Michael Klowden is President and CEO of the Milken Institute. Klowden joined the Institute in 2001 from Jefferies & Company, then the largest institutional securities brokerage and investment banking firm in Southern California. At Jefferies, he served as Vice Chairman, President, and Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining Jefferies, Klowden was a senior partner at international law firm of Morgan, Lewis & Bockius. He served as one of the four members of that firm's management committee, was managing partner of the Los Angeles office, and national vice chairman of the firm's business and finance practice. He is a trustee of the University of Chicago. Klowden earned his JD at Harvard Law School (ex-officio).