Chief Phil Gonshak

Chief Phil Gonshak (Ret.) brings to his role a distinguished career spanning 25 years in law enforcement and public administration. His extensive experience includes tenure as a Chief of Police with the City of Seal Beach, California, and as a County Manager for Summit County, Colorado, with significant contributions in strategic leadership and operational management. Notably, he served as the Director of Strategic Initiatives for the City and County of Denver, Colorado, Police Department, where he spearheaded regional initiatives, programs, and resource allocation strategies across governmental agencies in Colorado.

A respected community leader, Chief Gonshak is recognized for his ethical leadership and adept management of cross-functional departments, overseeing daily operations and major projects in collaboration with diverse government entities and organizations. His expertise encompasses workplace harassment investigations, internal affairs, and political acumen within public safety and administration domains. He possesses a robust background in multimillion-dollar budget management, program oversight, human resources, risk management, media relations, arbitration, community-economic development, police department management, organizational development, public works, capital projects, health and human services, parks and recreation, emergency management, and large-scale event planning.

Chief Gonshak holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, a Master’s Degree in Public Administration, and a POST Executive Management Certificate from California State University, Long Beach (CSULB). He is an alumnus of prestigious programs, including the Harvard Kennedy School’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government, the Sherman Block Supervisory Leadership Institute (Class #384), the Los Angeles Police Department’s West Point Leadership Program, the California POST’s Executive Development Course, and the FBI National Academy (Class #260).

In addition to his professional roles, Chief Gonshak serves as an Adjunct Professor at the Graduate Center of Public Policy and Administration (GCPPA) at CSULB and in the Administration of Justice at Long Beach City College (LBCC), where he contributes to the education and development of future leaders in public policy and administration.