Geoffrey Cowan

Geoffrey Cowan is a University Professor of Communication and Annenberg Family Chair in Communication Leadership at the University of Southern California (USC). He previously served as Dean of USC Annenberg (1996–2007) and Director of the Voice of America. Cowan is also affiliated with USC Gould School of Law and directs the Center on Communication Leadership and Policy and the Center on Public Diplomacy. His expertise spans argumentation, media policy, public diplomacy, and political communication.

Education: ABA graduate, Harvard College (undergraduate), and Yale Law School. Notable roles include President of the Annenberg Foundation Trust at Sunnylands (2010–present), where he hosted high-profile events such as the Obama-Xi Summit (2013).

Research focuses on civic engagement, media industries, and political persuasion. Key publications include Let the People Rule (2016) and See No Evil (1980). Awards include the USC Teaching Award and Emmy recognition for his work on Mark Twain and Me.

Labs/Teams: Directs USC Annenberg’s communication policy centers, collaborating with global leaders on media strategy and public diplomacy initiatives.