Kyle McGowan

Kyle McGowan is a problem solver, investor, and public health strategist who thrives at the intersection of policy, innovation, and scale. As the former Chief of Staff at the CDC, he helped to lead the agency’s response to global health threats, including COVID-19, Ebola, and the vaping crisis. He built high-stakes policy coalitions across the White House, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), and the Department of Defense. Prior to that, Kyle directed external affairs at HHS and served as Deputy Chief of Staff to Congressman Tom Price, where he focused on legislative strategy, crisis communications, and government operations.
 

A startup advisor and venture partner, Kyle now helps early-stage and growth companies disrupt outdated healthcare models. As Founding Partner of Ascendant Strategic Partners, he works with startups, Fortune 500s, and venture funds to decode the federal landscape, launch high-impact public health initiatives, and scale innovative solutions in digital health, prevention, and care delivery.
 

Kyle helped architect the Ending the HIV Epidemic Initiative and the CDC’s Data Modernization Initiative, two landmark programs reshaping U.S. public health infrastructure. Today, he applies that same blueprint for scale to the private sector, backing bold entrepreneurs who are building smarter, faster, prevention-first models.
 

He’s also a mentor, baseball coach, Atlanta Braves fan, and outdoorsman. Whether he's advising founders or fly fishing, Kyle brings the same mix of clarity, calm, and conviction to everything he does.