L. Kris Gowen (1968-) Biography

Born 1968, in Mountain Lakes, NJ. Education: Stanford University, B.A., 1990; Harvard Graduate School of Education, Ed.M., 1994; Stanford University School of Education, Ph.D., 1998. Hobbies and other interests: Hockey, being a dog owner, home restoration.

Addresses

Agent—Andrea Pedolsky, Altair Literary Agency, P.O. Box 11656, Washington, DC 20008.

Career

Womensforum.com, San Francisco, CA, senior channel producer, 1998-2000; Foundation for Accountability, Portland, OR, senior research associate, 2000-04; Portland State University, Portland, OR, member of adjunct faculty, 2000—. OMPRO, project coordinator, 2004—.

Member

Oregon Public Health Association, American Psychological Association, SIECUS.

Writings

Making Sexual Decisions: The Ultimate Teen Guide, Scarecrow Press (Lanham, MD), 2003.

Image and Identity: Becoming the Person You Are, for Scarecrow Press (Lanham, MD).2003.

Contributor of articles to professional journals, including Journal of Adolescence, Journal of Youth and Adolescence, Sex Roles, and Health Education and Behavior.

Sidelights

L. Kris Gowen told Something about the Author: "I was happy and excited when I was asked to write a book on sex education. It was nothing short of a dream come true. Sex education—and other types of health education—is a main interest of mine. I've taught it, thought about it, and researched it quite a bit. Why? Because I think it's important. I want to help teens make educated decisions about their sexual behaviors. I want to help them fill in some of the blanks in their knowledge about sex and relationships. I also want to provide them some things to think about when it comes to the feelings and emotions that surround sex. In short, I want to help them make their own decisions when it comes to relationships and being sexual with others. Because I believe, that given the right information and a good amount of support, teens can be trusted to choose wisely."