, a public diplomacy initiative of the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs to grow awareness and appreciation of Japanese culture and contributions to contemporary life globally. It is one of only three such facilities in the world. Prior to that, McDowell was the first Vice President for Cultural Tourism at the Los Angeles Tourism & Convention Board, where he promoted Los Angeles as a premier cultural center for visitors worldwide since 2004. Before that, McDowell held leadership positions at the California Institute of the Arts and the University of Southern California as well as top positions in higher education, government and publishing on the East Coast.