Kevin E. McKeown – 50th Reunion Essay

Kevin E. McKeown

848 E 16th Street

Santa Monica, CA 90403

kevin@mckeown.net

310-393-3639

Spouse(s): Genise Schnitzen

Career: Mayor, City of Santa Monica; Educational Technology Consultant, Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District; Owner, LA RadioWorks; General Manager, KROQ FM&AM, Los Angeles

Avocations: Social justice, environmental issues, travel

College: Berkeley

Not so surprising, perhaps, that after “majoring” in WYBC, within a decade I was general manager of KROQ in Los Angeles. More surprising is that I ended up mayor of a well-known California city. Chalk that up, perhaps, to my early involvement as a townie with the social justice movements out of Dwight Hall, even before I lived on the Old Campus.

Home for most of my life now has been Santa Monica, where for almost 20 years I’ve served on the city council of one of the most politically progressive communities in the country (otherwise, there’d be no chance of an old Yale lefty like me getting elected!). I’ve championed affordable housing, the most worker-friendly minimum wage law in the country, and the environment, having done a presentation as Santa Monica mayor at the COP-21 United Nations 2015 climate change conference in Paris.

KROQ is a venerable corporate institution now, but when I ran it we were the last independent free-form FM rocker left in Los Angeles. I got to work with the Firesign Theatre doing live coverage of Pasadena’s Rose Parade. Frank Zappa came into our studio to preview on-air the lacquer test pressings of his latest album, acting as guest DJ. Timothy Leary, while I was negotiating a possible talk show with him, bought me a drink at a local disco (to clarify, we were there for a marijuana legalization event; neither of us was into disco).

After the suits finally took over KROQ, I became an active voice-over talent in Los Angeles, specializing in rock accounts like Guitar Center, Laserium, stereo stores (remember those?), and the like. Eventually I was creative director of an ad agency and owned a radio recording studio where I crafted ads for movies, national television networks, and syndicated TV programs.

What changed my whole life at last was getting sober 23 years ago, shortly after our 25th reunion. I left the drug-riddled radio and ad biz for sober service, becoming the computer technology consultant for our local public school district, and then running for public office. Tom Hayden, Port Huron Statement author and Chicago Seven defendant, became a friend, driving around town with my campaign sign in his car window.

Through local politics, I met my Wellesley wife, Genise, and we indulged a mutual love for international travel. In Ireland, I found and stood upon the very farmland from which my father’s father had emigrated, so inspiring me that I have acquired dual citizenship in the Republic of Ireland and now travel with an Irish passport, allowing me to live and work anywhere in the European Union (and to be greeted with a hearty “Welcome home!” whenever I fly into Dublin). I’m vice-chair of the Irish-American Caucus of the California State Democratic Party.

I’ve never made a lot of money. I couldn’t even afford to live in Santa Monica if it weren’t for rent control. I have found ways to make creative contributions, though, and to have fulfilling fun doing it.