Born the son of a naval submarine commander in upstate New York, Kozak's childhood was marked by frequent family moves from coast to coast. By his thirteenth birthday he had relocated a dozen times, attending Westlake High School in Thousand Oaks, California. Earned BA in Economics from San Diego State University. Founded a small national sports publication. In 1995 created the internet's first interactive travel site - www.travelsource.com. Sold the company in 1996 and directed his first screenplay, "To Hell With Love". Co-founder and Director of Programming for the San Diego Film Festival.