Michael Kahoe

Michael Kahoe brings more than 25 years of high level public and private sector experience in developing and implementing effective regulatory and legislative strategies on a wide range of public policy issues. With 15 years experience in State government and additional service with local governments, he has an in-depth familiarity with the workings of California government, its fiscal control agencies, and the public, legislative, and media strategies needed to launch successful government programs. Previously, Kahoe held senior management positions with Bay Area consulting firms providing economic, permitting, and environmental services.

Kahoe's positions with the State included Deputy Cabinet Secretary in the Governor's Office, where he had overall responsibility for Cal/EPA, Resources Agency, Dept. of Food & Agriculture, Public Utilities Commission, Energy Commission, Office of Administrative Law, and the business regulation departments of the Business, Transportation & Housing Agency. Kahoe also had responsibility for federal issues affecting those agencies, with duties including state agency lobbying of Congress and federal agencies, serving on numerous federal advisory committees, and managing California's participation in Western Governors' Association (WGA) and Border Governors' Association.

Kahoe was one of the key staff that created the CA Environmental Protection Agency, subsequently serving as Deputy Secretary and Chief of Staff with responsibility over all legislation, regulation, and the Agency's policy and program initiatives. As Asst. Secretary of the former Environmental Affairs Agency, Kahoe had responsibility over the Agency's boards and permitting for major coastal and offshore developments.

After leaving state service, Kahoe provided government relations and regulatory strategy consulting to a variety of public and private clients, including work with the environmental, energy, health care, and emergency services agencies. He has also been active with statewide and federal campaigns, developing policy positions on health care, energy, and other issues. Kahoe continues to maintain good relations with both senior and middle management at the state's regulatory agencies, and handled Cal/EPA and its issues for Governor Schwarzenegger's Transition Team.

Kahoe has an MBA in Finance from UC Berkeley, MA in Economics from UC Santa Barbara, and BA in Social Relations from Immaculate Heart College.